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Simple Baby Bok Choy

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This simple baby bok choy is the perfect side dish for everything!

simple baby bok choy

I get yelled at all of the time for not sharing some of my simplest recipes. Okay, yelled may be a bit strong. I get questioned a lot as to why I don’t share some of my simplest recipes.

I’m always so mindful of not talking down to people. I mean, there are just so many things that I don’t do well and I would hate it if someone made me feel bad about those things. So, I don’t post some of my easiest recipes because I never want anyone to feel that I think they are not on the ball.

Anyway, enough rambling… here’s how I make my simple bok choy. And I make it a lot. It’s one of my favorite vegetables. This simple baby bok choy goes so well with so many things. And you can spruce it up any way you like. I love to cover it with sesame seeds. Or sometimes I will drizzle a little toasted sesame oil on it. Or, sometimes I like to pick it up with my hands and dip it in spicy mayo. (I know, it sounds a bit off, but it’s really good!)

Here’s a recipe of mine for Chili With Bok Choy... you’re gonna love it!

simple baby bok choysimple baby bok choy

This really is the perfect simple, healthy side dish:

In Eastern medicine, bok choy is used to quench thirst, aid digestion, prevent constipation and treat diabetes. It is rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate and fiber. And there are only 20 calories in one cup of Bok Choy. So, it’s good for you, it’s easy to prepare, and it tastes good.

Ginger is a Chinese herb (Gan Jiang) that warms the body. It’s especially good during cold weather and also during seasonal changes. So, when it’s winter or when winter is trying to turn into spring, and we (those of us on the east coast) get some of these cold, raw, damp days, ginger will make you feel better and will help boost your immune system. Old folklore shows that ginger was rubbed on scalps to stop baldness. And, in some circles, a ginger paste is still rubbed on arthritic joints to stop pain (don’t try this at home unless you are diagnosed with a cold-condition by an acupuncturist).

I am a big fan of replacing regular table salt with sea salt. Sea salt is not processed very much, allowing the minerals (and there are many) to remain in a state in which the human body can easily process them. Salt actually can help with various skin conditions, is good for your teeth, helps with some painful eye condition and can help stave off muscle cramps. It helps with digestion and it lessens the effects of food poisoning. Salt is actually a Chinese herb called Mang Xiao and is used to treat constipation and eye conditions.

Simple Baby Bok Choy
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Recipe type: vegetables, side dish
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Japanese
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Just plain bok choy. It's simple and it's deliciously healthy!
Ingredients
  • One huge bag of baby bok choy.
  • 10 quarter-sized slices of fresh peeled ginger
  • sea salt
  • optional toppings: sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, spicy mayonnaise
Instructions
  1. Add about 1-inch of water to a large pot. Add lots of sea salt and bring it to a boil.
  2. Drop in the bok choy and the ginger.
  3. Give it a stir to make sure it's all wet.
  4. Cover the pot and lower the heat a bit.
  5. Let cook a few minutes, then uncover and stir it up.
  6. Check your bok choy after a few minutes, because as soon as it's how you like it, shut off the heat and drain the pot.
  7. Make sure not to overcook this delicate vegetable!
  8. Top with sesame seeds or drizzle a bit of toasted sesame oil on top and sprinkle more salt as you see fit.
  9. Me, I'm dipping mine in spicy mayo...
  10. Enjoy!

simple baby bok choy

Crispy Spicy Roasted Potatoes

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If you’ve been looking for the perfect potato recipe, this is it — crispy spicy roasted potatoes for the win!

crispy spicy roasted potatoes

It seems like such a simple thing. Crispy roasted potatoes should be a really easy thing to make. And, they are… but I didn’t get it really right until this time. And I’ve been playing with this recipe for a long, long time. But once you get the right ratio of spices and the right amount of fat and the correct baking times and temperature, you can use this formula time after time with whatever spices and herbs you like and it will never disappoint.

Oh boy, I just read that paragraph I just typed. I sound so serious and I’m talking about potatoes! OK, so it’s really not a serious topic, but these potatoes are so awesome. And so easy. I guess I just feel a little humbled by these simple potatoes because it took me until now to get them so perfectly crispy and buttery and delicious.

