Did you know that fresh cranberries have one of the highest amounts of antioxidant activity in any fruit or vegetable, falling only behind the beloved blueberry!? You get the most nutrients from the whole, fresh cranberry, so don't settle for sugar-sweetened juice. To enjoy all of the cranberry's goodness, make my Mom's Cranberry Orange Bread!

What (your ingredients): 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries 2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour 2/3 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed and strained) 1/4 cup orange rind, grated 1 egg, beaten

How (your directions):

Preheat oven to 350 ˚F and spray loaf pan with nonstick spray.

Combine dry ingredients (cranberries, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a large bowl.

Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into dry ingredients until butter is the size of small peas.

Add remaining ingredients, and stir until moistened.

Spoon into prepared (nonstick sprayed) loaf pan, and bake 55-60 minutes.

Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning onto cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Why (the science):  Looking to lower your “bad cholesterol” and raise your “good cholesterol?”

A final area of cardiovascular support provided by cranberry is its ability to help us lower our LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol, while simultaneously helping us increase our level of HDL-cholesterol. Cranberry most likely helps us achieve these cholesterol-improving changes by helping to improve oxidative and inflammatory aspects of the everyday environment in which our cholesterol-containing molecules must exist.

-World’s Healthiest Foods

Fresh cranberries: small, but seriously mighty!

Here's your nutrition label: Mom's Cranberry Orange Bread - Nutrition Label

P.S. Many thanks to Brewers Organics for providing the fresh cranberries from Ruesch Century Farm!