Nothing beats a salad when it's warm outside! FitSugar reader CarCarDawn posted this recipe in our Healthy Recipe group — a crunchy and refreshing salad with roasted red peppers, snow peas, and crunchy walnuts.
Colorful meals are nutritional meals! This salad can be made with any number of seasonal vegetables and optional additions.
Learn how to make the salad (and strawberry-coconut water) after the break!
Think fast! You've just been invited to a Memorial Day barbecue that promises to be fun and fabulous. The hostess asked you to bring a dessert. What do you make? Instead of picking up an expensive store-bought confection, head to the local market and get the ingredients to make this easy and uncomplicated strawberry shortcake trifle. The winning combination of fluffy vanilla cake, sweet, juicy strawberries, and pillowy whipped cream is a Spring favorite that is sure to please any crowd. The hardest part of this delectable finish is the whipped cream; everything else is assembled. See how simple the recipe is now.
Happy almost three-day weekend! In case you missed it, this Monday is Memorial Day, and the unofficial beginning of Summer. Care to get a head start on your festivities? Here's one way: start figuring out what perfectly seasonal strawberry cocktail you'll be serving while you and your loved ones enjoy fun in the sun. You can't go wrong with a general formula of strawberry, citrus, sugar, and spirit, but for a few solid recipes, keep on reading.
Katie's creative strawberry, balsamic, and black pepper cocktail was a great reminder that strawberries aren't just for shortcake; there are plenty of different ways to make the most of the fruit's floral, sweet-tart quality, from strawberry-thyme panna cotta to tequila infusions, and even strawberry spaghetti! Now that strawberries are at their peak, what's your favorite way to work with them, besides eating them straight out of hand?
In case you aren't already in love with strawberries, I have some reasons to get the love fest with this berry started! They are a low-calorie food loaded like a billionaire with antioxidants known as phenols. Phenols not only give strawberries their irresistible red color, but they also fill this berry with heart-protective, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. A veritable trifecta of benefits.
Strawberry season is here; so the cost of a pint should be falling and they should be abundant at your local farmers market. You want to load up on strawberries because they are loaded with vitamin C. One cup of strawberries provides well over 125 percent of the daily RDI of vitamin C, and having high amounts of vitamin C in your blood results in burning more fat. You might recall that organic fruits contain more vitamin C than conventional, so I think it is well worth it to splurge a bit on organic berries. Another reason to go organic with these strawberries is they have one of the highest amounts of pesticide residue when compared with other produce.
You can make some lovely strawberry muffins or mix the berry with balsamic vinegar for a new taste sensation. My favorite way to eat them, however, is straight up — not sliced, no extra sugar, no cream, I just pop them straight into my mouth — after giving them a good rinse of course.
Source: Flickr User Manchester Monkey
Whenever I come across strawberries that are about to go bad — the mushy ones with lots of wrinkles and a deep red color — I set them aside and use them in a cocktail. Many recipes involve muddling the strawberries to extract the juices, so it doesn't really matter if they aren't the prettiest of berries. For adventurous home mixologists, I highly recommend you make use of blemished berries with this recipe for a strawberry-balsamic crush. It's an interesting drink with sweet, tart, and savory notes hitting the palate, one after another. Don't skip the freshly-ground black pepper garnish; it takes this amazing concoction to a whole new level. Seriously, this is a must make for home bartenders; it's a superb libation! Get the recipe after the break.
If you think tequila is only good in margaritas, think again! The Mexican spirit is a wonderful base for all sorts of cocktails. In this recipe, tequila is paired with sweet strawberries, tart lemons, and fragrant mint. The method is adaptable: if you prefer a strong drink, use more tequila, and if you're partial to weak beverages, add more club soda. This refreshing cooler is the perfect way to kick-start your weekend. Ready to toast with tequila? Get the recipe now.
Earlier this week I purchased two small baskets of beautifully ripe strawberries. However, within 48 hours, the strawberries had gone bad (as you can see from the photo!) and some were covered in mold. It made me wonder: what's the best way to store strawberries?
Well, first things first, don't wash the berries until you're ready to eat them. Excess moisture could cause them to spoil quicker. Start by removing the berries from the store-bought package. Discard any that are starting to look bad.
If you've got a large fridge with plenty of space, store them in a single layer on a paper towel lined cookie sheet or plate making sure that none of the berries touch. Don't have a lot of room in the fridge? Place them in a glass container with a lid. If you're lucky, they will stay fresh for up to a week!
What's your tried-and-tested technique for storing fresh strawberries?
The next time you walk into a grocery store or visit your local farmers market, take a look around and hopefully you'll not only see but also smell the delicious aroma coming from a strawberry stand. For some strange reason — probably because I love them so — strawberries push me out of my cooking comfort zone by inspiring me to make such things like jams, pies, and even homemade ice cream.
Fortunately, berries are in season right now, making them widely available across the country. Strawberries also provide a multitude of health benefits, so you can eat 'em till your heart's content. What else is in season? Rhubarb, cherries, navel oranges, and watermelon. To put all of these tasty fruits to good use this Spring, here's a fruit salad recipe that surely won't disappoint!