You have to try this recipe.

I mean, who doesn’t need a great easy people-pleasing recipe in their arsenal that can be pulled out at any time? And this recipe is so versatile. I’ve made these crispy spicy roasted potatoes for breakfast. I’ve made them for dinner. And, mostly, I’ve eaten the leftovers at really weird times during the day.

If you are a spicy-potato-recipe fan, you should also try my Buffalo Chicken With Potatoes And Bacon recipe!

crispy spicy roasted potatoes

Aside from the amazing texture and taste, these potatoes are awesome for you:

Potatoes are good at soothing ulcers and neutralizing acid in the stomach and they help relieve constipation. These tubers also can help relieve arthritic inflammation. So, even though sweet potatoes are thought of as the white potato’s more nutrition sister, regular old potatoes can be just what the doctor ordered.

Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc…. I almost always use fresh garlic in my recipes, but for this recipe, garlic powder works wonderfully.

Black Pepper is a Chinese herb called Hu Jiao. It’s used to alleviate diarrhea, vomiting and some stomach pains.

Oregano is a powerful antioxidant and it is great at fighting bacteria. It’s also known as an herb that brings joy and happiness to people.

crispy spicy roasted potatoes

Crispy Spicy Roasted Potatoes
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Recipe type: side dish, potatoes
Cuisine: American
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
So simple and so perfect. This is the only recipe you will need for crispy potatoes.
Ingredients
  • 4 medium yellow potatoes, unpeeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
  • sea salt to taste
  • 1-1/2 Tbs butter or ghee, melted (here's a good organic ghee)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Boil the potatoes for 6-minutes.
  3. Drain well.
  4. Toss the drained potatoes in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Try to spread out the potatoes so that they are not touching each other.
  6. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and crispy.
  7. Enjoy!
  8. Note: I've seen lots of versions of this recipe and oftentimes the baking time is much less than 45 minutes, so check your potatoes frequently. Mine were perfect at 45 minutes.

 

crispy spicy roasted potatoes

Tomato And Herb Salad With Roasted Lemons

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You need roasted lemons in your life! Try this tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons.

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons

When I was in cooking school we used to roast citrus fruits a lot… lately I’ve been seeing this technique making a comeback in lots of blogs. The one that inspired me most is from Epicurious, so a big thanks to them! And, now that I tried it in this salad, I remember why it’s so good.

If I had to pick one word to describe this salad it would be: “bright”. Because it is. It’s bright in color and it’s bright in flavor.

I made it the other day to have for lunch. The day kind of got away from me (as it often does) and all of a sudden it was time for dinner. So, while I ate this as a salad, I cooked some gnocchi for Steve and tossed them with lots of this salad. And yes, now that’s his new favorite dish: Gnocchi with Tomato And Herb Salad With Roasted Lemons…

When you slice up lemons, sweeten them, add some herbs, and then roast them, the most amazing thing happens… the lemon peels take on the best flavor and texture ever! I know to a lot of people it seems weird to eat the peels of the lemons, but believe me, this recipe will make you a big fan. I like to eat the rinds of citrus fruits whenever I can — I like the taste and the nutritional benefit is awesome. My favorite lemonade recipe includes the peels, so if you want to try another lemon-peel recipe, try my Strawberry Whole-Lemon Lemonade recipe.

In this salad, I’ve used lots of fresh herbs because the really taste great with the tart lemons. I love a dish that begs for lots of fresh herbs… it kind of puts me in my happy place!

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons

Aside from the delicious brightness of this salad, here’s why you should try it:

Lemon peels contain calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Lemons are good for your stomach, they help detoxify your body, they balance your pH and they act as an antibacterial. If you have a sore throat or a cough, go for lemons to make things better. Lemons are great for quenching your thirst, and, in China, many years ago, hypertension was treated by drinking tea made from lemon peels.

In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections.

Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!

Cilantro is also known as Chinese Parsley. It is good for the common cold, indigestion, and energy flow in the body. An old Chinese remedy for the common cold and even for measles was to drink cilantro and mint tea. Cilantro is one of those herbs you either love or hate; I’m a lover…

Mint is a Chinese herb called Bo He. It’s one of the best things to fight a cold, sore throat, or fever and it’s good for some abdominal pains too.

