Cranberries are beautiful, little red charmers that are native to North America.

Low in calories but high in vitamin C, vitamin A and K, they are a favorite for holiday feasts but add flavor and color to everything they grace year round.

Fresh cranberries are super-tart and lower in calories and sugar than other berries. They are considered a super food because of their high nutritional value and antioxidant content. In fact, they pack more antioxidants than other super-foods such as green tea, spinach and even blueberries.

Cranberries have been used for a long time to prevent UTIs. Their anti-inflammatory effects potentially benefit other conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, stomach and digestive disorders and the cardiovascular system.

Cranberries offer a healthy dose of fiber too – important for a healthy digestive system. One cup has approximately 4.6 grams of fiber.

By far the healthiest option when it comes to purchasing cranberries is fresh berries. However, you can freeze cranberries with great success and use them year around.

Cranberries make the shift from sweet to savory foods easily. They can star in or play a side role in desserts, veggie dishes and main courses. Roasted cranberries are a great addition to salads, quinoa and rice dishes.

Fresh or frozen cranberries are the perfect addition to smoothies and homemade breads and salsas.

Cranberries should be on everyone’s shopping list because of their ability to boost immunity and body wide inflammation.

Benefits of Cranberries

1. Prevents and treats urinary tract infections
2. Reduces the risk of heart disease
3. Helps prevent certain cancers
4. Improve immune function
5. Benefits the digestive tract
6. Decreases inflammation

Here’s a delicious gluten and sugar free raw cranberry dessert recipe the whole family will love. It is not only healthy and tasty, but beautiful to look at and fun to serve.

You can find more super healthy sugar and gluten free raw dessert recipes here:

50 Raw Desserts Volume One and Two…

Cranberry Mini Cakes

 

Save Print

Prep time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Carolyn Hansen

Recipe type: Gluten Free Dessert

Cuisine: All

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled and chopped apples
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 Tbsp honey (to taste, add more if needed)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed until liquid)
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Frosting

• 1 cup cashews
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed until liquid)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ½ cup dried cranberries, plus some extra for decoration
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

1. Place chopped apples and lemon juice (to prevent browning) in your food processor and process until smooth.
2. Add coconut, honey, coconut oil, vanilla essence and cinnamon and process again until well combined.
3. Spoon out mixture into muffin pans (silicon is best for easy removal).
4. Place in fridge to firm up and set for an hour or two.
5. Turn mini cakes out of liners and top with frosting.
6. Frosting:
7. Place the cashews into a food processor and process until broken down into a breadcrumb like mixture.
8. Add honey, coconut oil, lemon juice, vanilla and water and pulse until smooth and creamy.
9. Blend cranberries with some water, try ¼ cup to start with and add more if needed to make a puree.
10. Swirl this puree through the plain frosting.
11. Refrigerate the frosting for 2-4 hours to firm.
12. Once it has thickened, frost the mini cakes.

3.5.3251