It's Strawberry Season!

What potent little heart shaped package can lower your blood pressure, increase your good cholesterol (HDL), guard against cancer and heart disease, and minimize constipation? What nutritional powerhouse contains vitamins, folic acid, fiber and antioxidants? What member of the rose family is sodium free, fat free, cholesterol free and low calorie? STRAWBERRIES! Every year I anxiously await strawberry season and try to find new ways to incorporate them into my diet.

Here are some healthy suggestions:

• Add them to your chicken salad.
• Make your own fruit cocktail with them and include grapes, pineapple, and sliced peaches.
• Add them to plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honeyr and sliced almonds.
• Top whole grain waffles, pancakes, dry cereal or oatmeal with them or fold them into muffins and sweet breads.
• Blend them in a food processor with a little water and sugar to make a fresh syrup to top desserts.
• Mix them into a fresh salad with your favorite nuts and cheese.
• Toast a whole grain bagel and top with cream cheese and strawberries.
• Throw some frozen strawberries in a blender with milk, a banana, a protein drink and ice for a quick healthy smoothie.

Easy Strawberry Dessert
Pound cake (store bought to save time)
Vanilla ice cream
Fresh strawberries

Clean the strawberries and slice them into a bowl. Sprinkle a little sugar on top and cover, then refrigerate a few hours to let the juices begin to emerge. When juicy, place a slice of cake in a small bowl and cover with a scoop of ice cream.  Microwave for 15 second to soften the ice cream, then cover with  a few spoonfuls of strawberries. Drizzle the juice over your creation and enjoy!

 

[author] [author_image timthumb=’off’]http://thecommunitymarketcoop.coop/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/blog-photo-e1444308911600.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Colleen Williams moved to Apex from Maryland in 1991, was widowed in 2003 and moved to Fuquay Varina 10 years ago with her new husband, Myers. She has 5 grown children, 2 grown step-children and together they share 9 grandchildren. Colleen wanted to get more involved with the community now that she has time since retiring from 40 years as a high school math teacher, and because she and her husband enjoy eating the food they grow and the eggs their chickens provide, the Community Market Co-Op seemed like a great place to get involved![/author_info] [/author]