I do love fresh foods! When foods are fresh they have their best flavor and highest nutrient content. Fresh fruits and vegetables are nutrient dense, so you get lots of great nutrients for the calories. Their color is eye-catching and their sweet fragrance draws you in…that is just what happened to me with cherries. Cherries are everywhere now and I could not be happier! I love placing a cherry in my cherry pitter and popping out the pit. I love enjoying fresh cherries just as they are but, I also love to bake with them. Cherry filling has always been a favorite of mine so I decided to make Cherry Almond Oatmeal Crisp…
Cherries
These guys are packed with antioxidants and phyotnutrients! That beautiful ruby-red color of Cherries indicates they are full of anthocyanins which, help protect your heart. Cherries also have a cholesterol-lowering compound called beta-sitosterol.
Cherries have sight-protecting phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin. A study at the University of California, Davis found that sweet cherries may ease the pain of gout (a buildup of uric acid in joints triggers the swelling and pain of gout.) Another bonus is, cherries contain compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties,which have been shown to reduce symptoms of arthritis.
Cherry juice can help improve the duration and quality of sleep. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that cherry juice increases melatonin, a hormone secreted by the brain, which has a mild sleep-inducing effect.
Cherry Nutrition
1 cup, pitted
Calories, 97
Fiber 3 g
Calcium 20 mg
Potassium 342 mg
Vitamin C 11 mg
Vitamin A 99 IU
Vitamin K 3.2 µg
How to Pick the Best Cherries
- Cherries do not ripen further after being picked.
- Color and firmness are the best indicators of a cherry’s flavor, so pick firm, plump, and shiny cherries with green stems.
- Cherries are quite perishable and will quickly lose flavor and firmness in warm air, so buy them chilled.
Tidbits
- Archaeologists have found cherry pits in many caves and prehistoric cliff dwellings dating sweet cherries back to the Stone Age
- The cherry tree symbolized education to the Victorians, and the white cherry symbolizes deceit.
- In China cherries are a symbol of immortality
- 6 cups (about 2 pounds) sweet cherries, pitted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp tapicoa
- 2 Tbsp warm water
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Preheat oven to 375°. Coat individual baking dishes with cooking spray.
- Prepare the filling by combining cherries, sugar,and juice in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until cherries have softened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
- Combine tapioca and water in a small bowl. Add to cherry mixture and stir until mixture has thickened.
- Remove from heat and spoon cherry mixture into individual baking dishes.
- Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter with a fork.
- Stir in sliced almonds. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over cherry mixture.
- Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is crisp. Let stand 5 minutes; serve warm.
I love the fresh cherry flavor combined with the almond oatmeal crisp. There is a subtle hint of cinnamon and the perfect amount of sweetness. Enjoy these straight out of the oven or topped with a little vanilla ice cream. These makes for a delicious summer dessert that is packed full of great nutrients, antioxidants and fiber 😀
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Sources:
http://www.environmentalnutrition.com/issues/35_5/enonfoods/Nutritional-Value-of-Cherries_152306-1.html
http://www.environmentalnutrition.com/issues/25_7/enonfoods/150424-1.html
http://www.environmentalnutrition.com/issues/31_6/enonfoods/151707-1.html
http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2201
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