Skip the canned unhealthy cranberry sauce this year and get back to real ingredients. It takes a matter of minutes to whip up a batch of this refreshing, tangy raw vegan cranberry sauce. The texture is luxurious and it provides an array of beneficial nutrients. It’s the sauce that will stand out on the festive holiday table. You can serve it with desserts, baked winter squash, bean casserole, or even the holiday turkey!

In case you haven’t noticed, fresh cranberries are currently available in grocery stores. They have a very short season, so it’s best to get your hands on them while the gettin’s good. Cranberries are some of the richest sources of ellagic acid, which is a powerful antioxidant that exhibits anti-cancer activity. Ellagic acid is also in blackberries, raspberries, pomegranates, pecans, strawberries, and other plant-based foods, but cranberries have the highest content. Heat destroys ellagic acid, so cooking fresh cranberries cancels out many of their health benefits. That’s why it’s so good to consume them in their raw form!

Raw cranberries can be quite tart, but that’s where the dates come into play. Dates offer wonderful sweetness that balance the acidity from the orange and the cranberries. Finally, the pinch of allspice sets it all off. You’ll be surprised at just how refreshing it is!