If life is a bowl full of cherries then I know why I’m so giddy to share these next two dishes featured the sweet-red fruit.
Yes, it’s cherry time and Market Street has delicious cherries in store ripe for the picking.
But other than the beautiful color and stems make for hours of fun, what do you really know about cherries?
Did you know?
- Potassium: Cherries are a good source of potassium. 1 cup = approx. 270 mg. Potassium plays an important role in muscle, heart, kidney and nerve cell function. It also helps counterbalance sodium, which helps maintain water levels throughout the body.
- Antioxidants: Cherries contain Beta Carotene, Vitamin C and Quercetin. Combined, this trio can help prevent cancer, heart disease and can also help slow the signs of aging.. Also cherries have heart-health benefits because Anthocyanins (antioxidants) give cherries their red color. Those antioxidants may help reduce inflammation and cholesterol.
- Melatonin: Cherries contain melatonin (which helps regulate sleep cycles) and may be helpful for getting a better night of sleep and fighting jet lag.
And cherries aren’t just good for you to eat….they also keep you full longer with high fiber and lots of water content.
[Tweet “1 cup of cherries contains 90 cal., 3 gr. fiber + can prevent overeating. #MarketStreetDFW #Ad “]
All this talk about cherries stirred up a severe craving for black forest cake. Unfortunately, since we’re trying to be a gluten-free, black forest cake seemed a little out of the picture (and way more work than I was willing to give that day.) However, a recent find at Market Street, my go-to resource for tons of GF sweets and pastas, I found a great mix from Namaste. Using the mix as the base, I cooked up the cherries with a little sugar and covered the top of the dough with the cherry concoction followed by some large dark chocolate chunks for good measure.
After about 30 minutes in the oven, I almost couldn’t take the aroma of the chocolate and cherries any longer. The smell was intoxicating so I could only hope the taste was at least half as good. Too bad I had to let ’em cool just enough to sink my teeth into…
HEAVEN. Chocolatey, cherry fabulousness. Like really. That good. And only a few ingredients until you have one of the best desserts I’ve eaten in a long time.
Gluten-Free Black Forest Brownies
Ingredients
- 2–3 cups fresh pitted cherries
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla
Brownie Mix:
- 1/2 package of Namaste Foods Gluten-Free Brownie Mix
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cherries, water, juice, sugar and cornstarch.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in almond extract.
- Allow to cool slightly before using.
- Meanwhile, prepare brownie mix as instructed.
- Fill mix in a pan.
- Drop tablespoons of cherry filling across the top (12-16 piles across the top.)
- Using a knife, swirl cherries across the top in a swirl pattern.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips across the top.
- Cook for 35-38 minutes in the oven.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
That’s not the only thing that got the cherry juices flowing…just check out the Cherries Jubilee Grilled Cheese I made for the 2015 Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown, now until May 12.
With a $15,000 grand prize it’s worth an afternoon of cheese, bread and whatever else you think will make an award-winning grilled cheese. If you don’t do it for the contest, then at least make sure you don’t let Grilled Cheese Month get away from you without a little celebration (although a grilled cheese never needs a reason to be celebrated!)
And if you are still craving cherries, Market Street has many cheery cherry recipes on Pinterest.
Those brownies look ah-mazing. I need to make those asap!
OMG! I never thought gluten free could look so good! These are exactly the kind of ooey gooey brownies I love. Yum!
Oh God you just made me very hungry. Those brownies look so ooey and gooey and then that sandwich, oh my I want some!!!
Those brownies look delicious! They are so moist. Yum!
Those looks so good! I love that they are gluten free too!
Oh wow, I love this recipe! There’s nothing better than fresh cherries and I can’t wait until our market opens for the season so I can get some!
I don’t bake with cherries….ever., but I do love cherries. This sounds like the perfect recipe to try!
This recipe looks so delicious. I will have to try making this recipe on the weekend for desert.
Must find nearest Market Street! I love cherries and could literally eat them all day, every day. The sheerwill power that you had to let those brownies cool off is amazing to me.
I’m a huge fan of Cherries! And brownies, oh yum! Now you just went above the mark and but the two together! Oh goodness, I must have some! They look absolutely amazing!
Oh yum! I love chocolate and cherries and these brownies look so mouth watering!
Both recipes look great. Eat the sandwich and then wash it down with the treat! Yum!
These sound so good! I have GF family and I know this would be a hit with them!
Wow that sounds so good and looks even better. I need to make some!
Wow – these look moist, rich, tasty and so yummy – plus they are gluten free. I am saving this recipe – thank you 🙂
I LOVE cherries and chocolate together. Chocolate covered cherries are my favorite chocolate candy 🙂 This looks so delicious, I can’t wait to try it.
Chocolate and cherries is a WINNING combination! YUM!!! I want some!!!
Yes please. Those brownies look amazing.
I love cherries so much so these recipes are perfect for me! I love Namaste a Foods products too!
Those brownies look amazing! Great job because that grilled cheese looks to die for as well!
We have to make GF for my little guy. he’d love these!
Oh yum! These look awesome. Must try soon!
Yum! I adore cherries… and can’t wait for our cherry orchard to be full of delicious cherries. Love the Black Forest Brownies you made. These would be perfect to share with our GF friends.
OMG, this is absolutely delicious. Never thought of cherries in brownies but, it is genius.