Well, since I’m writing about dried cherries on this blog, let’s explore together some interesting recipes with dried cherries. If you usually buy your dried cherries in bulk (sour or sweet, depending on your preferences), than you’re a smart cook! You can always spice up a bland meal just by adding a handful of these delicious fruits! Fresh cherries are also amazing, but they are usually available only in summer in our country.

Let’s assume that your kid is bored by his morning cereal and you’re already tired of explaining him that the tasty hamburger or the delicious fried sausages are not good for him! The secret to keeping your kid from eating fast-food is to never let him get too bored by your homemade healthy meals! Diversify your menu, even if it’s always a difficult task! Why not sprinkle some dried cherries in his cereal or oatmeal? If he likes to eat sweets, then you can use dried sweet cherries (for example, some dried Bing cherries) – they are delicious without being sugared! If he likes something tangier, then you can use unsweetened dried tart cherries. Generally, make a habit of reading everything is written on the product you’re buying. Avoid foods (including dried cherries) that contain preservatives, colorants, sugar and other chemical additives. Remember that organic dried cherries are the best!

When you’re out of time and your folks should arrive home any minute, you can improvise a delicious salad in just a few minutes. You can add dried cherries to any kind of salad – with or without meat, with vegetables or with fruits, with dressings or plain. Just add to the bowl all the ingredients you have in the fridge and don’t forget about the cherries! They will spice up the salad even if you don’t have time to make an appropriate dressing.

You can also cook a delicious quinoa with dried cherries and pistachios. There are many good recipes you can find online – the important thing is to know WHAT to look for, isn’t it? This recipe is easy to prepare and extremely tasty!

If you enjoy baking, then I bet you keep your family happy! Baking is not easy, but once you ‘catch’ the right rhythm, you will start enjoying the whole experience, I can guarantee that! Just make sure that you use natural, healthy ingredients in your baking recipes and don’t get too enthusiastic about sugar and yeast – they are dangerous products! If it’s possible, use flours made from whole grains (they are more expensive, but definitely worth buying!). Such a ‘smart’ baking is both delicious and healthy, keeping your loved ones from buying the detrimental sweets that are being sold everywhere.

You can find online and in cook books a wide variety of baking recipes which involve dried cherries: you can try making a baked brie with dried cherries and thyme; or maybe some almond cookies with dried cherries; or some muffins with dried cherries and pecans; or a pudding with dried cherries; or maybe a cake – the options are countless! Make a habit of trying something new every other day (or every Sunday, if you’re too busy to bake during workdays).

If your children like to snack between meals (including at school), then I suggest preparing for them every morning a few healthy snacks. If they will have these snacks with them, they will not feel the urge to run and buy a hamburger, a donut or some chips every time they feel hungry. Here you have several options: you can give them a pack of dried cherries or mixed dried fruits – they can be eaten by the handful; you can add dried cherries in their yogurt; or, if you have a spoiled kid who’s having trouble adjusting to a healthy diet, then you can buy him energy bars with dried cherries. There are many kinds of almost-healthy energy bars out there: search for the ones made from whole grains and dried fruits and make sure that they have a minimal content of chemicals!

If you’re watching your weight and you’re worried about the calories in dried cherries, don’t be: even if they have some calories (in average, about 135 calories per ¼ of cup), remember that eating fruits and vegetables (even when they’re dried) is the best way of staying healthy, fit and full of energy!