Natural cranberries can be a wonderful healthy food with many benefits. Cranberries are well know for preventing urinary tract infections , kidney infections, preventing bladder stone production by acidifying your urine, and boost your immune system helping to prevent colds and flues.
Many of us have cranberry sauce only during the Thanksgiving holiday with turkey, but there are so many delicious ways you can use up cranberry sauce. Add a big scoop of cranberry sauce to a smoothie, or flavor your plain yogurt. Make a ham or turkey sandwich or wrap adding a smear of cranberry sauce. It goes well with chicken, pork and beef. You can also use cranberry sauce as a glaze for meatloaf.
I absolutely loved this recipe shared by a friend of mine. The best thing of a homemade sauce is you can control how much sugar you put in, and also you can add more fresh and healthy ingredients.
Ingredients
- 8 -12 oz of fresh organic cranberry
- 2 cups of water
- 1 1/2 oranges zest and juice
- 1/2 lemon juice and zest
- A pinch of himalayan pink salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 sticks of cinnamon
- Fresh Rosemary bunch
- 1/2 Apple chopped in small pieces
- Honey ( add according to your taste)
In a large saucepan, combine water and honey ( I like raw honey). Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the honey for 5 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients and let them boil uncovered over high heat to medium for 10-15 minutes or till skins pop. If you like a runnier sauce, cook for less time. For a thicker sauce, cook a little longer.
After the sauce is made, make sure to take the cinnamon sticks and rosemary bunch out, they are just for flavor!
Who doesn't like to eat a healthy, quick and easy snack that tastes good? A halved avocado filled with cottage cheese is a perfect choice! You might think...it seems like a lot of fat, but remember, a healthy body needs some healthy fat. Your body requires fat for the proper function of your Immune system, Hormones, cell membrane and source of stored energy.
AVOCADO is a good source of monounsaturated fat, in the form of oleic acid , that can decrease the bad cholesterol in your blood and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Avocado contains around 4g of protein, 0.2g of sugar, and is an excellent source of potassium (containing more per weight than bananas). Plus avocados are rich in vitamins K, B, C and E.
COTTAGE CHEESE rich in protein,low in fat, low-carb and low-calorie.Cottage cheese contains a type of protein called casein, (1)“Casein protein is a slow-digesting protein because it forms a gel in the gut, which results in a steady release of amino acids into the blood stream over time.” In 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 80 calories and 14g of protein.
How to make this easy snack:
1- Cut an avocado in half, use the side without the pit
2- Fill the hole with 2 tbsp of low fat cottage cheese, my favorite is Nancy's Organic
3 - Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper on top.
Grab a spoon and dig in to enjoy it!
TIP: If you eat just the avocado half try to reduce the contact with oxygen in the air as much as possible.
3 Ways to keep it from turning brown:
TIP 1- Leave the pit in the avocado half, and cover tightly with clear plastic wrap before placing in the refrigerator.
TIP 2 - Brush lemon or lime juice and place in an air-tight container or tightly covered clear plastic wrap.
TIP 3 - Brush the avocado half with olive oil. The oil will keep the flesh from coming in
direct contact with the air, preventing oxidation. After brushing with the oil, store the avocado in an airtight container in the fridge.
**The Avocado can be stored in your refrigerator for a day.
(1) [http://www.supplements-explained.com/casein-protein-the-night-time-protein-source/]
