For most, local strawberry season is short. Make it count with these fresh strawberry recipes! From breakfast to dessert, fresh strawberries shine at every meal.
People who love strawberries, love them a lot. They're the ones at the pick-your-own as soon as the sun rises and the people who make daily trips to pick more. And who can blame them? With a short growing season (in most climates), fresh strawberries are hard to come by. Make strawberry season count by incorporating these nutritious berries into every meal - try these recipes.
Breakfast:
- Top your cereal or oatmeal with sliced berries and milk
- Blend fresh berries into a smoothie
- Top toast with peanut butter and sliced strawberries
Snack:
- Layer sliced strawberries with yogurt and crunchy granola or trail mix for a balanced parfait snack. Soy yogurt works just as well.
Lunch:
- Strawberry-feta salad
- Start with a bed of baby spinach
- Top with fresh sliced strawberries , red onions, and your choice of veggies. With the delicate taste of strawberries, however, it is best to stick with simple ingredients. Aim for a salad composed of only three or four ingredients.
- Top with scant amounts of a mild, sweet dressing. Try:
- Sweet onion vinaigrette
- Creamy poppy seed dressing
- A homemade treat of balsamic vinegar mixed with flax oil, salt and pepper
- To top it off, try a small amount of sharper cheese. It will set off the sweetness of the berries. Try:
- Feta cheese
- Blue cheese
- Serve with toasted sandwiches or roasted vegetables, hummus, and crackers or pita bread.
Dinner:
For those preserve-making aficionados, homemade jams or spreads can be used to make a yummy marinade.
Strawberry Marinade Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened pineapple juice
- ¼ cup raisins
- Pinch dried hot pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- ½ cup low sugar strawberry preserves
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Directions:
- Combine the first four ingredients in a large non-aluminum skillet and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat and cook until volume is reduced to one-half.
- Stir in the preserves and cornstarch; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened.
- Use as a marinade, or spoon over your favourite foods. Firm porous foods like tofu may be added to the pan and cooked in the marinade.
Dessert:
With strawberries, simple is best. Fruit cobblers and crumbles are always delicious, but can be prepared off-season with frozen berries.
Fresh berries should be reserved for these simple desserts (or snacks!) that let the natural strawberry flavours shine.
- Strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar. The flavours of balsamic vinegar and strawberries meld naturally. Don’t be afraid – even those nervous about this dish love it after one bite! Let sit to let flavours meld if you have the time. Serve on their own – no sugar allowed!
- Strawberries and Cream. Aclassic strawberry dessert, with minimal effort to boot. Nothing beats a simple dish of fresh sliced strawberries swirled with cream. Soy creamer lends itself beautifully to this purpose as well – the slight sweetness adds to the flavour.
- Strawberries in a Cloud. Serve strawberries in a “cloud” or “nest” of whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping. If you’re feeling decadent, top with a delicate drizzle of chocolate syrup. Delicious!
The copyright of the article Strawberry Recipes for Every Meal in Vegetarian Recipes is owned by Jill Harris. Permission to republish Strawberry Recipes for Every Meal in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
 |