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons

 

Tomato And Herb Salad With Roasted Lemons
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Recipe type: salad
Cuisine: recipe inspired by:Epicurious
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced and seeds removed
  • 1 Tbs sliced fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb multi-colored grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 2 Tbs roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 Tbs roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • For dressing:
  • 1 Tbs pomegranate molasses
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F Convection setting, or 350°F regular bake setting.
  2. Boil the lemon slices in a small pot of water for 1 minute.
  3. Drain the lemon slices and toss them in a small bowl with the sage, coconut sugar, and 1 Tbs of oil.
  4. Spread the slices onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and put them in the oven for 15- to 20- minutes or until they start to brown.
  5. Make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
  6. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the onion, mint, and cilantro. Add the lemon slices.
  7. Toss with the dressing.
  8. Serve as a side salad or mix into a hot bowl of gnocchi for a real treat! Enjoy!

 

tomato and herb salad with roasted lemons

Creamy Broccoli And Mushroom Casserole

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This creamy broccoli and mushroom casserole is vegan!

Creamy Broccoli And Mushroom Casserole

I am not vegan, but I have to say that I love vegan food. I stopped eating cheese a million years ago when i realized how much better I felt without it, but it wasn’t until recent years — when I learned how to make foods taste cheesy and creamy without real cheese and cream — that I became a lover of all things vegan. I’m not a huge fan of meat substitutes, but give me a vegan creamy, cheesy casserole or some non-dairy ice cream and I’m in foodie heaven.

This creamy broccoli and mushroom casserole makes me happy. It’s comforting and warming and smooth and creamy and it’s just plain delicious.

I make it whenever I’m looking for a simple healthy side dish, especially in the cold winter months.

And, in my house, I’m embarrassed to say that even though everyone loves it, but I can’t call it vegan. They scarf it down but for some reason my unenlightened crew thinks they don’t like vegan food…

I’m on a big customized-recipe-creation kick right now (okay… always…), so let me customize a recipe for you that will work for whatever’s going on in your body now… I’m such a geek that I really do get excited about doing this. I’ve got a vegan recipe with your name on it…  So CLICK HERE  to be taken directly into my calendar to sign up for your free phone consultation.

I’ve also got a new FREE ebook for you:

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I love to serve this recipe with my favorite simple roast chicken or with this easy Slow Cooker Whole Chicken.

creamy broccoli and mushroom casserole

Here’s some great reasons to make this recipe:

Broccoli has a lot of potassium and is great for brain function; it also has magnesium and calcium to help regulate blood pressure. It’s also good to clear your body of excess heat and it actually can help your vision too.

I love mushrooms. In Chinese medicine, mushrooms ARE medicine. They are herbs. They are one of the most healing foods around. However, I was taught to stay away from the plain white button shrooms that are so readily available. Recently, however, I learned that I was doing myself a disservice by avoiding these mushrooms. It turns out, if you make sure they are organic, there are lots of benefits in button mushrooms! They are detoxifying, can help get rid of phlegm, ease diarrhea, are good for circulation, and new research has shown that if you eat them often enough, they can reduce cancer cells in the body.

Shiitakes are probably the variety of mushroom that I use most. I love the way they taste and they help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. These shrooms also promote healing and have been found to fight tumors. In Asia, shiitake mushrooms are often fed to a patient who has just had surgery to help the healing process. I also added portabella mushrooms here. They too are good for you, and they taste great!

Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Several times lately I have recommended that patients with bronchitis or severe colds put sliced raw onions in their socks before bedtime. The onion actually draws the toxins out of the body and in the morning many people feel much better. Onion is a superhero in the food world!

Hemp seeds are a superfood. They are high in protein, easily digestible, and contain a full complement of amino acids. They contain disease-fighting phytonutrients that are good for your blood, immune system, tissues and skin. Hemp contains a specific fatty acid that acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory. It also helps balance hormones, making it a great choice to fight the symptoms of PMS. This super seed is also good for your liver and your brain.

