I love Thanksgiving! I love that it’s boots & sweater season! I love holding hands and saying grace with my family.  I love that it means Christmas is coming!  I love fall produce!  I have so much to be thankful for!  This is a simple recipe that looks beautiful, is packed with cold-busting immunity-building vitamins; and tastes like the holidays!

Roasted Cranberries & Thyme

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cranberries

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh time (chopped)

1 Tablespoon of organic brown sugar (OR) 2 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup

I used Ben’s Sugar Shack Pure Maple Syrup, the guest favor from my brother’s wedding!

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Toss all ingredients into a bowl and mix
3. Spread on a baking sheet
4. Put in oven for approximately 15 minutes (until cranberries soften & slightly caramelize)

Serving Ideas:

• mix it with roasted butternut squash
• toss it in your holiday kale salad
• mix it with wild rice and toasted pecans
• use as your cranberry sauce
• use as topping for baked brie appetizer

I kept it lean, clean and green tonight by blanching some farm fresh green beans and topping them with this cranberry goodness.

Health Benefits of Cranberries

• 1 cup of cranberries has only 45 calories!
• loaded with immunity boosting Vitamin E & Vitamin C
• good source of fiber
• In disease-fighting antioxidants, cranberries outrank nearly every fruit and vegetable–including strawberries, spinach, broccoli, red grapes, apples, raspberries, and cherries.  source

Health Benefits of Thyme

• acts as a antiseptic & antibacterial
• antioxidant
• The oil of thyme is used in mouthwashes to treat inflammations of the mouth, and throat infections. It is a common component of cough drops.
• Some people apply thyme directly to the skin for hoarseness (laryngitis), swollen tonsils (tonsillitis).
• Natural diuretic (bye-bye bloat!)
• Thyme is taken by mouth for bronchitis, whooping cough, sore throat, colic, arthritis, upset stomach, stomach pain (gastritis), diarrhea, intestinal gas (flatulence)
• Thymol, one of the chemicals in thyme, is used as a dental varnish to prevent tooth decay.  source

Oh, and while you’re baking away this week, consider sipping on this little gem of a spritzer:

Cranberries + Thyme + Prosecco = Heavenly

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

xo, Siobain