This deliciously healthy, surprisingly sweet, homemade cranberry sauce is made without refined sweeteners. The combination of juicy pineapple and tart cranberries is a fruity delight, while allspice adds a spicy touch of holiday magic.
WHY I LOVE IT
I’ve always loved making homemade cranberry sauce. There’s a special kind of satisfaction in watching the cranberries swell then pop as they become a sweet tangy garnish that’s going to make all my holiday dishes taste even better. When I came up with the idea for this whole food plant-based (WFPB) cranberry sauce recipe I wasn’t sure if using whole dates in place of sugar would work. And even if it tasted good, I wasn’t sure that the end result would be anything like a traditional cranberry sauce. To my surprise, this sauce manages to be creative without being outlandish. Nutrient packed chia seeds work as a natural thickening agent without the need for sugar or added pectin. The dates are inconspicuous, meaning that the sauce is as sweet as a traditional cranberry sauce and almost as intensely red in color. Crushed canned pineapple adds an element of fun. You definitely taste the pineapple but it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors.
MY DATE SWEETENED LIFE
This recipe relies on whole dates for most of its sweetness. The dates are first combined with water and processed into a liquidy paste that I like to call a date smoothie. Nearly all of my sweet recipes get most of their sweetness from whole dried fruits, and my go to dried fruits for sweetening recipes are dates. Dates are intensely sweet with a rich caramel-like flavor that blends seamlessly with other ingredients. From a nutritional standpoint, dates are a whole plant food packed with fiber and a symphony of other nutrients.
CHOOSING DATES
My favorite dates are pitted Deglet Noor because they are sweet, flavorful, widely available and usually soft and moist. You can also use other kinds of dates by prepping and measuring them in the same way as you would Deglet Noor.
PREPPING DATES
When using dates in recipes I always begin by chopping or slicing them. I have found that dates that are supposedly pitted are, in fact, usually not all pitted. Pre-slicing my dates gives me the opportunity to remove any hidden pits and hard stems that may still be attached. In recipes like this one where the dates will be processed, chopping the dates allows them to be processed more quickly and effectively. Finally, chopping dates allows for greater consistency when measuring. Once the dates are sliced they can be pressed into measuring cups or spoons.
BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR NEEDED
A blender or food processor is necessary for this recipe in order to create a liquidy paste that’s sort of like a smoothie. A high speed blender is best if you have one, but if you don’t you can use a regular blender or a food process. Electronic appliances like food processors and high blenders allow us to quickly and easily harness the power of whole plant foods, eliminating the need for sugar and other refined sweeteners. With a high speed blender the processing usually takes one and a half to two minutes. A conventional blender or food processor takes a bit longer. Be patient. The important thing is to have a mostly smooth blend of the ingredients. It’s ok to still see small specs of dates.
COOKING UP THE SAUCE
Once the dates have been blitzed into a smoothie, this recipe proceeds much like any conventional cranberry sauce recipe. All ingredients except for the chia seeds are placed in a medium-small sauce pan and simmered until a sauce is formed. The simmering phase is a bit longer than for traditional cranberry sauce because not using sugar means that it’s especially important to activate the natural pectin in the fruits. Adding chia seeds after the sauce is cooked ensures that the sauce will be as thick as a traditional cranberry sauce. That’s because chia seeds form a gel-like substance when they come into contact with moisture making them a natural thickening agent. The gel takes 10 to 20 minutes to form so this cranberry sauce should be allowed to cool and settle before serving.
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Pineapple Cranberry Sauce with Chia Seeds Date Sweetened
Equipment
- blender or food processor (a high speed blender is best)
- medium-small saucepan (around 2 quarts is ideal)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Deglet Noor dates,* chopped (remove any stems or pits and chop into ½ inch cross sections before measuring)
- ¾ cup water (divided)
- 12 oz fresh cranberries (3 cups)
- one 8 oz can crushed pineapple
- ½ tsp allspice
- 3 Tbs chia seeds
Instructions
- Create a date smoothie by placing chopped dates and ½ cup of water in the bowl of a blender or food processor. A high speed blender is best. A food processor or conventional blender may take a bit longer. Process dates with liquid ingredients until smooth. The mixture doesn't need to be perfectly smooth—little specs of dates are fine.
- Place ¼ cup of water, cranberries, crushed pineapple (including juice), allspice and date smoothie in a medium-small sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat until the liquid starts to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 15 to 20 minutes until all the cranberries have popped and the mixture has thickened. It's ok to help the cranberries pop by squishing them with your stirring utensil (I like to use a large wooden spoon).
- Remove from heat, stir in the chia seeds and allow sauce to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Cranberry sauce can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for several weeks.
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