Sour Cranberry Gummies
GLUTEN FREE, GRAIN FREE, DAIRY FREE SOY FREE, EGG FREE, NUT FREE, REFINED SUGAR FREE, PALEO
Did you know that Cranberries are a great source of vitamins, specifically vitamin C? They are also an abundant source of antioxidants, and minerals!
Cranberry juice is commonly used to prevent UTIs (urinary tract infections) naturally.
Cranberry juice is so effective in the prevention of UTIs due to it's proanthocyanidin (sheesh that's a word-and-a-half!) content. Proanthocyanidins apparently prevent bacteria from binding to the walls of the bladder. Furthermore preventing bacteria from multiplying and helping to wash them out of the body.
Anyway, when my little girl started to show some signs of a UTI I didn't want to mess around for too long. UTIs can get really nasty if left untreated but I wanted to avoid the antibiotics if at all possible! So I started upping her water intake and got to the shops for some beautifully pure cranberry juice ASAP.
Now I don't know about you but I had never tasted the pure stuff until I cracked open the lid of this bottle and...oh my....it is powerful stuff! Intense would be another word...or as my husband would say "it makes your face turn inside out". So yeah, it's SOUR.
Immediately my brain started ticking over how on earth I was going to get this crazily sour stuff into a 3 year old. So after a little tinkering and experimentation these gummies were born. Good news is that she loves them! Even better news is that all signs of a UTI have vanished! We are continuing to enjoy these tangy bites of sweetness anyway, because for starters they are delicious, and secondly they are practically bursting with nutrition!
Recipe
1/2 cup cranberry juice (ensure it is pure and cold pressed)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup raw honey
2 tbsp agar agar powder (or 3 tbsp of agar agar flakes)
Method
First pour your cranberry juice and water into a small saucepan and pop the agar-agar into the saucepan on top of your juice and water.
Whisk to combine and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Place your saucepan over a medium heat and whisk for 2-3 minutes, or until your gummy mixture has thickened to the consistency of pouring cream (if using agar agar flakes ensure they have completely dissolved).**
Next add the honey and continue whisking for a further 2 minutes.
Now pour the gummy mixture into your silicone moulds (or a flat based container) and place into the fridge to set for approximately 2 hours.
When your gummies are set simply pop them out of your silicone moulds or cut unto fun shapes with a sharp knife.
Enjoy!
These gummies should keep in the fridge (in an air-tight container) for up to a week.
**If your mixture has thickened too much and won’t pour, don’t fret, you can simply spoon the mixture into your moulds. It will be a bit messy but it will still work!
