In general, most people think of fresh cranberries for one thing and one thing only: cranberry sauce. That’s not a “bad” thing! Cranberry sauce brings me back to my mother’s kitchen. To this day she makes the best cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. I don’t even need the turkey to eat it…just hand me a spoon! However, there are so many other uses for this versatile fruit besides cranberry sauce and I am excited to share one of those ways with you – a fresh cranberry bar! Additionally, cranberries offer whole body health benefits. Scientists are actually exploring how the bioactive compounds found in cranberries may positively affect glycemic response, prevent recurrent UTIs, support gut health, improve heart health and reduce inflammation. Did I lose you yet? I hope not! To simplify: Cranberries may improve your glucose response if you have type 2 diabetes, the compounds found in cranberries may feed good bacteria to support your gut health, and cranberry consumption can help prevent reoccurring Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). Woo! Now that we know cranberries are beneficial to our health…how are cranberries grown? Cranberries are grown on vines. (Yes – cranberries grow on vines, not in water! The cranberry bogs are only flooded to harvest the cranberries!) Most cranberries are grown in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington and Oregon! I love that the crumble topping and crust to this cranberry bar recipe is the same recipe! Makes life just that much easier! You enjoy as is, or with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Perfect for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving and a fun way to enjoy this Fall fruit!
