The following recipe requires a little bit of practice (or skill), but is well worth the effort.  If you are used to making sushi, this will not be difficult.  For first time sushi makers, practice with the rice alone before incorporating the fruit.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked Jasmine rice
Assortment of diced fresh fruit (bananas, strawberries, pineapple)
Brownwood Acres Montmorency dried tart cherries and/or
Brownwood Acres dried wild blueberries
Chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement (or other FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplement of your choice)

Directions:
Press cooked Jasmine rice on a sushi roller, as per directions.  Add fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts, then roll to form.  Cut the sushi roll into pieces.  Dip in the Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement, or drizzle the Liquid Fruit Supplement over the top of the sushi rolls.

This spicy mixture wows traditional salsa lovers.

Ingredients:
1/2  cup    Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/2     cup cherry preserves
2     Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2     cup chopped red onion
1/2     cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/4     cup chopped jalapeno peppers (approximately 2 medium)
1 to 2     Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1     tsp lime or lemon juice

Directions:
Combine dried cherries, preserves, and vinegar in a small microwave-safe bowl; mix well. Microwave on High (100% Power) 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, or until hot.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Stir in red onion, yellow bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, cilantro and lemon juice. Refrigerate, covered, 3 to 4 hours or overnight.  Serve with grilled salmon or tuna.  It’s also excellent as a topping for hamburgers.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

A super simple side dish to any entrée. Purchase packaged grated carrots to cut prep time.

1 /4 cup Brownwood Acres Dried Tart Cherries
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 small package grated carrots or 4 large carrots, grated
1 /4 cup chopped walnuts
1 /8 tsp salt

Soak the dried cherries in hot water for 20 minutes to plump; drain. In a bowl, combine, vinegar, oil, lemon juice and salt, whisk. In a medium bowl, combine raw carrots, walnuts, cherries and vinegar and oil dressing. Toss to coat.

Yield: 4 servings

Part three of a healthy Thanksgiving is appetizers or keeping people munching on something other than unhealthy snacks. The following recipe can also be used at your next holiday party.

Ingredients:

4 oz goat cheese, room temperature or 4 oz low-fat cream cheese

6 large stalks celery, cleaned and trimmed

1/4 cup FruitFast Dried Wild Blueberries or FruitFast Dried Montmorency Tart Cherries, diced

1/8 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Clean six stalks of celery; cut into four pieces each and set aside. Mix together goat cheese (or cream cheese), dried fruit and walnuts. Fill each piece of celery with cheese mixture. Serve cold.

Yield: 24 pieces

Just in time for Halloween, an easy-to-prepare healthy alternative snack to chips and candy at your holiday parties

Ingredients:
4 cups bite-size corn or rice square cereal (such as Corn or Rice Chex)
2 cups bite-size wheat square cereal (such as Wheat Chex)
2 cups broken whole grain Melba toast
2 cups small fat-free pretzel twists
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 /4 teaspoon garlic powder
14 teaspoon onion powder
1 /8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1-1 /2 cups Brownwood Acres dried tart cherries

Directions:
Put corn or rice cereal, wheat cereal, Melba toast and pretzels in a large bowl; stir to mix. In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, stir together melted margarine or butter, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and ground red pepper. Drizzle over cereal mixture. Toss to coat. Spread cereal mixture in a 15×10x1-inch (or 13×9x2-inch) baking pan. Bake in a preheated 300-degree oven about 25 minutes, stirring every 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in dried cherries. Pour onto aluminum foil to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week.

Makes 20 (1 /2 cup) servings

For a tasty and tantalizing topping for your next bagel or sandwich spread, try this cherry variation.

Ingredients:
8 ounces soft goat cheese or chèvre
4 oz Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons local honey
1 Tbsp CherryFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts, pecans or almonds*

Assorted crackers, crostini, pita crisps, crisp bread sticks and/or apple/pear slices

*To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool nuts before chopping.

Directions:
Stir together all the cheeses and honey in a medium bowl until well combined, then add CherrFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement. Stir in cherries and nuts. Serve with assorted crackers, crisp breads, on sandwiches or fruit slices.

Makes 16 (2-tablespoon) servings.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice blend
1 package 100-calorie microwave popcorn
2/3 cup dried tart cherries
Butter-flavored non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
Stir together sugar and apple pie spice in small bowl; set aside. Pop popcorn according to the package directions. Carefully open the package and pour into medium bowl. Add cherries. Lightly spray with no-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with sugar mixture; toss until coated.

Makes about 2 (2-cup) servings.

Cherry Cinnamon-Spiced Popcorn: Prepare Cherry Spiced Popcorn as directed, except substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the apple pie spice blend.

Red Hot Cherry Spiced Popcorn: Prepare Cherry Spiced Popcorn as directed, except substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice for the 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice blend and season to taste with ground (cayenne) red pepper.

Nutrition Info:
Nutrition Facts per 2-cup serving: 224 calories, 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 47 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 66 mg sodium; 30% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 0% calcium, 6% iron.

Cherry Cinnamon-Spiced Popcorn:
Nutrition Facts per 2-cup serving: 223 calories, 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 47 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 65 mg sodium; Daily Values: 30% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 0% calcium, 6% iron

Red Hot Cherry Spiced Popcorn:
Nutrition Facts per 2-cup serving: 223 calories, 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 47 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 66 mg sodium; Daily Values: 30% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 0% calcium, 6% iron