Saturday, December 6, 2008

Healthy and Flavorful - Getting More Cherries in Your Diet

By KC Kudra

Many of us have great memories of eating perfectly ripe cherries when we were kids, but did you know that cherries could be a great adult treat too. Cherries are becoming known as a great source of antioxidants. Cherries are excellent when it comes to fighting diseases and with a high level of beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, and foliate, it is easy to see why this fruit is becoming so popular with so many people.

It is easy to incorporate cherries into your diet. They are sweet and delicious eaten out of hand, but can be used in a variety of ways. For example, dried cherries make a great addition to your oatmeal or other hot cereal; they are also terrific in baked goods.

Less sweet than syrup or sugar, dried cherries are a great way to dress up your oatmeal naturally. They are also a great addition to trail mix, where they add welcome color and flavor, not to mention vitamins and minerals.

Cherries are not just for sweets though; they help bring out the natural flavor of savory foods - they are great in a beef dish, with the cherry juice helping the meat to stay moist. Try adding the juice from a can of sweet dark cherries to horseradish, tomato paste, sauted shallots, and a little port. Simmer this mixture for about 15 minutes.

This will thicken slightly as it cooks; once thickened, remove from heat and strain, then cover. You can also sear the cherries and add them along with the sauce. If you want to create a more dramatic presentation, you can flamb the cherries.

Another great, if unexpected place for cherries is in a cherry chili! Add cup of chopped cherries (these should be fresh, but can be sweet or sour cherries depending on your preference) to your chili along with the beans. The cherries will add some of their flavor to the chili and add an interesting textural element to the chili as well. This is a great way to dress up the same old chili and make it exciting.

In addition, when it comes to jell-o, do you need to make an excuse to add cherries? Cherry jell-o is already one of the most popular flavors. You can make all sorts of desserts with your cherry-enhanced jell-o, including jell-o cake, where jell-o and white cake are layered.

Mix fresh cherries and cherry jello with a little warm water to dissolve it then slightly chill and fold in some cool whip and make it into a light and fruity icing for a jello layer cake or why not combine the this with the suggestion above to give it a total new twist. How about adding some nice dark cherries to a nice bowl of French vanilla ice cream and all of a sudden, you have a new flavor sensation.

Cherries are a delicious and healthy treat any time at all - go ahead and indulge! You can add them to your diet in many different ways, do not be afraid to experiment a little and enjoy this favorite in new ways. - 15359

About the Author: