Each year I anticipate the arrival of strawberry season. When these colorful, sweet, ripe beauties hit my local farmers’ markets I know it means warm weather, summer fun and lots of other fresh produce on the way.
Health Benefits
Not only are strawberries one of the most sweet and delicious fruits but they are also extremely good for your health. These members of the rose family protect your heart, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lower your blood pressure and defend against cancer. Packed with fiber, vitamins and high levels of antioxidants strawberries are a fat-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free food. They are also a great source of potassium and vitamin C.
But it’s not only all of the health benefits that make me love and look forward to strawberry season each year. There are so many delicious things I love to make each year with strawberries.
Strawberry Chia Seed Muffins
Our clients have been enjoying this muffin recipe from leelalicious.com. These muffins are both gluten-free and paleo and delicious. They are perfect for breakfast, a snack or dessert.
Strawberry Preserves
If you are ambitious enough to go strawberry picking or just stumble upon the best-looking strawberries at your farmers’ market it is easy to go overboard and end up coming home with pounds of them. Lord Byron’s Strawberry Preserves uses just three simple ingredients and is easy to make. I keep a jar of this in my fridge to spread on toast, sconces or even add to a summer cocktail.
Add Strawberries to Juice or Smoothies
There is nothing better than adding strawberries to fresh juices and smoothies. They add a little bit of sweetness while packing in all the health benefits we talked about above.
Healthy Desserts
Add strawberries to your vanilla or chocolate ice cream, fruit sorbets or angel food cake. They are the perfect addition to a summer dessert adding a pop of color and natural sweetness. Quite honestly,we think they are good enough to serve as a dessert on their own or with a little bit of fresh whipped cream.
Add More Strawberries to Your Diet
Now that you know the health benefits of strawberries and have some recipes and ideas to incorporate them into your diet, if you’re one of our clients, please ask about adding strawberry items to your upcoming menus.
Not yet a client? Contact Secret Ingredient today to schedule a cook date and start enjoying strawberries and a multitude of other fresh, seasonal ingredients.
