by Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., President, Produce for Better Health Foundation (NAPSA)—Sweet, succulent cherries grown in Washington and California are available in the market beginning mid-May. The most commonly known variety of sweet cherry is the mahogany-colored Bing. However, Washington also grows the unique Rainier cherry, a super-sweet variety that is honey-colored with a hint of red blush. Cherries are great for snacks and as an ingredient in desserts, salads and main courses. Looking for a spePivonka cial breakfast recipe that tastes wonderful and provides a bounty of health-promoting nutrients? Baked French Toast with Cherry Topping delivers all this and more. Why not try the cherry topping on frozen waffles or spoon it over honeydew melon for a snack or, better yet, finish off low-fat vanilla bean ice cream with the cherry topping and a splash of hazelnut liqueur for dessert. Sweet cherries make sweet sense for good taste and good health. It’s essential to get a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet every day to maintain good health and energy levels, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce therisk of cancer and heart disease. One cup of sweet cherries is a good source of vitamin C (15% of the Daily Value) and dietary fiber (8 grams). In addition, one cup of these sweet treats also has 3.9 milligrams of quercetin, a phytochemical being studied for its ability to maintain overall good health and impact the cardiovascular system. Eat your colors every day by choosing fruits and vegetables from all the 5 A Day Color Groups—red, yellow/orange, white, green and blue/purple. For more information on fresh fruits from Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com. For information about 5 A Day and The Color Way Guide to the Health Benefits of Colorful Fruits and Vegetables, visit www.5aday.org and www.aboutproduce.com. QeSEL OE Baked French Toast with Cherry Topping 1'/2 eups low-fat milk 2 eggs 1 1/3 2 1 cup egg substitute cup maple syrup tablespoonssugar, divided tablespoon grated orange peel 1/g teaspoonsalt 6 slices (4 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1/2inch) French bread 6 cups pitted Stemilt fresh sweet cherries, halved le cup orange juice 1'/2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt Combine milk, eggs, egg substitute, maple syrup, 1 tablespoon sugar, orange peel and salt; mix well. Pour half of mix- ture into each of two 9-inch square baking dishes. Dip both sides of each slice of bread in milk mixture; arrange in the same baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Marinate cherries in orange juice and 1 tablespoon sugar overnight. Using a large spatula, carefully transfer slices to a nonstick, but- tered baking sheet, allowing excess liquid to drip into pan used for soaking. Bake in a preheated 400F oven 15 to 18 minutes; turn slices over halfway through baking time. Top each slice with one cup cherries and dollop of vanilla yogurt. Serve immediately. Makes6 servings. Nutritional information per serving: calories: 435, total fat: 7.4g, saturated fat: 2.5g, % calories from fat: 15%, % calories from saturated fat: 5%, protein: 18g, carbohydrates: 78g, cholesterol: 77mg, dietary fiber: 5g, sodium: 477mg Note to Editors: Seventy-third in a series of monthly 5-A-Day columns, with more stories featuring fruits and vegetables at www.napsnet.com and search: “Pivonka.”
