25 Sep Essential ingredient: dried cranberries

Several years ago, dining at my then-boyfriend-now-husband’s parents house always included a salad. It was often the same combination of items-green leafy lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, “crunchies” and dried cranberries. Suffice it to say, in all my salad eating years, I’d never had one topped with dried cranberries, much less “crunchies” AND dried cranberries.

Today, both dried cranberries and crunchies are staples in my house. And while the crunchies only come out for salads, the dried cranberries make appearances throughout the week in various and sundry dishes. Here are a few ways I love to include dried cranberries in my recipes:

Whole grain rice or quinoa + slivered, toasted almonds + dried cranberries= impressive side dish

Leafy greens + chicken breast + blue cheese + pecans + dried cranberries=colorful and healthy entree salad

Raw spinach + slices of green apple + toasted walnuts + dried cranberries=love this for simple holiday salads

Roasted brussel Sprouts + roasted onions + bacon or pancetta+dried cranberries=no leftovers, I promise!

Crockpot+ oatmeal + cinnamon + dried cranberries=perfect fall breakfast for a crowd

High fiber cereal+ dried cranberries+mini chocolate chips+pepitas or sunflower seeds=healthy, homemade trail mix

Adding the tartness of the dried cranberry provides a completely different spin on otherwise bland or predictable dishes and my family always loves to see them in our meals. And I love it when they love it because these little gems provide some important nutrients. A half-cup is equivalent to a serving of fruit, and contains nearly 10% of the daily fiber requirement. Even better, dried cranberries contain PACs (flavonoids that provide anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties) which help prevent the adhesion of certain harmful bacterial, including E. coli, associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs), gum disease and stomach ulcers. Who hasn’t heard about the benefits of cranberries juice cocktail in fighting off UTI’s? C’mon, ladies, one in five of us will have at least one UTI in our lifetime, says the National Kidney Foundation. I think I’ve met my requirement. TMI? Sorry!

It’s snack time-off to make a batch of the aforementioned homemade trail mix!

Here are more great recipes using the c’berry!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated for my time, however, all opinions stated are my own.