Cherries - a luscious springime treat

February 2, 2009   1 Comment

"If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I Doing in the Pits?", Erma Bombeck, (1985). I guess I am dating myself with this title, but it always makes me laugh. I'm not sure why life is supposed to be like a bowl of cherries, but I do know why I love cherries.

Fresh cherries are an abundance of flavor and sweetness. They simply explode with flavor when you bite into them. At only 87 calories for an entire cup, you can eat them all day long without gaining a pound. And, they are nutritious. Research indicates that cherries can help you fight heart disease.

The only sad thing about fresh cherries is that they are hard to find. They only show up once a year, usually in early Spring, and then you have to move to buy them. So, what can you do? You can buy dried cherries! These are equally delicious and nutritious. Their sugars are a bit more concentrated, but dried cherries are an awesome snack.

If you are serving these to children, you want to avoid cherries that are not organic because they are heavily sprayed and soak up pesticides. Choose organic cherries whenever possible. And remember to remove the pits for the baby and toddler set.

Hate cherries? Try Raspberries, Raisins, or blueberries