Cranberry Recipes. Cran-tastic Cuisine: 7 Irresistible Recipes to Satisfy Your Cravings!

Welcome to a culinary journey filled with vibrant and bold flavors! Fresh cranberries, with their distinctive tasty tartness and vibrant ruby red color, are not just a staple of holidays and keyword for Thanksgiving, but a versatile ingredient that can elevate dishes year-round.

Whether you're craving a comforting dessert, a refreshing drink, or a savory side, tart cranberries offer a delightful twist to your culinary creations.

In this article, we'll dive into the world of tasty cranberry recipes, exploring seven mouthwatering dishes that showcase the versatility and deliciousness of those marvellous berries.

From classic Thanksgiving cranberry sauce with a twist to inventive smoothie and no bake cake, there's something for every palate.

But before we delve into the recipes, let's take a moment to appreciate the nutritional benefits and culinary versatility of cranberries.

4 Reasons You Should Eat More Cranberries

Fresh cranberries are not only delicious berries, but also pack some serious nutritional punch. Whether you're aiming to boost your immune system or add a pop of flavor to your tasty meals, desserts or Thanksgiving dinner, tart cranberries are an excellent choice.

1. Are all Cranberries Packed With Nutrients?

Wild cranberries are naturally rich in antioxidants and packed with beneficial trace minerals. Furthermore, those red berries are loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, fibre, and manganese.

Wild fresh cranberries are super-rich in nutrients that positively impact your health. They’re a rich source of the following vitamins:

• Vitamin C: They contain 13.3 mg of vitamin C per 100 g serving. Vitamin C is essential for the repair of body tissue and wound healing. It also helps in the maintenance of bones and teeth.

• Vitamin K1: Also known as phylloquinone, there’s 5.1 mg of vitamin K1 in wild organic cranberries. It provides the necessary proteins for blood clotting and the building of bones.

• Vitamin E: Cranberries contain 1.2 mg of vitamin E per 100 g. It’s an antioxidant that’s also key for healthy skin and eyes.

2. Cranberries Are Low in Sugar and High in Dietary Fibre

Naturally, fresh cranberries have a tart and tangy taste, so many cranberry products are loaded with sugar. Sugar negates all the positive anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of cranberries. It adds toxins into the body and promotes inflammation.

Our organic wild cranberry powder is completely sugar-free with no additives. This allows you to enjoy the full benefits of fresh cranberries without adding extra calories and harmful products into your system.

Wild cranberries contain dietary fibre, which helps you feel more energetic.

Dietary fibre also aids in:

• Normalising bowel movements by softening stool to decrease constipation

• Improving gut health by supporting the production of healthy gut bacteria

• Weight management by helping you feel full longer

• Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, meaning a lower risk of developing glucose regulation issues.

3. Cranberries are Essential for Proper Cardiovascular Health

Cranberry powder is important for heart health. It is rich in procyanidins, quercetin, myricitrin, and anthocyanins.

These compounds reduce blood pressure, harmful triglycerides and cholesterols, and risks of excessive weight or adiposity.

However, not all cranberry powders are equal. LOOV Food’s Freeze-Dried Organic Wild Cranberry Powder is purely organic. It is made from freeze-dried, tart and tangy wild fresh cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccos), handpicked from pristine bogs in Estonia.

Wild berries have more bioactive compounds, antioxidants, vitamins, fibre, and manganese. Hence, the berries have more health benefits than cultivated cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon). Read more about the subject from our blog.

4. Wild Cranberries Help Maintain Urinary Health

Historically, Native Americans used fresh cranberries to treat bladder and kidney diseases. This is supported by the fact that wild cranberries contain high levels of antioxidant proanthocyanidins (PACs).

These antioxidants prevent bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract walls, thereby preventing microbial overgrowth.

However, it’s important to note that it takes high concentrations of PACs to prevent bacterial adhesion. As such, commercially available cranberry products might not be able to protect against UTIs.

Thankfully, this is not something you need to worry about with LOOV Food’s organic wild cranberry products. Wild cranberries are proven to have a higher nutritional value and more antioxidants than your typical store-bought fresh cranberries and is evidenced by the dark red colour of their skin.

