When it comes to holiday appetizers, I have a soft spot for shrimp cocktail – the spicier the better! This year, I decided to give my old favorite a modern twist by making cranberry cocktail sauce. This is a sponsored post created for Madhava Sweeteners.
Madhava Natural Sweeteners recently reached out to me and asked if I would create a holiday appetizer using their organic agave nectar. I used to use agave all the time, but I’ve gotten out of the habit lately. I said yes, since I thought it would be fun to reintroduce this product to my kitchen – especially around the holidays when I try to be even more conscious of my diet. Since agave is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar, you can use less to sweeten your recipes. One serving has 60 calories, and since it’s low-glycemic so there’s no sugar crash.
Of course, coming up with an appetizer that needed a touch of sweetness wasn’t the easiest task. Almost everything I could think of involved cheese (and lot’s of it!) which isn’t exactly the healthiest option (especially since I try not to eat too much dairy in the first place.) Then I realized that cranberries and agave are a perfect match! Since agave has a neutral flavor, it balances out the berries’ tartness but still lets their flavor shine through. Doctored up with horseradish for a little kick, tomato paste to add depth, and just enough water to smooth things out a little, it makes an amazing cranberry cocktail sauce to serve with shrimp.
For more recipes with agave, try: Cashew-Chai French Toast Casserole // Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
Shrimp with Cranberry Cocktail Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
Annette says
12/09 at 8:30 pmI’m most excited to try the
ORGANIC MAPLE CINNAMON PANCAKE SYRUP.
rissa j says
12/09 at 10:49 amOh I would love to try the blueberry pancake syrup!
Karen D says
12/07 at 2:03 pmOrganic very raw honey
Daraya says
12/05 at 9:33 pmI would love to try their Organic Blueberry Agave Pancake Syrup! 🙂
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
12/04 at 11:26 pmSuch a fun twist on cocktail sauce! LOVE the new site, Lauren!
Theresa M says
12/04 at 8:00 pmI definitely will try the cranberry recipe because I love it with turkey etc. I would be anxious to try the OOH LA LA VANILLA ORGANIC COFFEE SYRUP. I really enjoy coffee but hesitate using flavored creamers in it all the time.
Madhava Natural Sweeteners says
12/04 at 6:49 pmWe love this! What a unique take on a classic holiday appetizer. Looks like we’ll have to whip this one up for our office holiday party 🙂
Lauren Keating says
12/04 at 10:10 pmI’m so glad you like it! 🙂
Shelly says
12/04 at 3:28 pmThe salted caramel coffee syrup sounds good!
Holly E says
12/04 at 2:55 pmI would love to try the ORGANIC BLUEBERRY AGAVE PANCAKE SYRUP
Sippitysup says
12/04 at 1:14 pmFinally a cocktail sauce I could love. GREG
Amy C. says
12/04 at 12:57 pmI would love to make the brownie or chocolate chip cookie mix for my family!
Kristen says
12/04 at 12:14 pmI use their coconut sugar and agave. I haven’t tried flavored agave. That sounds pretty wonderful.
Cookin Canuck says
12/04 at 11:34 amMy whole family uses agave every single day. It’s definitely a staple in our house! I love the idea of a cranberry cocktail sauce for shrimp. What a great way to change up a classic appetizer!
Susan Broughton says
12/04 at 9:51 amThe item I am most excited about trying is the Agavefive Drink Mixes. I have never seen these before and the Coconut Quench Drink sounds really yummy!
Nikki @ NikSnacks says
12/04 at 8:59 amDid you know that you are a genius? Did you know that? Your cocktail sauce is truly an original! We eat a lot of shrimp cocktail around here, so I’ll be trying this out!
Itzia says
12/04 at 8:47 amI’d like to try their organic pure and raw honey
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says
12/04 at 7:48 amI adore shrimp cocktail with every fiber of my being. I love this new twist on cocktail sauce!
Shaina says
12/04 at 7:01 amI want to try baking with the coconut sugar!
Mary Beth Elderton says
12/04 at 6:32 amI’d love to try the coffee syrups…Ooh La La Vanilla. Did you say Cinnamon Whipped Honey???
Ginny McMeans says
12/04 at 1:33 amI never would have thought to make cranberry cocktail sauce. I bet it is great!
Anita says
12/04 at 1:18 amThis is so original! I’m bookmarking this to make for my holiday party!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
12/04 at 12:15 amI am partial to shrimp cocktail, as well 🙂 I want to try that cinnamon honey!
Kate @ Diethood says
12/03 at 10:44 pmCran cocktail sauce?!? That is such a great idea!
Martha @ A Family Feast says
12/03 at 10:31 pmOh wow – what a great combination of savory and sweet!
Sandy Headtke says
12/03 at 9:25 pmThe Salted Caramel Coffee Sweetner would be my first choice.
Carol at Wild Goose Tea says
12/03 at 6:10 pmI love shrimp and cocktail sauce. This cocktail sauce changes it up. Fruit and fish go together well too.
The Food Hunter says
12/03 at 5:21 pmsounds yummy
Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom says
12/03 at 4:33 pmHow different for a cocktail sauce! I’m kind a in love with this Lauren!
Amanda @ The Kitcheneer says
12/03 at 4:26 pmLoving this healthier cranberry cocktail sauce! I would definitely be into winning some of their honey! I am really into an anti-artificial sweetener movement right now so I use honey and agave A LOT
Kristen says
12/03 at 11:16 amThe cinnamon whipped honey sounds so good! I’d love to try that!