What better way to start the New Year than with these vegan sweet cherry bars? Proving that delicious food can contain nutrients.

The season is filled with messages about food and diet that are anything but healthy. I would not say I like going into the New Year with a focus on eliminating overly restrictive diets. But January is a time to think about how food supports my body. In that spirit, I thought about the benefits of sweet cherries.

The benefits of dark, sweet cherries

When the Northwest Cherry Growers Association people approached me to talk about the event, I was overjoyed. I didn’t eat cherries when I was younger, but I’ve come to appreciate them over time. It wasn’t until recently that I realized that tart cherries were too sour for me. On the other hand, I love the deep, almost candy-like flavor of sweet cherries.

My vegan Sweet cherry bar features dark, sweet cherries that are juicy and delicious. They also have the benefits of sweet cherries. These include (but are not limited to) anti-inflammatory effects, thanks to the powerful plant pigments that function as antioxidants. Sweet cherries contain compounds that help our bodies fight stress and aging. Sweet cherries’ tryptophan, serotonin, and melanin can even help regulate sleep cycles!

You can make vegan sweet cherry bars from a bag of frozen sweet cherries anytime. Better yet, you can make them in the summer, when cherries grow in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a great way to celebrate the holidays!

Why do I love these vegan sweet cherry bars

My favorite way to showcase sweet cherries is to bake them. I found their rich sweetness to be delicious with whole-grain baked goods. My favorite final dish is this upside-down cherry cake. It proved to me that the sweetness of black cherries paired perfectly with the nutty flavor of whole-grain flour.

As the New Year approaches, I wanted to make a baking recipe rich in whole wheat flour to add extra fiber. Of course, I wanted it to show off the color and nutrition of the sweet cherry.

These are the bars! They’re not granola bars. They are tender and fluffy, reminiscent of coffee cakes, and even the frosting is sweet. Even so, the sweetness here is mostly reasonable. In addition to adding whole wheat flour to the batter, they asked for olive oil instead of traditional butter. They’re perfect for breakfast or snack – and of course, they get their powerful phytonutrients from dark, sweet cherries.

These are all acknowledgments of my undying love for cake (should I start a separate cake blog? !). But my own approach to balance is to celebrate all the good that nature gives us while also celebrating the art of being kind to yourself. Baking is part of that. Please enjoy this simple, anytime, anywhere pleasure.

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 cup rye, spelled, or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup cold water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup cane or coconut sugar

1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk

juice of 1 lemon

12-16 ounces fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted and halved

Optional: 1 cup confectioners’ sugar + 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk, whisked to create a glaze for topping the cake

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a 9 x 13 rectangular baking sheet with oil and line the bottom with a rectangular sheet of parchment paper.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a mixing bowl (or a stand mixer) until combined.
3. Combine the oil, water, sugar, and vanilla extract in a stand mixer or large bowl with an electric mixer. Add skim milk and lemon juice and mix well. Add the dry ingredients in two batches and mix on medium speed. When the batter is well combined (when no lumps are visible), pour three-quarters of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Spread frozen cherries cut in half over this layer. Spoon the rest of the batter over the cherries. They should be mostly covered, with some peeking out from under the batter.
4. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops are set. The cake is completely cool. If you want to glaze it, whisk together a cup of powdered sugar and two tablespoons of non-dairy milk until smooth, then drizzle it over the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy!