Cherries Are The Pick Of The Season

In the summer, life is a bowl of cherries. The long, warm days have produce sections brimming with big, juicy, sweet cherries. To promote the nutritional benefits of fresh produce, there's the Pick of the Season, a public health initiative spotlighting seasonal fruit and vegetables, with recipes this quarter for cherries, a produce selection that travels from the great Northwest right to you.

Besides the great taste, cherries are also low in calories-only 90 calories for 1 cup-and contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. However, they pack in some great nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber and potassium. So whether they're Bing or Rainier, this beautiful fruit is a crowd pleaser. Delicious in a recipe or by the handful, for dessert or a midday snack, you can enjoy cherries all season long and beyond.

There are so many ways to add cherries to your favorite recipes, like in cherry-stuffed grilled chicken, cherry and hazelnut salad, cherry clafouti and this cherry smoothie:

Cherry Smoothie

1 cup light vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries

1/2 cup drained canned mandarin orange sections (canned in juice, no sugar added)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender; blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass; serve immediately. POINTS® value per serving: 4; 239 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber

Recipes like this one reflect the food values inherent in the Weight Watchers philosophy-that eating should be satisfying, as well as healthy.

By: Wayne Ryan

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To learn more, visit www.weight watchers.com or call (800) 651-6000. For more information on cherries, visit the Northwest Cherry Growers at www.nwcherries.com. Summer's cherries are well worth the wait.