Roasted Cranberries, Ricotta & Honey Crostini

I've been on a cranberry kick lately. And, really, it makes sense: the antioxidant-rich berries are at the height of their season right now. They are festive, scarlet-red, and full of flavor. Oh, and cranberries are nutritional powerhouses, too. They're a wonderful source of Vitamin C, which helps our bodies heal and resist infections (perfect for wintertime!); fiber for improved gastrointestinal health; and even anti-bacterial compounds that protect against urinary tract infections and fight tooth decay. 

Anyway, in my zeal to eat cranberries as much as possible, I saw this Roasted Cranberry Sauce over at Life Currents and had to make it. I changed it just slightly: I used the zest and juice of an orange instead of a lime, and I used freshly-ground pepper and sea salt instead of the rosemary. It turned out divine. Easy yet elegant, tart with just a hint of sweetness and savoriness. Plus, it is just ridiculously pretty!

It would be a lovely side dish next to some roast turkey. But Thanksgiving was over and I had to find another vehicle for this delightful sauce. So, I made a breakfast crostini for myself:

Ingredients

• slice of peasant bread
• roasted cranberry sauce
• ricotta (try my easy, creamy homemade ricotta! or goat cheese would be work wonderfully, too)
• honey
• fresh-ground pepper
• sea salt

I simply toasted the bread, spread ricotta over the top, spooned the cranberry sauce over that, then drizzled with honey across it all. Then I finished it with a tiny pinch of salt and a generous amount of fresh-cracked black pepper.

I'm not including specific amounts because, well, I didn't measure anything as I made it. But I think it's pretty self-explanatory. And the cranberry sauce recipe makes plenty, so you could certainly make this into a gorgeous platter of crostini: just take a baguette, cut into thin slices and toast. Then top each slice as I did for my breakfast version. Simple to make but with a definite wow factor for a holiday party!

 

Check it out! This recipe was featured in a Huffington Post piece about eating healthy for the holidays. Woo-hoo!