Springtime offers a bounty of fruits and vegetables. Because they are one of the first fruits to ripen in the spring, May is the month of strawberries! Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and fiber. They are healthy, delicious and bite-sized, and make a great snack. These berries can also be used to make salads, sandwiches, smoothies, preserves, fruit skewers, or try them sliced and served with yogurt or ice cream. Did you know that strawberries are red because of anthocyanins which help fight cancer, heart disease and diabetes? Can you say super fruit?!

Choose bright red strawberries with bright green caps, making sure there is no mold on the berries. It is recommended that you eat strawberries as soon as possible or store them at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Wash, remove the hulls and freeze strawberries in freezer bags to store them for longer periods.

There are some quick and easy recipes with strawberries on www.eatright.org – one of my favorites being a quick, delicious and creamy ice cream using strawberries, Greek yogurt and avocados.

Recipe: Quick Strawberry-Avocado Ice Cream

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Freezing time: 1 hour
Number of servings: 2

Ingredients:

½ a ripe avocado, peeled
½ cup strawberries, washed and hulled
½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
3-4 strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

Directions:

1. Blend the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
2. Transfer mixture to a freeze-friendly container and freeze for an hour or so.
3. Serve cold with sliced strawberries.
4. For a fun twist, the ice cream mixture may be poured into Popsicle molds.

Here’s wishing you a berry sweet and fruitful May!

References:

http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrient-rich-foods/the-season-for-strawberries
http://extension.illinois.edu/strawberries/index.cfm
http://www.pickyourown.org/strawberries_freezing.htm