Homemade Cranberry Sauce

All you need to make your own cranberry sauce is 3 basic ingredients - cranberries, sugar and water. I usually make mine with orange juice, because I love the orange/cranberry flavour combo! But this tastes great made with just water, too. Enjoy!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

• 1 cup water or orange juice
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 bag of fresh cranberries (I think the bags are about 12 oz)

1. In a small pot over med-high heat, stir together water and sugar until dissolved. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to med, and stir in cranberries. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until cranberries are just starting to split/pop.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool (it will thicken upon cooling). Serve and ENJOY!

Cranberry Sauce and Cottage Cheese

Here's my final healthy dessert recipe posting for today. This isn't exactly a recipe, but more a dessert option. After the turkey dinner, you are likely to have leftover cranberry sauce. (Which, btw - I will post my homemade cranberry sauce recipe. Once you make it yourself (and see how easy it is), you will never buy cranberry sauce again!). You can easily spoon a little cranberry sauce over some cottage cheese, or even ricotta cheese, and make a quick, healthy dessert or snack! Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce and Cottage Cheese

• 1/2 cup cottage or ricotta cheese
• 1-2 tbsp homemade cranberry sauce

1. Spoon cottage cheese into a small bowl. Top with cranberry sauce, serve and ENJOY!

Cocoa-Nut Bananas

You guessed it - another fruit-based recipe from eatingwell.com. These sound really fun for the kids to make AND eat! I think we'll be giving them a try! Enjoy!

Cocoa-Nut Bananas

• 4 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 4 teaspoons toasted unsweetened coconut
• 2 small bananas, sliced on the bias

1. Place cocoa and coconut on separate plates. Roll each banana slice in the cocoa, shake off the excess, then dip in the coconut. ENJOY!

Tea-Scented Mandarins

If cinnamon isn't your thing, perhaps this little orange dessert would appeal to you. Also from eatingwell.com, this recipe is definitely suiting for the holidays. Mandarin oranges were always a part of our Christmas brunch growing up. We enjoyed them served in a bowl with cranberry gingerale. Yum! Here's a different twist on a simple side-dish/dessert. Enjoy!

Tea-Scented Madarins

• 2 cups mandarin orange or clementine segments
• 1/2 cup hot black tea
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Pinch of ground cardamom

1. Place orange (or clementine) segments in a small bowl. Pour tea over them and drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cardamom. ENJOY!

Cinnamon Oranges

Another simple fruit recipe from eatingwell.com. I think the holidays would be the perfect time to serve and enjoy this dessert (or snack!). I think we might be eating these for brunch on Christmas Day. Let me know if you try it! Enjoy!

Cinnamon Oranges

• 4 navel oranges
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. With a sharp knife, remove rind and white pith from oranges. Cut each into 5 or 6 slices and arrange on 4 plates. Whisk together orange juice and lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Spoon over the orange slices. ENJOY!

Broiled Mango

This first healthy dessert recipe (from eatingwell.com) is SUPER simple and easy to make. Yet, it would make for a wonderful after-dinner dessert. With the right presentation, you might even get close-to-equal rave reviews on it, versus the non-healthy desserts :) Enjoy!

Broiled Mango

• 1 mango, peeled and sliced
• llime wedges

1. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil.
2. Arrange mango slices in a single layer in the prepared pan. Broil until browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze lime wedges over the broiled mango and serve. ENJOY!

*I will admit - I'd likely dip these in whip cream! It's still fruit, so it'd still be healthy, right?!! ;) *

Healthy Dessert Recipes

My posted recipes lately are far from healthy - that I can admit! But they are still homemade! A homemade dessert wins out a store-bought dessert any day!

However, sticking with the original theme of this blog, I will post some "healthy" dessert recipes, for those who don't want to over-indulge this holiday season. Enjoy!