Cherry Bomb Parfait

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I can’t stop! I love these  beauties and pop them in my mouth every chance I get.  Cherries are just so SUMMER.

Cherry Bomb Vegan and Gluten Free Dessert

I saved some for this AWESOME July 4th dessert I made for the family cookout.

The July 4th holiday weekend is always such a big food day. Personally, Independence Day is my 2nd favorite holiday (right after Thanksgiving) when it comes to eating.

I just LOVE all the fun picnic decorations, parades, red white and blue apparel, and fireworks but the food always wins.

Summer can be a challenging time for clean eating (no shocker here)  so instead of letting it all go, I make a few items that are “cleaned up” to balance things out.

For example always bring watermelon to a party. If you want to nibble and need something filling and light, go with watermelon. Watermelon has  high water content and hydration is a great way to beat bloat and feeling stuffed. You can make fun watermelon stars with cookie cutters, top with coconut flakes and blueberries for the July 4th vibe.

Click here for Watermelon Stars recipe>>>

And you can’t go wrong with Veggie Burgers. They aren’t greasy and have lots of fiber to keep you satisfied and away from the extra chips.

Click here for my famous veggie burger (no soy, no wheat… gluten-free and vegan)>>>

Okay, back to dessert. Since cherries are abundant in summer, why not take advantage and make the Cherry Bombs? This dessert is off the hook YUMMO! Plus the bombs are clean and sugar-free.

Heads up… if you don’t want to take the time to pit the cherries like I did, use frozen ones. It’s not a lot of work like I expected, however, so enlist in some help (thanks to my Kate!) and you’ll get the job done in just a few minutes.

Cherry Bomb Dessert

Pitting cherries makes me feel so Dexter (I sure miss that guy!)

Cherry Bomb Dessert

Cherry Bombs

Makes 6

Takes about 15 minutes to assemble.

Chill time 1-3 hours, depends on thickness of coconut cream… the thicker, the less fridge time.

Ingredients:

For the Coconut Cream

2 (15-oz) cans coconut milk, chilled overnight (I used low-fat, Native Forest brand)\
1 tsp. vanilla extract (you can sub with almond extract if you wish)

For the Berry Chia Jam (makes 3 cups)

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries (de-stemmed and sliced if using fresh)
3 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries (pitted if using fresh)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. lemon juice (I juiced ¼ fresh lemon but you can use from the bottle)

Directions:

Chill the cans of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 8 hours ahead of time so the coconut cream can solidify.

For the chia seed jam: Add the cherries, strawberries and maple syrup into a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium, and simmer until the berries release their juices and soften, about 5 minutes. When the berries look a bit soft, stir in the chia seeds. Keep cooking over medium heat until the chia thickens the mixture, about 5 more minutes.

Cherry Bomb Dessert

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and lemon juice. Pour into a glass, cover and chill in fridge for an hour.

For the coconut cream:  Open the cans of coconut milk and  scoop off the white coconut cream and  place it into a medium bowl. There might be some left over coconut water so save in a mason jar for a future smoothie.

With a whisk or a big spoon (I used this) , beat the cream in the  bowl until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.

Layer the coconut cream and the chia jam in parfait glasses. Top with optional blueberries,  almonds, coconut flakes, etc…

CherryBomb7

Enjoy immediately or cover and transfer to the fridge until ready to serve. The chia seed jam and coconut cream keep for approximately 5 days (if covered).

Extra toppings:
Blueberries (to make the red, white and blue pop)
Toasted sliced almonds
Coconut Flakes

The coconut cream was such a hit in my house. The kids were dipping all kinds of fruit in it. Even Kevin who isn’t a sweets person licked the bowl.

I can’t wait to see your Cherry Bombs! If you are in the States, enjoy your holiday and party it up!

Cherry Bomb Dessert

What is your all-time favorite summer food? Do tell!

PS.  We start the LIVE groups summer cleanse July 22nd! Lots of fruit, veggies and raw food… no sugar, no dairy,  no pots or pans involved!

Join us for a quick 7 day detox and lighten up, energize and GLOW after the holiday fun.

Click here for details>>> Raw Renewal 7 Day Detox

Raw Renewal 10 Day Detox program

4 Comments on “Cherry Bomb Parfait”

    1. It is super easy, Billie! AND you will devour this dessert! Can’t wait to see your creations.:)

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