Cherry and orange sweet treat

Timaree Hagenburger
Nutrition Professor, Cosumnes River College, Sacramento

Who knew a recipe this simple could taste so good? Freezing cherries during harvest season—which typically begins by mid-May—allows you to enjoy them year-round and also gives the dish a sorbet-like texture.

Ingredients

4 Clementines or mandarin oranges
1 cup pitted, diced cherries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (raw or lightly toasted)

Directions

Peel oranges and dice into small pieces, keeping as much juice as possible in the bowl. Combine with cherries and let sit a few minutes to allow flavors to blend. Stir in walnuts just before serving.

Nutrition information (for 1/4 of recipe): 107 calories, 5 g fat, 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein, 26 mcg folate, 249 mg potassium, 1 mg sodium, 34 mg calcium, 23 mg magnesium.

The Nutrition Professor's Shop Smart, Prep Smart Tips:

Once pitted, cherries freeze well in a heavy-duty zip-top bag.
Because walnuts are rich in essential fats, they can go rancid when kept at room temperature for an extended time. It is best to store them in the freezer.

Serves 4