Strawberries: America’s Sweetheart

Dipped in chocolate and given to your sweetheart for a special Valentine’s Day treat, strawberries are the perfect fruit for sharing on the holiday of love!

Arguably one of America’s favorite fruits and flavors, strawberries are extremely versatile. The not too sweet, not too tangy flavor of strawberries makes them the perfect compliment to a wide variety of foods. It is no wonder that strawberries are the world’s most beloved berry.

Strawberries are delicious when:

Simply washed and stemmed

Mashed and cooked down into a sticky-sweet jam

Sliced and eaten with a sprinkling of sugar

Used as a topping for ice cream sundaes or thick slices of pound cake

Strawberries are also great to eat any time of day. At breakfast, strawberries can be: sliced over pancakes, waffles, blintzes, or crepes; added to granola and yogurt to make a parfait; used as a topping for your favorite cold or warm cereal; or served on top of cottage cheese.

For lunch or dinner, fresh strawberries, strawberries in fruit salad, or strawberries in jello make a great side dish and sliced strawberries are a delectable addition to a spinach salad. Of course, from strawberries with cream to strawberry shortcake, this fruit is also perfect for dessert!

Strawberry Nutrition and Facts:

Strawberries are not only delicious, but they are also great for you! Unsweetened strawberries are an excellent addition to your menu plan as you seek to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight.

They can be eaten whole or sliced on top of low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, or unsweetened cereal. This member of the rose family is packed with antioxidants, potassium, and manganese. You can find more vitamin C in just one serving of strawberries than in an orange. Strawberries are low in calories and contain no cholesterol, sodium, or fat!

Strawberry Tips:

Buy strawberries that are ruby red in color and plump.

When selecting strawberries for dipping in chocolate, choose berries that are firm, without blemishes, and red to the stem.

Ripe strawberries are uniform in color without any white or pink areas.

Wash and thoroughly dry strawberries before using them in your favorite recipes.

Strawberries that are overripe can be mashed and turned into a delicious jam, syrup or sauce. Just be sure they are free of mold before using them.

Pair strawberries with balsamic vinaigrette, walnuts, bacon, bleu cheese, and spinach for a delicious salad.

Frozen strawberries provide an excellent boost to smoothies.

Strawberries are easy to grow in a backyard garden or in strawberry pots on your deck or porch.

At the height of strawberry season, when prices are low, buy extra berries and freeze them.

Remove the strawberry stem using a stemming tool or simply slicing it off with a kitchen knife.

Strawberries can be easily crushed in the package. Always check the bottom of the package to be sure that none of the strawberries have been crushed and there is no mold growing.

Strawberries are delicious in baked goods, such as cakes, pound cakes, and muffins. Just be sure to account for any juices they might give off during baking if you are adding them to a recipe for the first time.

Macerated strawberries provide a refreshing twist to lemonade in the summer.

Strawberry Recipes:

Breakfast:

Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Glazed Strawberry Lemon Streusel Muffins

Crepes with Strawberry Sauce

Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

Strawberry Strudel

Strawberry Syrup

Strawberry Jam

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

Homemade Strawberry Jam Bread