From Tangy Treats to Sweet Eats: Cranberry Creations You Can't Resist

Now, let's embark on a culinary adventure as we discover creative ways to incorporate cranberries into your cooking repertoire. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice in the kitchen, these berry recipes are sure to inspire and delight.

Grab your apron, switch to cook mode, and let's get cooking with cranberries!

1. Cranberry Smoothie with Cherries Recipe

Cranberry smoothie is not just beautiful to look at, but packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Did you know, that many people consider cranberries to be a superfood due to a high nutrient and antioxidant content?

Our cranberry powder is full of fresh, wild cranberries: 3.2 oz. of our organic cranberry powder = 24.75 oz. of fresh cranberries.

Prep time: about 5 min

Serving: 2 small smoothies or 1 large smoothie  

• 1 banana

• Half an avocado

• 1 cup (120 g) frozen or fresh cherries

• 1 1/2 cup (375 ml) plant-based milk

• 2 dates

• 1 tbsp peeled hemp seeds

• 3 tbsp LOOV Organic Freeze-Dried Cranberry Powder

 Blend all the ingredients and enjoy! 

2. Raw Vegan Layered Berry Cheesecake Recipe

Different berries bring different taste profiles, that make this Raw Vegan Cheesecake irresistible! Berry powders are really helping to take your baking to another level.

Did you know, that freeze-drying method help us preserve all the good nutrients (vitamins and antioxidants), colors, and tastes found in our fresh berries?

Crust:

• 0.6 cups (70 g) almonds

• 4 dates

• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil

• 0.3 cups (40 g) coconut flour

• ¼ tsp salt

Filling:

• 2cups (300 g) cashews (soaked)

• 1.2 cups (270 ml) coconut milk (shaken)

• 4 tbsp melted coconut oil

• 1/4 cups (100 g) agave syrup

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp LOOV Wild Blueberry Powder, LOOV Wild Cranberry Powder, LOOV Organic Blackcurrant powder, LOOV Wild Lingonberry Powder

1. Line an 7 inch (18 cm) cake pan with baking paper. Set aside.

2. Add almonds, pitted dates, salt, coconut flour, and melted coconut oil to a food processor and blend until you get a sticky dough.

3. Press the crust evenly along the bottom of the prepared pan.

4. For the filling combine all the other ingredients, except the berry powders, and blend until the mixture is silky smooth and creamy.

5. Share the mixture equally into 4 bowls.

6. Colour each bowl with a different berry powder.

7. Pour one filling into the crust and cool completely it until it makes it hard.

8. Pour another berry mixture on and freeze again.

9. Do it again with the rest of the two berry mixtures.

10. Serve frozen or let it cool at room temperature.

You can store it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

3. Coconut Milk Chia Pudding with Cranberry Powder Recipe

This creamy and heavenly delicious Coconut Chia Pudding is the ultimate treat-your-self way to begin your day. Our tart wild cranberry powder contains essential micronutrients and antioxidants to get your day rollin'.

• 1.6 cups (400 g) thicker coconut milk

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• 4 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp LOOV freeze-dried organic wild cranberry powder

1. Add coconut milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla, and cranberry powder into a mixing bowl.

2. Whisk to combine.

3. Pour the mixture into jars and refrigerate for a few hours.

4. Decorate the pudding with some extra cranberry powder, your favourite fruits and berries.

Enjoy!

4. Cranberry Sauce with Whole Cranberries and Cranberry Powder Recipe

Our secret ingredient for our favorite Thanksgiving staple - Cranberry Sauce - is freeze-dried wild cranberry powder. You can use fresh or frozen berries.

Cranberry powder gives the family loved cranberry sauce an extra boost of flavor and nutrients and its tart notes really bring out the zingy sweetness of orange juice and orange zest. Give a new energy and life to your holiday season!

• 12 oz (340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, NB! put 1/2 cup (90 g) cranberries aside

• 3/4 cup (150 g) water

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice

• 1 tbsp grated orange zest

• 1/2 cup (110 g) unrefined sugar or brown sugar (add more if you like your cranberry sauce on a sweeter side)

• 2 tbsp wild cranberry powder

1. Put the rest of the fresh or frozen cranberries, water, orange juice, and sugar together in a medium saucepan.

2. Stir occasionally as long as the cranberry sauce mixture begins to simmer.

3. Once simmering, reduce heat to low-medium and let cranberries cook.

4. Continue to cook for about 15-20 minutes, while stirring occasionally. The liquid should reduce and cranberries burst.

5. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the rest of the fresh cranberries, grated orange zest, and cranberry powder.

6. When cooled down, the cranberry sauce becomes even thicker and obtains more flavor.

7. Store leftover cranberry sauce in the fridge up to 4 days.

5. Quinoa Breakfast Bowl with Cranberry Powder and Almond Flakes Recipe

Change things up a bit with this flavour-bomb, creamy Quinoa Breakfast Bowl. Cranberry powder really lifts the dish up & adds a serious burst of cranberry flavor and some extra nutrients for a perfect start to your day. 

Freeze-dried cranberry powder provides the same amount of nutrients as fresh cranberries and contains a higher concentration of antioxidants than fresh fruits. 

• 1/2 cups (1 dl) quinoa

• 1.2 cups (3 dl) plant-based milk

• 2 tbs agave syrup or brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ tl cinnamon powder

• 1 tbsp LOOV freeze-dried organic wild cranberry powder

• Your favourite berries and chopped walnuts to decorate

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under running water for a few minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, pour 3 dl of milk.

3. Turn heat to medium, then stir in quinoa and whisk gently, allowing the quinoa to come to a gentle boil.

4. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low.

5. Let the quinoa cook at a low simmer for 10 minutes, then add agave syrup (or brown sugar), salt, cinnamon, and vanilla and let the quinoa simmer for another 10 minutes.

6. NB! Don’t allow the quinoa to become overly dry.

7. Pour cooked quinoa into bowls. Add almond flakes and cranberry powder.

8. Decorate with your favourite berries and chopped walnuts.

Enjoy!

6. Bliss Balls with Cranberry and Peanut Butter Recipe

Peanut butter gives your body extra protein, cranberry powder adds in an extra portion of antioxidants and vitamins into this healthy and delicious dessert. What a perfect balance!

Because there are no added sugar nor additives, our organic freeze-dried wild cranberry powder is a much healthier alternative for cranberry juice, extracts, or supplements in this recipe.

• 1 cup (100 g) ground oats

• 60 dates

• 3/4 cups (200 g) peanut butter

• 5 tbsp melted coconut oil

• 2 tbsp agave syrup or brown sugar

• 1 tbsp LOOV freeze-dried organic wild cranberry powder

1. Mix all ingredients together in a food processor and blend until a dough begins to form.

2. If the mixture looks and feels a bit dry, add a little water. The mixture should feel a little sticky.

3. Using your hands, roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into snack-sized balls, then roll the balls in cranberry powder and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

4. You can also add some coconut flakes or nuts.

Enjoy!

7. Healthy Brownies with Cranberry Cream Recipe

When you are looking for a healthier brownie, definitely try our recipe for Zucchini Brownies! These are the BEST zucchini brownies ever, with cranberry cream taking them to another level! Brownies are gooey, and fudgy and no one will ever guess the secret ingredient of the recipe: zucchini! 

Zucchini Brownies:

• 1 1/2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cups (150 g) raw sugar

• 1/2 cups (50 g) cacao powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 flaxed eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tbsp water)

• 1 cup (200 ml) plant-based milk

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/7 cups (200 g) zucchini, grated

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 3/5 cups (100 g) chocolate chips

Cranberry Cream:

• 0.8 cup (200 ml) whipped cream

• 2/5 cup (100 g) cream cheese

• 5 tbsp powdered sugar

• 1 tbsp LOOV organic freeze-dried wild cranberry powder

To Serve

• A scoop of vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 356 F (180 C).

2. Line a small baking tin with parchment paper or grease with melted butter.

3. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cacao, baking powder, salt.

4. Add apple cider vinegar to milk and let sit for a few minutes.

5. Add flax eggs, oil, vanilla, and stir.

6. Add the wet mixture and zucchini to the flour mixture and stir until smooth.

7. Add chocolate chips and pour the batter into the baking dish.

8. Bake for about 35 minutes until lightly golden, then let cool down while you make the whipped cream.

9. Whip together whipped cream and cream cheese, add sugar and cranberry powder, then decorate brownie with cream.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!