Spiced Cranberry and Zinfandel Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce is so much better than the jellied kind bought in a can, which also is laden with corn syrup - yuck. Make this version at home instead to bring along to a Thanksgiving feast.

I leave it to other websites to give you recipes for vegan meat loafs or tofurkey's - however, this cranberry sauce is delicious over store-bought vegan Thanksgiving options. Check out the holiday line from Tofurky: http://www.tofurky.com/products/tofurkyfeasts.htm
Another delicious alternative is the Celebration Roast from Field Roast Grain Meat company: http://www.fieldroast.com/
Either way, serve with this cranberry sauce on the side, and bring it along to Thanksgiving to share with everyone.

In a saucepan, combine one cup zinfandel (or other fruity red wine of your choice), 6 tablespoons raw sugar, 5 (1-inch) strips of orange rind, 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, 3 cloves, 2 slices of peeled ginger, and one cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for fifteen minutes.

(Note: for the zinfandel, try the Lioco from Mendocino County - it is unfiltered, ergo, vegan and it's delicious! As to the ginger, the recipe didn't specify how big the slices should be. I made mine about as big as the slices of orange rind, in length and width).

Pour the mixture through a sieve over a bowl. Discard the solids, and return the liquid to the pan. Add one and a half cups fresh cranberries. Cook for ten minutes over high heat until you hear the cranberries "pop". Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thick - the recipe said 30 minutes, but for some reason mine was quite thick after only 10, so keep an eye on it!

1/4 cup is 120 calories. Double this recipe easily if you have a big holiday crowd.

Cost:
zinfandel $21.66
orange $1.43
ginger $1.28