Cranberry Apple Sauce - So Easy to Make! (sugar free)

Although this is not really an Irish thing, it has become more popular over the past few years and it seems to be something most people would buy rather than make at home. Cranberry sauce is a staple this time of year for the holiday season as well as anytime you think of eating turkey.

This week we will be having a turkey (the first time in about 10 years!) and it is one of our own. I was delighted that it turned out so well, growth wise anyway and seems to be plenty big. This one dressed out at just under 22 pounds... More than enough!!

Getting back to the sauce... well, I wanted to have a selection of condiments to choose from on the day and that meant getting cranberries. They are readily available in most shops and are also very easy to work with. 

What I like most about cranberries, besides the fact that they are so good for you, is their versatility. You can put many different things with them but my personal favourite would have to be apples. I like apples mainly because they balance the tartness of the berries with a sweeter softer taste.

They also thicken up the sauce very well eliminating the need for any other gelling agents. It's really so easy to make and could also be used as a jam for bread or crackers. Actually with a little cheese....

So, to make cranberry sauce I washed 500gr of berries and chopped up 4 apples (peeled and cored). These all went into a pot with a little water to be boiled down to the desired consistency. I did add a little ground cloves (what's winter without it?) and some agave syrup to sweeten, then blended the results once it was cooked.

Because I was making lots, I also sterilized 2 jars and canned the extra sauce for our Solstice season...and we still have a bowl of it to try in the meantime. It is lovely without being overly sweet or tart - the nicest thing about making this yourself is you can decide on the taste!

April

Cranberry Apple Sauce before blending 

Winter Garden

Although the summer appears to be nearly over and the seasons are changing - if they ever even gain a foothold might also be up for debate. However, according to the calendar, the months have moved on and we are now in early September. 

During these past few months my family and many others around the globe have followed the natural rhythms of the earth and dutifully dug into the soil, planted our seeds and grown our little gardens of herbs, vegetables and greens. 

It is always a joyous experiment to run in conjunction with Mother Nature - to see some tangible outcome from our labours mostly by way of fistfuls of fresh vegetables such as beans, peas, strawberries, carrots, herbs and copious amounts of salad leaves. 

Salad leaves, green beans, peas, spring onion, chard, beet leaf and herbs from the garden

Now for the most part many of us are used to winding down for the year as we put our gardens to bed and wait for another early spring season to begin the process all over again. But, you know, the garden represents a part of you - your shadow lands, creativity and all that energetically takes place at the back of your body.

You do not have to hibernate or close up the garden because the seasons have changed, the earth looks and feels different and new growth has slowed down. But there is still much to do, some growth will take place and a winter garden, is still a garden - with a different feel to it.

Today we spent the afternoon readying a few cold frames for some winter vegetables which will easily grow here in Ireland. Especially in West Cork with it's mild temperatures, a winter day, can be like summer in  the place where I grew up!

Right now there are quite a few vegetables that can be planted or left in the ground to continue on their merry way. Some of these are;

Winter lettuce

Winter Spinach

Turnip

Winter Carrots

Peas to come up in the spring

Broad beans

Shallots and garlic 

Onions

Kale

Chard

Beetroot (leave in ground)

Cabbage (leave in ground)

Some herbs will continue on during the winter months (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme) but you need to raise them up a bit, to ensure they don't get water logged from the rain. Otherwise herbs will do poorly or will rot. There are suggestions of digging grit into the soil around each plant, potting into containers or a raised bed. Just bring them to higher ground away from the damp.

Then other herbs can be cut back and offered a little protection for the colder months - rosemary, lemon verbena, oregano, winter savory and so forth. While coriander is an annual plant and will die back, you will need to plant some extra ones to keep a steady supply but it will tolerate some cold outside. 

As you can see, there is no need whatsoever to stop now, keep the garden going and enjoy your fresh produce all year.

Have a healthy day,

April

Getting ready to make walnut parsley pesto