Cherries

[Louise]

Cherries are so good for you and harvesting them directly from the tree just adds to the special experience that cherries bring to the early summer months.

Cherries are a great source of fibre, vitamins and minerals, which include potassium, calcium, vitamin A, folic acid and are widely known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

It is these antioxidants, known as anthocyanins and cyanidin that give cherries their anti-inflammatory benefits, helping to ease joint pain caused by arthritis.

Your sleep can be improved by eating a handful of cherries, as they contain phytochemicals including melatonin, these help to regulate our sleep cycles.

Heart friendly cherries are nutrient dense, rich in powerful polyphenol antioxidants which may help to keep the heart healthy by protecting against cellular damage and reducing inflammation

Perfect for a post exercise snack, cherries are know to aid recovery from exercise-induced muscle pain, damage and inflammation due their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds.

[Colette]

Cherry Brownies



The cherries add a lot of moisture, so keep that in mind. It's best to keep them as whole as possible so they don't change the texture of the whole brownie. It's nice to get a big chunk of cherry every bite!

You can use different combinations of nuts, they work great with almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and walnuts, use whatever mix you prefer.

Make sure you are using soft, medjool dates. They provide the stickiness this needs to stay together.

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup macadamia nuts (or walnuts, hazelnuts, or more almonds)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 medjool dates (about 12 dates, 200g), de-pitted
12 cherries, de-pitted and halved
In a food processor, grind nuts until finely ground (but before they start to turn into nut butter).

Add cocoa powder and salt and pulse until combined.

Add dates 2-3 at a time and pulse until combined. The mixture should hold together when pinched between your fingers. If it doesn't, you can add a couple of dates.

Add half of the cherries and pulse once or twice, until combined. Throw the rest of the cherries into the food processor.

Dump the contents in the food processor into a parchment lined baking tray (9 x 4 inches)

Press the mixture down firmly, using your fingers.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until set. If you want it to set faster, you can put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

Cut the brownies into 1 inch squares.

Store in an airtight container, in the fridge.

Recipe taken from my second breakfast.com

[Louise]

Those Cherry brownies look fab, and so easy to make! I will be testing the recipe during my next shop. Thank you for sharing.

[Chloe21]

Oh wow cherries and chocolate are the best combination, I could eat all of those brownies in one sitting I haven’t seen this combo in a brownie before

[Ben17]

This is a healthy way of getting your cherry intake:

Cherry Almond Smoothie

Makes 1 large (breakfast sized) smoothie.

Sometimes I do half yogurt, half almond milk here. Go wild, be yourself. Also, the order the ingredients are listed is the order I layer them in my blender, I feel like it blends best this way, but really do whatever.

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or whatever milk you prefer)

1 tablespoon hemp hearts (or flax seeds or chia seeds)

2 tablespoons raw almonds

1/4 of a frozen banana

1 cup frozen tart cherries

1 heaping cup baby spinach leaves

a dash, like 1/8 teaspoon, pure almond extract

Layer all of the ingredients in your blender and blend! Tamp down the ingredients as needed, blend until smooth. Drink.

[SuzyQ]

Can you use glacé cherries in this recipe?