Healthy Holiday Recipes: Cranberry Pear Sauce

Nutrition

July 14, 2023

healthy holiday recipes cranberry pear sauce

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With the holidays fast approaching, it’s sometimes difficult to find healthy foods to prepare. The experts from UPMC Life After Weight Loss, a weight loss and support group program, recommend that eating healthy around the holidays is important to maintaining your overall health and weight loss goals.

Vicki March, MD, offers the tips on how to prepare delicious cranberry pear sauce.

“The pears and dried cherries give this cranberry sauce an extra touch of natural sweetness, allowing you to cut down on added sugar,” says Dr. March. “You can make this cranberry sauce several days in advance. Just keep it tightly covered and refrigerated until you're ready to serve. Perfect for a holiday side or dressing.”

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Recipe serves: 4 cups

Ingredients:

1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries
3 ripe Bartlett pears (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup water

Instructions:

In a medium-sized, heavy-bottom, non-aluminum saucepan, combine cranberries, pears, sugar, dried cherries, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until berries have popped and are tender (about 15 minutes). Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Nutritional Information

Calories (per serving): 149

Nutrition:

Fat: 0 grams

Protein: 1 gram

Carbs: 38 grams

Fiber: 4 grams

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Editor's Note: This article was originally published on December 15, 2013, and was last reviewed on July 14, 2023.

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