Cherry season is upon us and I am so happy! Every year when it hits, I go crazy for cherries- any way I can get them. Cherries are loaded with Queritrin, a flavonoid, that is a potent anticancer agents. They are a low calorie, high fiber, portable snack. Cherries contain other compounds which help relieve and prevent arthritis and gout. Tart cherries are rich in melatonin, an extremely important hormone that aids in sleep. Drinking just two 8 oz servings per day can increase sleep by as much as 40 minutes a day. They are high in beta carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A, important for eye health. Cherries are also a good source of Vitamin C, calcium, protein and iron. The potassium in cherries plays a key role in muscle, heart, kidney and nerve cell functions.
Below is a simple breakfast to add cherries to your life.
Chocolate Cherry Chia 24 Hour Oats
Ingredients
- 3 tbs of oats
- 2 tbs of chia seeds
- 1 tbs of cacao powder
- 1 tbs of protein powder (optional)
- shake or two of cinnamon
- 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped cherries
- 1 cup of vanilla almond milk or milk of your choice
- Maple syrup or other sweetener to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a mason jar.
- Cover.
- Shake until well combined.
- (You may have to open and stir with a spoon to be sure everything gets mixed together.)
- Place in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, add sweetener of choice and enjoy.
I usually add a couple of tablespoons of some sort of nut butter for even more flavor and protein. You can omit it if you want or use whatever type of nut butter you have on hand.
Photo by Henry Bloomfield on flickr.
