Hello lovely friends,

Are you looking to make some homemade cranberry sauce to add to your festive table spread? Look no further; this sauce is for you! With only 3 wholesome ingredients, this sauce takes next to no time to make and is the perfect balance of tart and sweet. It is sure to be a staple in your household for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any festive occasion. Bonus: it is also gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan!

It’s that time of year once again. Canadian Thanksgiving is this weekend (to my American friends be sure to save this recipe for your celebrations next month ;). While some of you may be excited about everything pumpkin, we can’t forget that it’s also cranberry season! Hooray! 

Oh, cranberries, how I love you so. They may seem like a slightly unusual choice as a favourite fruit, but I love them. Every time the holiday season rolls around, whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, I get excited for their much-awaited return into my life. Something about these little pearls of tartness captures my heart year after year. 

My affinity for cranberries started at a young age. Back then, it was the wobbly canned cranberry jelly sauce. Jam-packed with sugar, I had no idea what true cranberry sauce tasted like and blissfully gobbled it up. Sure, it was great and sparked my love for cranberries, but little did I know that you could make it from scratch and that it was even more delicious.

Canned cranberry sauce definitely has its time and place, but let me tell you, the taste of homemade is incomparable. This cranberry sauce is an absolute game-changer, and I promise you will never look back at the canned version again.

What’s to love about The Best Cranberry Sauce?

•  Gluten-free, refined sugar-free and vegan

•  Super simple to make with only 3 ingredients

•  Naturally sweetened with maple syrup (or honey for a non-vegan version)

•  An excellent make-ahead for all festive occasions

•  You can use the leftover sauce in various sweet treats

Once you taste this sauce, you will surely fall in love with it. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, with the beautiful hum of maple syrup in the background, deepening the flavour. It took quite a bit of experimenting and tweaking to get it just right. So, in my humble opinion, it truly is the best cranberry sauce ;).

Is any holiday feast complete without cranberry sauce gracing the spread? Personally, for me, it surely is not. So do give this cranberry sauce a try and who knows, maybe this cranberry sauce will become one of your holiday favourites, just as it is mine :). 

Sprinkles recipe fun facts:

• CRANBERRIES – are jam-packed with antioxidants and have potent anti-inflammatory properties while improving digestive and heart health.
• LEMON JUICE – are packed with immune-boosting vitamin C, can help regulate blood sugar, aid digestion, and is excellent for skin health. 
• MAPLE SYRUP – is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, beneficial for skin health, and packed with vitamins and minerals. 

Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving! I am so thankful to each and every one of you for following along on my journey, trying out my recipes, and for all your love and support . I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. 

Let me know how you enjoyed this cranberry sauce in the comments below!

Now let’s go and make ourselves the best cranberry sauce ever!

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The Best Cranberry Sauce

The best cranberry sauce is the perfect blend of tart and sweet, made with only three wholesome ingredients. It is also gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan, and it can be whipped up in minutes. It’s a great make-ahead recipe and will be your go-to sauce for all festive occasions.

Author Priscilla S

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or orange juice)**
• ⅔ cup maple syrup* (or raw honey for the non-vegan version)
• ⅔ cup water

Equipment

• saucepan
• cutting board
• paring knife
• medium bowl
• measuring cups and spoons
• wooden spoon (or metal spoon)
• citrus juicer (or squeeze by hand)

Instructions

Preparation

• Wash the cranberries thoroughly with cold water a few times, then fill the bowl with cold water. You will notice that most of the cranberries will float to the top, similar to what happens in cranberry bogs. The ones that sink to the bottom are usually not good, so you can discard those. Double-check the berries for any soft or shrivelled ones, as they are also not suitable. The cranberries should be bright red or yellow and firm to the touch. Once you've finished this step, set them aside.
• Wash, dry and juice the lemon. Set aside.

The Best Cranberry Sauce

• Place the saucepan over medium heat and add lemon juice, maple syrup, and water until it begins to gently bubble.
• Slowly add the cranberries to the mixture, ensuring they are well combined.
• You will notice the cranberries making a 'pop' sound and splattering, not to fret, it's entirely normal. It will settle down.
• The mixture will start to foam. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally. The foam will dissipate after 3-4 minutes and start turning light pink. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. 
• Continue to stir occasionally, and you will notice the mixture will gradually thicken as the cranberries start to break down. The texture will resemble that of cranberry sauce we all know and love. 
• The sauce will deepen to a glorious, dark red, and after about 10 minutes of cooking, your sauce is done! 
• NOTE: If you prefer the cranberries to remain whole and not break down too much, ensure you cook them on lower heat. For a thicker sauce, cook a bit longer, keeping in mind that the sauce will thicken further as it cools.
• Let the sauce come down to room temperature, and enjoy! If you want to thicken it more, place it in the fridge before serving. 
• This sauce pairs perfectly with a turkey dinner, but it also complements other dishes and can be used in sweet treats like crumble bars, cookies, and more!

Notes

YIELDS 2-3 cups of Cranberry Sauce

* Feel free to add more maple syrup for a sweeter sauce. You could also combine maple syrup and coconut sugar for a different flavour. 

** You can add a hint of lemon or orange zest for a delightful citrus twist.

NOTE: This cranberry sauce sways towards the tart side (as I fancy it that way), but you can adjust it to your liking.