In Asian medicine, we use coconut to strengthen the body, reduce swelling, and stop bleeding. Coconut kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites. It’s good for all types of infections and viruses in the body, including the flu, bronchitis, tapeworms, urinary tract infections, and herpes.

creamy broccoli and mushroom casserole

If you make this Broccoli And Mushroom Casserole recipe, please be sure to let me know in the comments below. I love hearing how you like a recipe, and I love to answer your questions! If you make it, be sure to take a photo and tag me and post it on Instagram.

Creamy Broccoli And Mushroom Casserole
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Recipe type: vegetables, side dish, casserole
Cuisine: vegan
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
This creamy vegan casserole is so comforting and warming you will want to serve it with everything. Broccoli and mushrooms cook together in a velvety vegan cream sauce to make it the perfect side dish.
Ingredients
  • Florets from 2 heads of broccoli
  • 1 Tbs plus 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • sea salt
  • 4 oz sliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 10 oz sliced white button mushrooms
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds
  • ¼ tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
  • 1 can of full-fat coconut milk (use all of the solid cream on the top and ¼ cup of the liquid
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Convection setting or 400 degrees regular bake setting.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  3. Add the broccoli to the water for 1 minute. Drain.
  4. Heat 1 Tbs of the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute them, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 25 minutes.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the blanched broccoli, all of the mushrooms, the caramelized onion, hemp seeds, and hot red pepper flakes.
  6. Grease a large baking dish with about 2-tsp olive oil.
  7. Pour the broccoli mixture into the baking dish.
  8. Stir the coconut cream together with ¼ cup of the coconut liquid and pour this mixture evenly over the broccoli mixture.
  9. Bake about 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

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Creamy Broccoli And Mushroom Casserole

Roasted Carrots With Lime Zest

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Easy-peasy… okay, easy-carroty. These roasted carrots with lime zest are the perfect side dish for everything!

Roasted Carrots With Lime Zest

Who doesn’t need a quick, delicious, healthy, festive-looking side dish right about now? Even though cooking is truly my favorite thing about all holidays… I love having a few tried-and-true, beautiful-to-look-at, healthy side dishes up my sleeve. This is a great one.

I’m a lightweight when it comes to wine. I love it but I find that when I drink wine while I’m cooking, inevitably I leave out ingredients, or I leave a whole dish in the fridge instead of serving it… stupid stuff like that… but this dish is easy enough that even us lightweights can drink and cook at the same time…

These roasted carrots with lime zest are beautiful. And they are sweet. And they have the tang of lime zest.

And just look how bright and pretty they are.

They are just perfect with everything!

So, here it is, Christmas Eve… this will take you 5 minutes to prep and then you won’t have to touch it while the pan roasts in the oven.

If you have leftover carrots, try this carrot soup tomorrow, just because soup is awesome on family days!

Happy holiday! Enjoy everything and everyone!

Roasted Carrots With Lime Zest

Sometimes we forget that simple recipes can be terrifically healthy:

Carrots help strengthen the organs in your body. They also are good for the eyes (this is their claim to fame) and they promote healthy digestion. Many moons ago, people used to make carrot tea to ward off measles and to prevent cancer. Carrots help detoxify the body and in today’s world of Chinese medicine, they are prescribed to ease constipation and tonsillitis.

Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc…. I always keep several heads of garlic on hand in my kitchen. When I catch a cold, I blend up the cloves from a head of garlic along with some lemon, lime, and honey and I drink it… it knocks those germs to the curb!

Roasted Carrots With Lime Zest

Roasted Carrots With Lime Zest
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Recipe type: vegetable, side dish
Cuisine: American
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
These carrots are sweet and tangy and so pretty! This is the perfect easy side dish for everything!
Ingredients
  • 1-1/4 lb baby carrots or full-size carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 Tbs grass-fed butter or ghee, melted
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
  • zest of 2 limes
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the butter, garlic, chipotle chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Spread the carrots on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  4. Roast in the oven until they start to caramelize and get some brown spots (turn them over halfway through the cooking time).
  5. Remove from the oven and put on a pretty platter.
  6. Sprinkle lime all over them.
  7. Enjoy!

