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Purple Food Energy: Bing Cherry (Prunus avium)

By Gwen Nyhus Stewart

Apple Cherry Crisp

6 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1 c (250 mL) dried sour cherries
1 c (250 mL) sugar
3/4 c (175 mL) quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 c (125 mL) whole wheat flour
1/3 c (75 mL) apple butter

Soak cherries in hot water for 20 minutes or until plumped.

Mix apples, cherries and 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar in a casserole dish. Mix together remaining ingredients and sprinkle on top. Bake 50 minutes at 350º F (175º C).

Bing Cherry Salad

1 can bing cherries, save the juice
1 can pineapple chunks in juice
1 cup (250 mL) miniature marshmallows
8 ounces (226.6 g) cream cheese
1/4 cup (50 mL) cherry juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) whipped cream

Cream cheese and add cherry juice. Drain pineapple. Mix with marshmallows. Whip cream and fold into fruits. Refrigerate. Allow to cool several hours.

Brie with Cherry Chutney

1/2 cup (125 mL) dried cherries

1 lb. (453.6 g) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped

3/4 cup (175 mL) brown sugar

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped onion

1/3 cup (75 mL) apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. (1 mL) allspice

1/4 tsp. (1 mL) cinnamon

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) sea salt

2 tbsps. (30 mL) cornstarch

8 oz. (226.6 g) wheel brie or camembert cheese

Combine all ingredients except brie in heavy saucepan and stir to mix. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and cook gently for 45-50 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. Cool at least one hour before serving.

Heat brie in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds to one minute, or until softened. Pour 1 cup (250 mL) cherry chutney over brie and serve with crackers and French bread.

You can also bake the brie at 350º F (175º C) for 10 - 15 minutes until softened.

Cherry Freezer Jam

3 cups (750 mL) chopped bing cherries

1/2 cup (125 mL) raspberries

2 tbsp. (30 mL) lime juice

1-3/4 (425 mL) cups sugar

1/2 (125 mL) cup water

1 (1.5-ounce) (42.4 g) package no-cook freezer jam pectin

Place six-1 cup (250 mL) mason jars in the dishwasher and run through the wash cycle to sanitize. Leave jars in dishwasher until you're ready to fill them.

Place cherries and raspberries in a large bowl; smash with a potato masher. Add lime juice and water and stir.

In medium bowl, combine sugar and pectin; stir well. Stir into fruit mixture; stir for 3 minutes.

Ladle jam into each jar leaving about 1/2 in. (12.5 mm) headspace. Wipe tops of jars with a damp cloth and place lids on jars; fasten securely. Let stand at room temperature for one hour.

Label jars and refrigerate for 3 - 5 days until the jam sets. Then you can freeze up to one year. When opened, each jar will last, refrigerated, for about three weeks.

Cherry Salsa

1/2 lb. (226.6 g) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped

1 tbsp. (15 mL) lime juice

1/4 cup (50 mL) cherry preserves

1 tbsp. (15 mL) minced red onion

1 tsp. (5 mL) finely chopped jalapeno pepper

1 tbsp. (15 mL) finely chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and stir to blend. Cover and chill 1-2 hours to blend flavors. Serve with grilled meat, or with chips as an appetizer.

See Purple Coloured Foods in the Plants, Food Colours, & Recipes section of this web site, and http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca/Recipes.htm for additional information about the healing properties of purple , phytonutrients, and recipes.

(See The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace Chapter 7, Colour and Healing Energy, page 64 for more information about what the colour purple means and Chapter 8, Colour Energy, Plants, and Recipes pages 86 - 88 for information about using purple in the garden and recipes.)

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