If you visit Washington, D.C. this month, you will see the beautiful cherry blossoms in bloom during the Cherry Blossom Festival. February not only marks a time to celebrate the flower but also the fruit: it’s National Cherry Month.
The annual celebration started in 1912 when Japan sent the U.S. 3,000 cherry trees as a gift of friendship. A cup of cherries has 97 calories and three grams of fiber. They are excellent raw, in smoothies or baked into treats. Today, we’re looking at tasty, low-carb cherry desserts.
Some people who follow low-carb diets love cottage cheese and swear by it as an ingredient for snacks and desserts, as it’s high in protein. If you are a cottage cheese lover, this is a great dessert for you, featuring whipped cottage cheese. The directions give you the option to make a layered dessert with a cherry sauce topping, or you can make a blended version where everything is mixed together. The layered version is lighter, but it’s up to you. A serving of the layered version has 113 calories, 5.7 grams of carbs, 0.5 grams of fiber and four grams of fat. Get the recipe.
We’re suckers for any type of bar dessert. They are easy to make. They serve a crowd, and they are always tasty. This one has a cherry jam filling and an excellent crumble topping. Bars like these are one of the most indulgent treats you can make while being low effort. And they are great if you are on the go — they’re perfect for a packed lunch. A serving has 223 calories, 8.8 grams of carbs, 3.6 grams of fiber and 20.5 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
Cherry pie is probably the best way to celebrate National Cherry Month. And this recipe is something to celebrate! The crust is buttery but low in carbs, and the lattice work on top makes it pretty, as well as cutting out some calories by not having a full pastry lid. We always like to remind ourselves, while working with pastry lattice, if it doesn’t look perfect at the end, that is a-okay! It just looks homemade and shows it was made with love, not perfectionism. A serving has 245 calories, 5 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fiber and 29 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
This classic French dessert is like a cross between a pancake and a flan. It’s a delicious tart traditionally made with black cherries. For this version, any color cherry will do, just make sure they are halved and pitted! If you have never had a clafoutis before, we highly recommend trying it; it could soon become your favorite dessert. A serving has 182 calories, 16 grams of carbs, two grams of fiber and 12 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
We hope you enjoy any beautifully blossoming trees you see this month, be they cherry trees or not. And we hope you eat some tasty cherries while taking in the sight!
