Did you know May is National Strawberry Month?
How to Pave, Put, and Plan all your Strawberry Recipes into Your Healthy Eating lifestyle
If you love strawberries, then you know that nothing compares in texture or flavor to a red, ripe succulent strawberry!
Some Strawberry Facts:
* Strawberries were originally called “Strewberries”. They were called this due to the way the berries seem to be just strewn about the leaves of the plant.
* Eight strawberries provide 140 percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C.
* Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.
* One cup of strawberries has just 55 calories.
* The strawberry is the only fruit with the seeds (on average, 200) on the outside of the fruit.
* Strawberries are grown in every state in the United States and every province of Canada.
~*~
Strawberry Blossoms
12 large, fresh strawberries, rinsed
1 – 3 oz pkg light cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp light sour cream
Remove stems from strawberries to form a flat base. Place berries on cutting surface, pointed end facing up. With a sharp knife, carefully slice each berry in half vertically to within a 1/4 inch of base. Cut each half into three wedges to form 6 petals. (Don’t slice through the base.) Pull petals apart slightly.
In a small bowl, combine light cream cheese, powdered sugar and light sour cream; beat until light and fluffy. With a pastry bag and star tip or small spoon, fill strawberries with light cream cheese mixture.
Note: A zipper sandwich bag can be used instead of a pastry bag by filling with light cream cheese mixture and squeezing out excess air before sealing. Carefully cut one corner off of the bottom of the bag.
Variation: Use strawberry flavored light cream cheese for added sweetness.
~*~
Strawberry Leather
3 cups fresh strawberries *
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
Place strawberries in a blender and process until smooth. Measure 2 cups of strawberry puree. Stir in lemon juice and light corn syrup. Line a 15×10 inch jellyroll pan with heavy-duty plastic wrap and tape plastic wrap to the pan at the corners. Pour strawberry mixture in prepared pan and spread thin, leaving 1 inch on all sides. You can adjust this to fit your dehydrator or another pan, be sure it is spread thin on the pan. Dry in an oven at 150 or a dehydrator for 7-8 hours or until surface is no longer sticky. Remove leather from pan while still warm and roll up jellyroll fashion. Cut into logs and wrap in plastic wrap. Make five 2 inch logs
* Any other fruit may be used in place of the strawberries.
Recipe courtesy of Tawra Kellam of Not Just Beans http://www.notjustbeans.com
~*~
Layered Strawberry Cake
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup I can’t believe it’s not butter or light margarine
1 1/2 cups stevia
1 tsp vanilla
1 whole egg and three egg whites
1 3/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
dash salt
2-8 oz pkgs light cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 pint light whipping cream
red food coloring (if desired)
1 pint of fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced
Heat skim milk in a saucepan until boiling, add I can’t believe it’s not butter and set aside. In a bowl blend stevia, vanilla and egg whites and whole egg, beat at high speed until mixture is very light and fluffy. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and sea salt, add egg mixture, then add skim milk mixture, mixing well after each addition. Pour batter into a well greased and floured springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from pan. Let cool completely then cut cake into three even layers. Brush away any loose crumbs. Whip the cream cheese until very smooth, beat in the powdered sugar and whipping cream, until mixture is creamy and fluffy. You may add a few drops of food coloring if desired to tint frosting. Spread frosting between each layer, place sliced strawberries on each layer. Then spread remaining frosting on top and sides of assembled cake. Garnish with strawberries on top and on sides.
~*~
Strawberries ‘n’ Cream Pizza
1-1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup I can’t believe it’s not butter or margarine, cold and sliced
1 cup chopped pecans
3 chocolate sugar free toffee candy bars
1 8-oz. package light cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 qt. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise
Frozen light whipped cream topping, thawed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, I can’t believe it’s not butter, and nuts; mix until blended. Press mixture on bottom of 12-inch pizza pan. Bake 10 minutes. Immediately sprinkle hot crust with sugar free toffee, distributing evenly over crust. Set aside to cool. Combine light cream cheese and powdered sugar; beat until blended and smooth. Spread evenly over cooled crust to within 1/2-inch of crust edge. Arrange strawberries, cut-side down, in circular rows over cheese mixture. Decorate top of pizza with light whipped cream. Sprinkle with crushed pecans if desired. Makes 8-12 servings.
~*~
Strawberry Squares
1 cup flour
1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar or stevia
1/2 cup I can’t believe it’s not butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups light whipping cream
2 cups sliced, hulled fresh strawberries
1 cup stevia
2 tablespoons lemon juice
For crust, in a bowl combine flour, nuts and brown sugar or stevia. Add melted I can’t believe it’s not butter. Toss to combine. Spread in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Spread 2/3 of the crust mixture in a 13x9x2 pan. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup of the light whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the strawberries, sugar or stevia and lemon juice. Beat mixture well. In another bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup light whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the strawberry mixture.
Transfer to prepared pan. Top with remaining crust mixture. Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Makes 9-12 servings.
Garnish with additional berries if you wish.
~*~
Strawberry Salad <P
>4 cups torn salad greens
1 cup watercress
1 cup sliced, hulled strawberries
1/2 half of a small red onion, thinly sliced
Poppy seed Dressing (homemade or bought)
Edible flowers such as nasturtiums or chive blossoms
In a salad bowl, place greens, watercress, strawberries onion. Top with dressing and toss to coat. Garnish with edible flowers. Chive blossoms and nasturtiums are peppery in taste. If they are not available to you, fresh mint can be used for garnish.
Caution: Be sure that all herbs and blossoms are free of pesticides.
~*~
Strawberry Salsa
2 tablespoons virgin oliveoil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint leaves
2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
Combine oil, lime juice, vinegar, mint, cilantro, jalapeno, pepper and salt in medium bowl. Toss in strawberries, pineapple and onion. Serve over grilled chicken or pork.
Makes 2 1/2 cups.
~*~
Strawberry Muffins
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar or stevia
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup skim milk, *see note
1/3 cup margarine or I can’t believe it’s not butter, melted
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 egg white, lightly beaten
canola oil cooking spray
1 1/2 tbsp stevia
*note: add 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to the milk, let sit for 5 minutes. Or substitute nonfat buttermilk.
Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well. Add fresh strawberries; stir well, and make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
Divide batter evenly among 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray; sprinkle 1-1/2 tbsp sugar evenly over muffins. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately; let cool on a wire rack.
18 servings.
Enjoy your Healthy version of Strawberry treats!
By, Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Weight loss Expert, Author, NSA Speaker