suagr free cranberry sauce??

rudini · #1 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 09:20 AM

Ack. The holidays will not be the holidays without cranberry sauce. I used to just buy Ocean Spray but that is a non starter now with diabetes. Anyone have a good recipe using splenda or other appropriate sweetner?? I would be so grateful. I'm not sure if I can get fresh crnaberries, but I think frozen is just as good?

Cassini · #2 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 10:00 AM

Hi there Rudini,

This is my first year worrying about sugars too. We get fresh cranberries here but lots of times I just toss them in the freezer until needed, so frozen are fine.

I have always made my own as I like it kind of chunky like jam rather than jelly, that is based on the amount of time cooked.

1 bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz)
Sugar substitute equal to 1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Grated rind of a Christmas orange, plus the juice from same

I add them all into a pot, cook on medium high stirring frequently... they will start to pop, so be careful

It doesn't take long from this point.. once they aren't popping anymore cook for about 5 or 6 minutes. If you want more or less chunks you can tell while you are stirring.

This has been my family fav for years so I am just fidgeting with the sugar this year, they will never know!

Hope this helps,
Cass

princesslinda · #3 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 10:04 AM

Cassini, i've made the recipe similar to yours in the past, only i've added pecans to the mix. I'll have to give it a try with the Splenda. I'm not a huge fan of cranberries, so I just didn't have any last year.

Cassini · #4 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 10:11 AM

Yumm with the pecans! That sounds deelish!

I usually eat the sauce with fresh homemade buns,using it like jam, rather than with the turkey dinner... but this year, no buns?

Heck no, I will make some kind of good for me bread, i have been experimenting with different flours (spelt, quinoa, rye) etc to find the "magic mix" that doesn't blow the numbers out of the water!

Will update when I find it out

Cass

princesslinda · #5 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 10:13 AM

I always have a small square of cornbread dressing on Thanksgiving. Something i've always enjoyed and really hesitated to give up. So far so good. Maybe you can "splurge" and have 1/2 the bun
or 1/4 of the bun with the sauce atop?

I try to have small tastes of several things I enjoy over Thanksgiving, eating larger portions of the "healthy" foods. That way, I don't feel as deprived, yet still have decent numbers throughout the day. Had to give up the turkey nap in favor of a walk though.

Penny · #6 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 10:17 AM

My family likes cranberries all year round, we have them with chicken or turkey breast. I make it the regular way with sugar for the family, just take some out for myself and add splenda when I am ready to eat them. I think I read that cranberries help lower BS, but don't remember where. Around now, fresh cranberries will be pretty cheap, so I buy them to freeze for the rest of the year.

harryjacobs · #7 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 10:44 AM

I make my own, for the holidays, just follow the package directions. However, with Splenda I found the first time I made the recipe it was awful. My Recommendation is to cook as directed and add the Splenda or sweetener after the cooking process.

Through I found that the cranberry sauce tends to be a bit tarter then what you would buy in a can. But believe me a slightly tart sauce goes great with a bird.

I often add orange rind and the juice of the orange.

rudini · #8 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 11:23 AM

Thanks so much!! I'm looking forward to sugar free home made cranberry sauce this year!

w5wjp · #9 (**permalink**) 11-11-2008, 07:12 AM

Yup .... orange rind and a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg...make my own all the time... when the kids were young they thought all cranberry sauce was like mine......got a couple of calls first Thanksgiving after they were out on their own asking why the canned stuff was so gross...lol

Scrabblechick · #10 (**permalink**) 11-14-2008, 03:56 PM

My mom makes her cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries to that recipe and she is going to use Splenda this year. I've found that artificial sweeteners tend to do better with fruit than almost anything else.

Anyway, I intend to eat as much dressing as I want on Thanksgiving -- but only on Thanksgiving Day. Not the day before or after-- just on that day. I pledge I will take a walk or do some other exercise, too, but I'm going to eat dressing, and a small piece of pie.

Being diabetic is bad enough, but I refuse to completely torment myself on a holiday. Two days out of the year (incl. Christmas) will not kill me.