Forget White and Blue -- Celebrate Independence Day with Red

Give Summer Barbeques a Healthy Twist and Patriotic Color with Cranberries

LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, MA (June 29, 2007) –Looking for ways to add a patriotic flair and healthy twist to your July 4th barbeque celebration? Try adding the tangy flavor of the cranberry to your menu. The cranberry is one of only a handful of major fruits native to North America. Though small in size, cranberries pack big, versatile flavor and have more antioxidants per gram than most common fruit. Make the cranberry the star of any summertime gathering and have your guests seeing vibrant shades of berry red in everything from healthy drink recipes to salads to barbeque relishes.

For guests who may be watching their waistlines during bathing suit season, make sure you serve drinks and dishes that won’t break the calorie bank. Toast your country's anniversary with a new twist on a classic cocktail -- the “5-0 Cosmo,” made with Diet Ocean Spray®, has only 50 calories, compared to the 150 calories found in a traditional cosmopolitan.  Treat your guests to a cool pitcher of Spritzerberry punch also made with Diet Ocean Spray® Juice Drink and diet ginger ale. This low calorie treat not only provides a refreshing burst of flavor on a hot day,  Diet Ocean Spray® is a good source of vitamin C, which helps strengthen the immune system. 

Add a surprisingly sweet twist to any salad by incorporating Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries, naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free and a good source of dietary fiber.  The Effortless Spinach Salad is a fool-proof recipe with bold flavors and healthy ingredients that your guests won’t be able to resist on a hot summer day.

For the main act, skip the burgers and hot dogs and try a Cedar Planked Salmon with Spiced Cranberry Relish for a sophisticated barbeque treat. Salmon is loaded with heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and the cranberry relish is the perfect antioxidant-packed accompaniment.

Ocean Spray has put together some great “Bog-er-cise” summertime recipes that feature healthy ingredients. Bog-er-cise™ is a new lifestyle trend coined by Ocean Spray that is all about making small changes to your daily routine through healthy food choices and keeping fitness fun. Even Ocean Spray’s TV growers are “Bog-er-cising” in their new commercial for Diet Ocean Spray® Juice Drink. To download your own Bog-er-cise™ recipe booklet, visit www.oceanspray.com.

Spritzerberry
6 ounces Diet Ocean Spray® Juice Drink, any flavor
2 ounces diet ginger ale

Pour all ingredients in a tall glass over ice. Makes 1 serving.

Effortless Spinach Salad
8 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds, optional

Dressing:
1/2 cup bottled balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest, optional

Wash and clean spinach. Tear into bite size pieces and place in a serving bowl. Add half of the feta or goat cheese and onion; toss to combine. Combine dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with sweetened dried cranberries and almonds. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Spiced Cranberry Relish

Cooking Tools:
1 untreated 6 x 12-inch cedar plank or shingle

Relish:
1 cup Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail
3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon orange peel
3/4 teaspoon five-spice powder

Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon honey

1 1 1/4-pound salmon filet, 3/4 to 1 1/4-inches thick

Soak cedar plank or shingle in water 1 to 2 hours. Combine all relish ingredients in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and mixture thickens. Cool.

Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, orange juice and honey in shallow dish; add salmon, skin side up. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat grill for medium-high indirect heat. Place salmon skin side down on plank; place on grill. Grill for 20 to 30 minutes or until flesh is opaque and flakes easily with fork. Place salmon on serving platter and cut into 4 pieces. Serve with relish. Makes 4 servings.

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 650 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as about 50 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed 75 years ago by three cranberry growers from Massachusetts and New Jersey. Florida grapefruit growers joined the Cooperative in 1976. Ocean Spray is North America’s leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, and has been the best-selling brand name in the canned and bottled juice category since 1981. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2006 sales of roughly $1.5 billion.