The Cherry on Top for National Dessert Day

The Cherry on Top for National Dessert Day

Boost your health this fall with the addition of this power-packed fruit that is full of nutrition and flavor! 

5 Reasons We Love Cherries 

Antioxidants  

Full of antioxidants such as polyphenols and quercetin, cherries may help fight inflammation and damage from free radicals.  

Fiber 

Eating a diet high in fiber helps promote healthy bowel movements and can make you feel full longer because foods rich in fiber take longer to digest. Consider adding cherries as one source of fiber for a healthy diet. 

Minerals & Vitamins 

Cherries are small but mighty, containing vitamins C, A and K. You will also benefit from potassium, magnesium and calcium when you include this fruit in your diet. 

Muscle Recovery for Athletes 

If you love running or cycling, consider adding high concentrations of tart cherries and tart cherry juice to your diet before an athletic event to improve your performance and muscle recovery.  

Taste 

Not only are cherries beneficial for your overall health, they taste simply delicious! You can choose to add sweet or tart cherries to your diet, and might we recommend adding both varieties? Our freeze-dried tart cherries offer a myriad of possibilities for you to enjoy!

An Unexpected Twist? 

We love a good dessert as much as the next person! The next time you make a rich, dark and fudgy dessert, try mixing up your classic recipe and consider using black beans to add a boost of health.  

Just like cherries, black beans are high in antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C. Eating black beans is also beneficial for lowering your cholesterol, especially your "bad" LDL cholesterol. 

Black beans are a popular substitute for flour in gluten-free recipes, and they have a slightly sweet taste that complements many chocolate desserts! When using our dehydrated black beans in your recipes, just add a little extra water to help rehydrate the beans. 

Cherry Sauce 

Tart cherries make the perfect topping sauce for your decadent desserts! We love this sauce drizzled on brownies, cheesecakes, ice cream, pancakes, pound cakes... the list grows with your imagination. However you choose to celebrate National Dessert Day, this cherry sauce topping is sure to keep your taste buds dancing!  

Ingredients 

1 cup freeze-dried cherries 

1/2 cup water 

1/8 cup sugar* 

Splash of vanilla 

1 tsp lemon juice 

Dash of salt 

1 tsp cornstarch** 

1 tsp water (to add to cornstarch) 

Directions 

Mix the cornstarch and 1 tsp water and set aside. 

Add the cherries, 1/2 cup water, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and salt to a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  

Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and simmer for an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the sauce from the heat and cool.  

Notes 

Depending on how large of a dessert you plan to eat, this cherry sauce will serve 2-4 people. 

*Adjust the sugar according to how sweet you like your cherry sauce.  

** The cornstarch mixture serves as a thickening agent for your sauce. You can adjust the amount of cornstarch you use depending on how thin/thick you like your sauce.

References 

Black Beans: Health Benefits, Nutrition Facts, and How to Prepare Them. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-black-beans#1 

Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983 

Do Cherries Have Health Benefits? Retrieved October 11, 2021, from Nourish by WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-health-benefits-cherries 

Jillian Kubala, MS, RD. (2019, June 19). 7 Impressive Health Benefits of Cherries. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cherries-benefits 

Matthew Hoffman, MD. (2021, March 9). LDL Cholesterol. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/ldl-cholesterol-the-bad-cholesterol 

Michele Turcotte, MS, RD. Health Benefits of Sour Cherry. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from LiveStrong: https://www.livestrong.com/article/116111-health-benefits-sour-cherry/ 

Sour Cherry. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-771/sour-cherry

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