Many recipes that include fresh cherries are desserts. Cherry pie, cherry cupcakes, and cherry ice cream are delicious, but what about using cherries in other meals? Here are five recipes to help you do just that.

Cherry Granola Breakfast Parfait

2 c plain yogurt
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 c sliced almonds
4 tbsp maple syrup, divided
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix oats and almonds. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, oil, and salt. Stir the sugar mixture into the oat mixture until new mixture is uniformly wet. Spread in a single layer onto the baking sheet. Bake until granola is crispy (about 20-25 minutes), stirring occasionally. Pour 1/4 cup yogurt into a bowl or tall glass. Drizzle some maple syrup over the yogurt. Add a layer of granola, then a layer of cherries. Repeat until all yogurt, granola, and syrup are layered into the parfait.

Cherry Feta Orzo

1 lb orzo pasta
1/2 lb feta cheese
2 c cherries
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1/4 c slivered almonds
3 tbsp shallot, minced
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt

Pit and slice cherries, then set aside in a bowl to drain. Cook orzo until al dente, then drain and rinse. Set orzo aside in a large bowl to cool. Remove cherries from juice. Add shallots, salt, oil, and vinegar to the juice to form a dressing. Add dressing and parsley to the orzo. Mix well, then stir in cherries and almonds. Crumble feta over the top and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Cherrylicious Elderflower Fruit Salad

1 pint raspberries
1 pint blueberries
1/2 pound cherries
2 oranges, peeled
2 tbsp elderflower liqueur

In a large bowl, combine blueberries and raspberries. Pit cherries and section oranges over a bowl to collect the juice. Add cherries, oranges, and juice to the berries. Gently stir in elderflower liqueur.

Cherry Ginger Iced Tea

4 c water, divided
4 teabags
1 c cherries, pitted and diced
1 medium piece ginger, peeled and sliced
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine cherries and ginger slices. Sprinkle sugar over cherries and ginger. Cover with 2 cups water. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring 2 cups water nearly to a boil, then pour over tea bags. Steep until amber in color, then discard bags. Strain cherry-ginger water into tea. Add lemon juice to taste and pour over ice.

Cherry Gorgonzola Salad

8 c herb salad mix
2 c cherries, pitted and sliced
1/2 c apple cider
1/3 c walnuts
1/4 c gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp shallots, diced
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Bring cider to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir water and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly for 30 seconds or until no lumps remain. Remove from heat and stir in shallots, vinegar, salt, and pepper to create a dressing. Pour salad mix in a large bowl. Toss in dressing, then top with berries, cheese, and walnuts.

Don’t forget, you can always have a healthy snack with  That’s It Apples + Cherries fruit bars.

Bon appétit!

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