Tribute to Cherries

What's your favorite way to enjoy fresh picked cherries?  When I went back home to Michigan last week, I was able to go to the Cherry Festival in Traverse City.  I grew up in West Michigan, but I have never been to the festival before.  I was so excited to go, and I was not disappointed!  Cherry dishes and products were every where.  Northern Michigan prides itself as one of the top cherry producers in the US.  Even though the cherry crop was hit hard with adverse weather conditions earlier this spring, there was still lots of celebrating and cherries to go around.  (Even if they were a lot more expensive than normal.) Cherries have many health benefits and can be used in a variety of dishes.

Food to Farm Buffet

For lunch on Friday, I got to go to the Farm to Fork grand buffet.  We enjoyed the following dishes:

• Fresh fruit salad with dried cherries
• Cherry Romaine mandarin salad
• Wild rice with a cherry concentrate and dried cherries
• Fresh Michigan white fish with a cherry butter sauce garnished with dried cherries
• Roasted pork loin with a cherry brandy sauce
• Cherry lemonade
• Homemade cherry pie

I was happy to see local foods, like Michigan white fish, but I was hoping there would have been more fresh cherries used in the dishes along with other highlighted local ingredients.  I'm guessing the extremely low harvest this year may have limited fresh cherry use.  Incorporating dried or fresh cherries in things like salads, rice/pasta dishes, meat dishes and with vegetables can really add flavor and texture to dishes.  Click here for more healthy cherry recipes.  

Cinnamon Cherry Peanut Butter

When walking around Traverse City, the local shops had cherry food products that you would not have thought of before.  My personal favorite was Naturally Nutty, a northern Michigan nut butter company that has a cinnamon cherry and chocolate cherry peanut butter and white chocolate cherry almond butter.  Amazing flavor, and they also have flax and hemp seeds.  You can order Naturally Nutty on the website if you don't live in northern Michigan.  There were many other food products that looked delicious.  Try adding cherries creatively to your favorite foods.  What can you come up with?
Some other fun products:

Cherry Tortilla Chips

 

Cherry Pasta Sauce

Peach Cherry Salsa

Triple Cherry Granola

 

 

Cherry Wine

 Besides tasting great, cherries offer a wide array of health benefits.

•  Tart cherries are among the highest for antioxidant capacity
• Anti-inflammatory.  
• Reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, lower cholesterol 
• May improve sleep patterns
• May aid in muscle recovery post exercise

Choose Cherries suggests 1-2 servings of cherries per day for health benefits, and a serving can consist of 1/2 c dried, 1 c frozen, 1 c juice or 2 tbsp juice concentrate.

Even though cherries may be harder to find this next year, try to stock up on this power house food.  How will you use cherries in different ways?

Chia Seed Protein Pudding

Chia seed protein pudding with blueberries

Want an easy, tasty way to get chia seeds in your diet?  Here is a recipe for Chia Seed Protein Pudding.  It is high in protein, fiber, omega 3 fatty acids and a good source of iron and calcium.  Chia seeds have many health benefits including:
-High in omega 3
-High in protein
-High in fiber
-High in antioxidants
The ancient Central Americans used chia seeds as a fuel source during physical activity, and chia seeds may have potential health benefits for athletes.  These seeds absorb water and make a gel like substance.  Make sure to have plenty of fluids when eating chia seeds because of this.  The pudding used in this recipe has a high liquid content so the chia seeds can absorb the liquid. 

Chia Seed Protein Pudding
Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tbsp nut butter
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 c chia seeds
• 2 c soy milk (note: can substitute other milks or water)
• 1-2 scoops protein powder 

Directions:

1. Combine nut butter, cocoa and cinnamon in a bowl until mixed.  
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Stir continuously with a fork until well blended.  It will be clumpy; try to break up most of them.
4. Put in refrigerator for at least an hour.  Stir every 15-20 minutes for best results.

Nutrition information per seving:
230 calories, 13 gm fat (2 gm saturated fat), 15gm carbohydrate, 11 gm fiber, 1 gm sugar, 16 gm protein.

I got this recipe from another sports dietitian friend, Dina Griffin, and altered slightly.  I enjoy having a couple spoonfuls in the morning or through the afternoon for a little energy (typically not a full serving).
For another great chia pudding recipe, here's a chia seed breakfast parfait with fruit and oats.  Looks tasty!
Enjoy these tasty, healthy ways to enjoy chia seeds.

GoodBelly Probiotic Mocktails

Want a cool summer drink that will help your digestive system, immune system, skin and possibly mental function?  Look no further than making up some mocktails with GoodBelly probiotics!  GoodBelly is in the refrigerated section of grocery stores and comes in many fruity flavors.  They are all vegan and dairy free.  Probiotics help the body in many ways; they are tiny good bacteria that live in your large intestine.  In fact, the average adult has about 3-6 lbs worth of these bacteria- WOAH!
Check out an article I wrote on GoodBelly in Eat, Drink Boulder that gives more insight on probiotics- What's so good about GoodBelly?  Never had GoodBelly?  You can try GoodBelly's 12 day challenge.  Get free coupons to see of you notice a difference after 12 days of using GoodBelly.
NPR also did a story on the effects of probiotics in mice.  What they found was mice who were given probiotics swam longer than mice who had no probiotics.  What does this mean?  Bacteria in our gut may affect brain function.  Probiotics MAY also affect athletic performance, but this is something that more research needs to be done.
Here are some recipes for mocktails with GoodBelly.  A tasty way to get some probiotic goodness!  I think they are all delicious, especially the Iced Mango Ginger Green Tea.  Adjust amounts of ingredients according to taste.

Iced Mango Ginger Green Tea

1 qt Mango GoodBelly

1 qt Ginger Green Tea

1 Quart water

5 green tea bags

1” sliced and slightly mashed ginger (using a garlic press)

Bring water, tea bags and ginger to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, remove tea bags and refrigerate tea with ginger slices overnight. When ready to serve, add GoodBelly, stir and enjoy.

 

Cucumber Watermelon Coconut Water

            2 qts Coconut Water GoodBelly

            1 cucumber

             5 lbs watermelon (with rind)

Slice cucumber and cube watermelon, removing rind. Layer cucumber and watermelon in a container and add GoodBelly. Let all ingredients sit overnight. Stir/shake gently before serving.

Cranberry Watermelon Lime Spritzer             

            2 qt Cranberry Watermelon GoodBelly

            4 T lime juice

            1 qt seltzer

            1 lime sliced

           

When ready to serve, add lime juice to GoodBelly, stir, pour into glass and top off with seltzer. Add slice of lime for garnish.

Pomegranate Blackberry Lemonade

            2 qts Pomegranate Blackberry GoodBelly

            1 c lemon juice

1 qt water

1 lemon sliced

           

Add lemon juice (from about 5 lemons) to cold water. Add lemon slices and let sit overnight. When ready to serve, add GoodBelly, stir and enjoy.

These are perfect for hot summer days.  Which one sounds good to you?