STORAGE: Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week. This sauce is a great make-ahead and can be done a couple of days in advance.

Enjoy!

The post The Best Cranberry Sauce {gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free} first appeared on Pure Sprinkles.

Hello lovely friends!
This Easy Bok Choy recipe uses just a handful of ingredients and can be made within 10 minutes. It’s delicious, nutritious, and the perfect side dish for your next meal. Bonus it’s gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian and vegan-friendly!

I decided to switch gears this month and share a savoury dish. I haven’t shared one in quite some time and thought, what better time than in March as we head towards St.Patrick’s Day and Springtime here in Canada?

So you may be wondering, out of all the veggies, why bok choy? First and foremost, I LOVE how easy it is to make. Seriously it is done in no time with just a few ingredients, and you have yourself a delicious side dish. It is perfect if you want to add more nutrition to your diet with minimal effort.

Secondly, I love its unique taste and how it soaks up all the flavours you cook with like a sponge. I first ate bok choy at one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto, Spring Rolls and East (same franchise). If any of you remember the restaurants, comment below! They have sadly closed now, but the memories still last. They had a heavenly fried noodle dish with beef and vegetables covered in a scrumptious sauce. Even though I loved the crispy noodles, I remember I equally enjoyed eating the bok choy. I loved how the flavours of the sauce would seep into the leafy petals of the bok choy. It was divine.

I never thought of making bok choy myself until I changed my diet years ago. My naturopath highly recommended eating them because of all their amazing nutritional benefits, including being super rich in calcium! So for all my vegan and vegetarian friends out there, this is an excellent vegetable to add to your diet when trying to eat more calcium-rich foods.

Even if you are not a fan, I think this recipe will change your mind, and showcase just how flavorful these little veggies can be! Give them a try, and see. If you are weary of seeing the red chilli flakes scattered all over and aren’t one for spicy heat, do not fret they are absolutely optional and are just as flavourful without the red chilli flakes! I personally like the little spicy kick of heat!

Sprinkles recipe fun facts:

• BOK CHOY – is jam-packed with vitamins and antioxidants, rich in calcium and fights inflammation.
• GARLIC –  boosts your immune system, contains medicinal properties and is rich in antioxidants. 
• OLIVE OIL – is great for heart health, high in antioxidants and fights inflammation and bacteria.

Let’s whip up some super Easy Bok Choy!

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Easy Bok Choy

This Easy Bok Choy recipe is a super speedy side dish that is the perfect addition to any meal. Made with just a handful of ingredients, that's nutritious as it is delicious and will become your go-to side dish!

Author Priscilla S

Ingredients

Easy Bok Choy Ingredients

• 1 bag fresh bok choy, washed
• 3-4 medium garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, cut into small pieces
• ⅓ tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
• ¼ tsp black pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil (adjust to taste)
• small pinch of dried red chilli flakes* (optional)
• ½ tsp coconut aminos (optional)
• 1 tsp tapioca starch (arrowroot starch) (optional)

Equipment

• large wok (or large pot)
• cutting board
• paring knife
• measuring spoons
• large spoon
• large bowl

Instructions

Prep

• Cut the bottom stem of the bok choy, discard, and fan out all leaves and place in a large bowl. Wash thoroughly a few times, there can sometimes be some sand and grit in between the leaves. Put aside.
• Peel and slice the garlic and ginger into thin discs or long strips. Set aside.

Cook Time

• Add oil to a large wok on medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the garlic and ginger you should hear a nice sizzle sound, let it infuse into the oil for about 30-60 seconds, and now add the red chilli flakes.
• It's now time to add the bok choy! It may splutter a bit because of the water from the bok choy and the oil mixing, so please be careful. Once you have added the bok choy, turn up the heat to medium-high and mix everything well. Cover with a lid.
• Remove the lid, you will notice within a couple of minutes of cooking the bok choy will start to wilt down. It's now time to add our seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, and coconut aminos.
• OPTIONAL: If you notice a lot of water with the bok choy, you can add a tapioca starch slurry to help thicken it up more, if you desire. See notes below for how to make tapioca starch slurry.
• Cook for 5-7 minutes, mixing occasionally. You will know it's ready when the bok choy becomes soft yet still has a slight crunch to it. It's now ready to serve! This side dish pairs perfectly with rice, fish, chicken, and beef. Enjoy!

Notes

* The red chilli flakes are quite potent, so you really don't need much, a little goes a long way! Also, the red chilli flakes are entirely optional, so if you don't want to add them, no problem! They are just as tasty without them.

NOTE: If you want it saucier, add a couple of tablespoons of water when cooking. 

TIP: Add a tapioca slurry if it's more watery and you want to thicken it up (though it still tastes fabulous when you have a watery sauce!). Just add 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch (or arrowroot starch) with 2-3 teaspoons of water. Mix together well, without any clumps. Add 1/2 tsp of the mixture at a time. It will thicken up quickly, so you may not need a lot. Putting too much can make it gummy, so just add as much as you need. 

STORAGE: If you have any leftover bok choy, store it in an air-tight container for 1-2 days. I don't recommend freezing them as they have a lot of water content in them, and would recommend consuming them within a couple of days of making them for optimal taste. 

The post Easy Bok Choy {gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan-friendly} first appeared on Pure Sprinkles.