Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days. Imagine - one special day for all Americans to really appreciate all that we have and spend time together with our loved ones. Here are 7 Awesome Benefits of Gratitude!

Plus, the food is the bomb! I can't get enough! Thanksgiving seems to be a meal when even the picky, veggie-haters have a favorite veggie or two on their plate, and aren't the colors lovely!

Tangy Cranberry Sauce is perfect for the holidays, or any time!

Stock your freezer with cranberries now, to enjoy all winter long!

Tangy Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce

Tangy Cranberry Sauce
3-4 cups cranberries
1 orange
1/2 c (10 pieces) pitted dates
1/2 a cinnamon stick

Prepare the zest of half an orange. I do this by cutting away only the orange layer of the peel*. Cut the orange up in wedges**. Combine dates, orange wedges, peel, and half of the berries (or all) in food processor until desired consistency. Wrap processor rim with a towel, in case juice leaks out. At this point, you can be finished, with a very tasty, crunchy, raw cranberry sauce (shown in bottom middle photo).

OR: combine mixture, remaining berries, and a cup or so of water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and simmer to desired consistency, around 30 min. It's delicious when hot! And lovely cool. Enjoy it any way you like!

*You can use extra orange peel for Orange Almond Biscotti Laraballs!
**I've cut the orange using lots of the white part, and I've done it cutting away most of the white. Both ways are delicious, latter is sweeter. Note that the white parts of citrus fruits provide significant cancer-protection.

Sauce in left corner has been cooked, sauce in bottom, middle photo is Raw Tangy Cranberry Sauce.

Don't you just love Thanksgiving leftovers?!

Sugar-Free Lemonade!

The temperatures are going to be dropping all day here in Cleveland, so this is an odd post, but I'm sharing anyway!

Wait, I can tie this drink into health for cooler days, and healthier ways! Citrus fruits have been found to decrease blood pressure, reduce stroke risk, and increase overall blood flow, including to the brain!

This is why you may have heard about consuming citrus for an energy burst of concentration and focus!

Also, increased blood flow means better body warming in the cold. In fact, when women whose fingers and toes are especially sensitive to the cold, consumed OJ, their bodies responded 50% better to cold, as well as significantly improved post-cold rewarming responses.

APPLICATION: have some Healthy Lemonade before going out for a long winters run or before building a snowman! You'll stay warmer outside, and warm back up faster when you go back inside.

We've been eating so many Lemon Bar flavored Laraballs, which require the zest of a lemon, leaving a fresh lemon waiting for use.

Lemon Bar Larabars

Lemon Bar Larabars

Hence, Sugar-Free Lemonade!

1 lemon, thinly sliced, first remove just the yellow part of the lemon peel (use yellow slivers of peel to make above snack recipe!)
1 large, ripe banana
1 c ice water, fill measuring cup with ice, then water
1-2 Tbsp pomegranate arils (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth and enjoy! I use my Blendtec and it's done in a jiffy (similar to Vitamix). For a regular blender, it'll take a bit longer. Add pomegranate to make pink lemonade!

So refreshing after a great workout!

Sugar and artificial sweetener free Lemonade

My baby boy's has plans as president:

"If I were president, my meetings would be good food meetings, and I would teech people to eat [healthy]."