Seasonal Nutrition
Vitamins
- Vitamin B5/pantothenic acid (energy production, fat metabolism)
- Vitamin C (collagen formation, free radical damage protection, neurotransmitter formation)
- Vitamin E (protection against free radicals)
- Vitamin K (bone health, blood clotting – to stop bleeding)
- Manganese (bone health, collagen production, blood sugar control)
- Copper (nervous-system health, collagen production, energy production)
- Fiber (digestive tract health, blood cholesterol maintenance)
- Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins
Seasonal Recipe
Cranberry Chutney
Save yourself cooking time this holiday - this chutney is versatile! Put a teaspoonful on top of a cracker for an appetizer; use the chutney as a base for salad dressing (see recipe below); put it through a blender to make a sandwich spread for leftover turkey sandwiches. It may sound odd, but a dollop on top of ice cream is a lovely desert – sweet and creamy meets tart and savory. Even more good news: this chutney is flexible: use more cranberries and omit the tart cherries; use apples instead of pears (or, one of each). Add, change, or omit spices to suit your tastes. No two batches need be the same – have fun with this!
2 C apple cider vinegar
1 C chopped red onion
¼ C peeled, chopped fresh ginger
2 ½ t finely grated lemon peel
2 ½ t finely grated orange peel
1 stick cinnamon, halved
½ t crushed red pepper
¼ t ground cloves
6 oz dried cranberries, re-hydrated in hot water
6 oz dried tart cherries rehydrated in hot water
2 large, firm Bosc pears
1 ¼ C turbinado sugar (optional)
- Combine vinegar, onion, ginger, lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon pieces, crushed red pepper, and cloves in heavy sauce pan. Boil until reduced to 1 ½ C, about 10 minutes.
- While vinegar and spice mixture is reducing, rehydrate dried fruit.
- Core pears and cut into ¾-inch cubes.
- Add cranberries, cherries, and pears to reduced vinegar mixture. Stir over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until pears are very tender, stirring occasionally (about 30 minutes).
- Remove from heat. Using a potato masher, mash mixture coarsely. If chutney is too tart for your taste, gradually add small amounts of sugar, stirring over low heat until dissolved and tastes to your liking.
- apple cider vinegar | acetic acid, potassium, magnesium, probiotics and enzymes
- red onions | B1, B6, biotin, folic acid, C, K; chromium, fiber; lowers blood sugar
- ginger | reduces motion sickness and GI distress, anti-inflammatory
- lemon peel (juice) | A, B1, folic acid C, potassium, magnesium, limonene; anticancer
- orange peel | B1, B2, B6, folic acid, pantothenic acid, C, fiber
- cinnamon | lowers blood sugar
- crushed red pepper | anti-inflammatory
- ground cloves | reduced toxicity of environmental toxins, preventative against digestion cancers
- tart cherries | A, C, copper, manganese, flavonoids, anti-ox (> vitamin E), anti-inflammatory (= ibuprofen)
- Bosc pears | B2, C, E, copper, potassium, fiber
For a quick, easy & zesty salad dressing, puree ½ cup chutney, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, and a scant ¼ cup apple cider vinegar in a blender. Add water to thin, if desired. Add salt & pepper to taste. Make ahead and store in the refrigerator; shake well before dressing salad.
Substitute any firm pear or apple that you love. For a sweeter taste profile, add pomegranate seeds.
Seasonal Food
Last year I was fortunate to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my friend Karla and her extended family. For fun, I bought a can of the jellied cranberry sauce… I think that can might still be in her pantry (I finally read the ingredients). That night, Karla’s mom-in-law brought a delicious sauce made with fresh cranberries. It was fantastic! This year, my Cranberry Chutney will join Alice’s amazing cranberry sauce. I have made the recipe below several times. It’s easy, fun, and you can make it without added sugar.
News & Notes
This month, the featured recipe is based on Tina Miller’s recipe published in bon appetit. I hope you use it to save time and add flavor to 5 of your holiday dishes!