How to Appreciate Cranberries

Cranberries are little red berries that are picked off of vines. The number of cranberries the United States produces yearly exceeds 110,000 metric tons. Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington are the main producers of cranberries in the U.S. Cranberries are usually cooked before eaten. They are commonly used to make jelly, jam, sauce and juice, and they are often included in recipes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States uses about a third of the cranberries they grow to make juice.

Instructions

• 1

  Make cranberry bread with cranberries. Have it with dinner any day of the week or on holidays. Eating cranberry bread supplies you with potassium, calcium and vitamins A and C.

• 2

  Mix dried cranberries with other dried fruits such as blueberries, cherries and shredded coconut to make a nutritious trail mix. Trail mix with cranberries in it is a healthy snack you can enjoy when you are on the go. Add nuts and seeds to it for protein.

• 3

  Combine dried cranberries with rice and vegetables such as sauteed onions and asparagus to make cranberry vegetable risotto. Cranberries add a touch of sweetness to this dish to make it more interesting. Cranberry vegetable risotto is a casserole dish you can serve on the side.

• 4

  Make a tasty spinach salad with dried cranberries. Cranberries mixed into a salad add additional vitamins and fiber. Toss baby spinach with dried cranberries, two tbsp. of cranberry juice cocktail, and raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing to make a delicious salad.

• 5

  Mix a can of cranberry sauce with about 1/3 cup of orange juice and 1/2 tsp. of grated orange peel. Boil the mixture, then let it simmer for approximately five minutes. This sauce adds great flavor to roast pork. Baste the pork with some of the sauce while it is in the oven, and then drizzle more sauce on the pork when it is done.

• 6

  Bake cranberries into oatmeal cookies and muffins. Use cranberries in place of raisins. Oatmeal cookies that contain cranberries make a healthy and satisfying dessert. Have a cranberry muffin for breakfast, along with a glass of cranberry juice.