Roasted Carrot With Lime Zest Collage

Raspberry Lavender Cranberry Sauce

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This raspberry lavender cranberry sauce is a great everyday condiment — it’s not just for Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Sauce With Raspberry And Lavender-9611

I was deciding which Thanksgiving recipe to post today, when all of a sudden I was famished. Really hungry. So hungry that I had to stop thinking about food (which I am always doing…) and eat something. So, I opened the fridge, took out some leftover soup, grabbed my just-made cranberry sauce, put a big scoop of it right in the center of my soup and I ate. And I smiled. The cranberry sauce made my delicious soup even better. Cranberry sauce post it is!

Cranberry sauce is an awesome condiment. It’s so much better than ketchup or mustard or mayonnaise on a sandwich. And, I’m not just talking about serving it at Thanksgiving or on those delicious leftover turkey sandwiches. You can put a dollop of a great cranberry sauce on top of your salad. You can’t do that with ketchup. You can stir it into soups — try a big scoop in your next bowl of butternut squash soup…

So many people just make cranberry sauce for holidays. Well, I’m here to tell you to respect the berry. It deserves to be seen all throughout the year. Start by making a bigger bowl than you’ll need for the Thanksgiving table, save the rest in the fridge, and put it on everything all week long. You’ll become a berry-believer, I’m sure of it.

Now, this particular version of cranberry sauce is really special. It’s got the usual amount of traditional tart beautiful cranberries, but it’s also filled with sweet tender raspberries. Then there’s the fresh lemon zest; the tart fresh lemony taste mingles with the sweet raspberries… OMG. But wait, we are not done yet, because we haven’t yet added the lavender. And, the lavender just takes this bowl of berry bliss to the next level.

Rasperry Lavender Cranberry Sauce (pot)-9546

Cranberry sauce is one of the easiest things to make. You just stir all the ingredient in a pot and cook. And all of a sudden, like magic, you go from the above picture to the finished product. Yum.

This cranberry sauce, aside from being mouthwateringly delicious, is really good for you.

Cranberries are known to most people as being good for the urinary tract and the bladder. They are also good at preventing kidney stones and can be eaten to increase fertility.

Raspberries are an anti-aging fruit. They are great for men who are experiencing frequent urination and for men and women with vision issues. They have anti-cancer and anti-inflammation properties. In Chinese medicine, raspberries are an herb called Fu Pen Zi that’s prescribed for impotence, premature ejaculation, poor vision, and frequent urination. Raspberries are great for you, but if you are experiencing difficulty urinating, that’s when this berry should be avoided.

Rasperry Lavender Cranberry Sauce (lemon)-9537
Rasperry Lavender Cranberry Sauce (hand-lavender)-9516

Lavender and lemon are an amazing combination. They just taste great together. The floral taste of the lavender flowers plays perfectly with the tartness of the lemon zest in this cranberry sauce.

Lavender adds iron, calcium, and vitamin A to your diet.  It’s good for eye-health and digestion. I absolutely love the taste of lavender — there’s something so clean and fresh about it.

Lemon peels contain calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Lemons are good for your stomach, they help detoxify your body, they balance your pH and they act as an antibacterial. If you have a sore throat or a cough, go for lemons to make things better. I zest them in lots of foods to brighten the flavors…

Raspberry Lavender Cranberry Sauce
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Recipe type: condiment, side dish
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: about 2 cups
This recipe takes gorgeous traditional cranberries and pairs them with sweet raspberries, tart lemon zest, and flowery lavender. It's one you won't want to miss.
Ingredients
  • 1 lb fresh cranberries
  • ½ cup dark cherry juice (here's a concentrate I sometimes use)
  • 6 oz fresh raspberries
  • zest of one lemon
  • ½- to 1- tsp lavender flowers (you can get them here)(start with a little and add more if you like your sauce very lavender-like)
  • 1 Tbs coconut sugar (I like this one)
  • 1 Tbs pure maple syrup (here's one)
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients in a medium pot. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, about 40 minutes, or until the cranberries have burst and the mixture is the consistency you like. It will thicken up more when it cools. Enjoy it on everything!