This bar is the easiest thing in
the world to make. I know because
I've made it myself and really, it
was a pure pleasure. It's an even
greater pleasure to eat. Cherries,
almonds, and pine nuts? What in the
world could you possibly not like?
And here's a secret: These bars
were inspired by cherry Larabars, a
commercial favorite of both Chef
Jeannette and myself. Truth be
told, making these cherry delights
at home is actually far less
expensive, and this version has the
added advantage of being lower in
sugar. If you're breezing through
this book and wondering what recipe
to start with, you couldn't do much
better than this one! It's
simplicity itself, comes together
in minutes, and will knock your
socks off with its rich, chewy
texture and sweet-tart flavor.
Worth noting: Although you can use
unsweetened sweet cherries, you can
also use juice-sweetened tart ones.
Both varieties are a good source of
anti-inflammatory anthocyanins, but
tart cherries have a lot more.
Animal studies conducted by
University of Michigan researchers
suggest that tart cherries can
reduce factors linked to heart
disease and diabetes.
