With some of the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, cherries make for a yummy, nutritious snack! They are also packed with vitamin C, potassium, and melatonin which aid the body’s sleep pattern. There are several varieties of cherries that range in color from pale yellow to deep red and some taste tart or sweet. They are in season from May to July every year but can be found in the frozen section of your grocery store almost year round. We are celebrating these bite-sized, heart-shaped beauties this February, perfectly complementing American Heart Month.Cherries can be enjoyed fresh, frozen, canned or dried. Here is a recipe for some cherrilicious pancakes.Recipe: Very Cherry PancakesPreparation time: 20 minutes | Number of servings: 3-4Ingredients:– 1 cup of whole wheat flour- ¾ cup of milk- ¾ cup of fresh cherries, pitted and chopped- 1 egg- 1 tsp of baking powder- 1 tbsp of oil for pancake batter (Plus, 1 tbsp of oil for cooking the pancakes)- 1 tbsp sugar- A pinch of salt- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey to drizzleDirections1. Mix all ingredients together, except the maple syrup and 1 tbsp oil until combined. 2. On a heated skillet, spread 2 tbsp of the batter and cook on both sides until golden brown. Repeat the process for the rest of the batter.3. Drizzle pancakes with maple syrup or honey. Enjoy!CLICK HERE to explore more cherry-filled recipes.References:1. http://maraschinocherries.org/cherry-facts/2. http://calcherry.com/recipes/ 3. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/136/4/981.full.pdf+html4. http://efnep.ucanr.edu/?story=509
