Have you ever seen a list of foods that include pineapples or cranberries? Or, have you noticed those fruits making an appearance again after they were missing for a while?
Well, it seems that these two berries and pineapple are having a bit of a comeback. Many believe that they can be used in all sorts of recipes, from salad to dessert. They even add some flavor to commercially prepared products like yogurt and milk!
While most people know about adding dried cranberries into oatmeal or baking with fresh cranberry sauce as a snack option, there are many more ways to use them. This article will go over five fun ideas using both dried and fresh cranberries. Try one out today!
Disclaimer: The following tips should be done in small amounts unless otherwise stated. Because coconut may not agree with some individuals’s skin conditions, try only small quantities at a time until you find a favorite ratio.
1) Coconut Macaroons
Macaroon-style cookies made of sweetened coconut are a classic cookie choice. These days, you can probably buy premade ones at any grocery store or food market, but why not make your own instead?
Making your own is pretty simple, and if you have kids who love coconut, this recipe is perfect for passing along! Add in some chocolate chips and/or raisins and you have a delicious variation.
They are sour
While not everyone loves cranberry sauce, most people have at least heard of it! Most recipes for cranberry sauce contain sugar as a main ingredient so they are definitely not healthy.
Sour foods taste better than non-sour ones, which is why ketchup is usually way more popular than tomato paste. The texture and flavor of cranberry sauce comes from tartness or acidity of the ingredients used.
A few things use natural acids that work well in cranberry sauce include pineapple, lemon juice, and/or vinegar. You can even make your own fresh citrus juice to create delicious sauces!
Cooking with pineapples also produces an edible liquid called pineapple juice, which you can add into the recipe or drink directly. Just be sure to measure it properly to avoid having too much leftover fluid.
Cranberries also produce an antioxidant compound called proanthocyanidin (PA) when dried down. These PA’s help reduce inflammation and improve heart health.
They are salty
People often ask what do pineapples and cranberries taste like. Most people think they are both salty, but that’s not true!
Pineapple has a sweet flavor sometimes described as tropical or island-style. And some say it has an aroma of coconut. But mostly people describe it as having a strong saltiness similar to adding kosher salt to food.
Cranberry is probably one of the most well known fruits in the world. Many have eaten them all their lives and never understood why everyone seems so crazy about them.
But we will give you a little bit more detail here today. Because although they may be called “craving foods”, there are actually health benefits to eating them!
They are both rich sources of vitamin C
That means pineapple and cranberry can help keep your skin healthy by acting as a natural sunblock. Plus, they both contain lutein which helps protect your eyes from oxidative damage.
Mixed into oatmeal or yogurt, these snacks make for great breakfast recipes.
They are fat
Most people know that berries like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are good for you, but what do pineapples and cranberries do?
They’re more expensive than most of us can afford to eat large amounts, so many people don’t consider them as healthy. But all it takes is a few tablespoons to make a difference!
Pineapple and cranberry both contain high levels of vitamin C, which helps keep your skin bright and young. And while they may be higher in cost, there are ways to use them in recipes or add them into dishes already containing other fruits or vegetables, which will reduce their price per serving.
Overall, though, although both pineapple and cranberry are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, they are also very much part of our daily diet, and therefore not essential for health.
They are watery
Even though they contain some sour or acid taste, pineapples and cranberries are not actually acidic.
They are instead considered alkaline foods due to their content of bicarbonate (or CO2). This means that they can be consumed in large quantities and your body will still feel neutral!
You probably know what berries are already – those juicy little fruits with a ton of flavor.
But have you ever heard of a pineapple juice? A one-ounce glass serving of fresh pineapple contains about 2 tablespoons of liquid.
They are crunchy
Whether it is fresh or dried, if you get to taste them both at once then that is even better! Both of these fruits have a very distinct flavor which some people love and others dislike.
One fruit that has a unique tangy flavor is pineapple. It comes in many forms- raw, granulated, chunks, sauce, and syrup. The classic way to eat pineapple is by slicing it up and eating it like an apple pie.
Cranberry juice also has a distinctive tart flavor that most people enjoy. You can drink it plain or mix it into something else for it to shine through more clearly.
They are soft
When pineapples and cranberries are in season, you can find them sold dried or as juice. Both of these products taste great when you layer them onto your food!
When dry, they can be mixed into recipes or spread out to flavor other foods. The best way to use fresh pineapple is to chop it first and then stir it into yogurt or add it to breakfast dishes like smoothies.
Canned cranberry sauce can also be stirred into oatmeal, pasta dishes, and even dessert toppings like sweet potatoes or apple pie.
They are hard
This is not your average fruit bar. These two-fruit bars are quite unique in flavor and texture. Both cranberry and pineapple bars contain a dry, crispy topping that gives each bar some depth of taste.
The toppings for these bars are usually either toasted coconut or crushed pretzels. Either one mixed into the bar with an edible glue will give it extra texture and crispness.
Both cranberry and pineapples are natural antimicrobial agents, which means they can help prevent bacterial growth. Who doesn’t love a little more crunch in their food? Having such a bar as a snack or dessert can satisfy those needs!
These snacks can be a fun way to mix up your normal culinary creations. If you like fruits with strong flavors, then try making your own recipe! You may want to do some research before starting, though, to make sure you don’t have any allergies.
They are tangy
While not popularized, many people have noticed that pineapples can taste slightly sweet and have someone else to experiment with. Some say this is because they contain glucose or sugar which helps create the pineapple flavor.
Some people even describe it as tasting like dessert after eating a plate of them!
Cranberry juice also contains acidity which makes the fruit taste more sour. This is what gives it its unique tart flavor some refer to as cran-apple flavor.
