My Healthy Dish

Thanksgiving dinner looks different in many homes, but cranberry sauce is one dish that you’ll find on everyone’s table.  There are many variations of this tart and tangy condiment, so you don’t have to resort to the can (unless eating sauce in the shape of a can is your jam).  What I love about cranberry sauce is that it’s vegan/vegetarian, it’s full of antioxidants, and it’s really easy to make.

My version of cranberry sauce is healthier than the typical kind because it has less added sugar and more health benefits from the additional fruits.  Cranberries are already considered a superfood, due to its health benefits that range from helping to prevent urinary tract infections to improving immune function, but I’m adding more seasonal superfoods to this sauce.

The persimmons and pomegranate seeds in this cranberry sauce will definitely bring more fall flavors to your Thanksgiving plate.  If you’re lucky enough to know anyone with a persimmon tree, chances are their tree is overflowing with this beautiful orange fruit this season.  If not, make sure to check your local farmer’s markets and produce aisles.  Asian markets will definitely have persimmons in stock this time of year.  What’s the big deal about persimmons?  The Fuyu variety (the one that looks like an orange tomato) is crisp and sweet, so it adds some sweetness to the sauce which means we can add less sugar.  Make sure you use this variety of persimmons because the Hachiya heart-shaped persimmon is astringent and will have a dry, bitter taste.  But what’s even better is that this fruit is packed with nutrients, like Vitamin A for healthy vision and fiber in the skin to help clean your digestive system, something that is especially important during this time of the year.

If that’s not enough, the pomegranate seeds not only add more tartness and a fun texture to this sauce, you’re getting even MORE health benefits from this additional superfood.  They’re high in Vitamin C to help boost your immune system, they are anti-inflammatory, and they’re packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants.

My Persimmon Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce sounds like the ultimate healthy dish for your holiday feasts, and let’s not forget that it’s also probably one of the easiest to make.  You can make a huge batch and put in mason jars to gift to your friends and family, or even keep some in the freezer so you can have this fall-flavored food any time of the year.