Strawberries

Strawberries are high in dietary fiber, vitamin C, manganese, folate, potassium, and flavonoids. One cup of strawberries gives you 140 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. That’s more than you find in an orange.

Although you can find strawberries in the grocery store year round, this is the best time to get them locally. Pick your own or pick them up at a stand along the road. When choosing strawberries remember they do not ripen after they are picked, so look for shiny bright red strawberries. To keep them fresh, refrigerate soon after purchasing the berries and do not wash them until shortly before you will eat them.

Fresh strawberries are great on their own, just wash and enjoy. Here are some other ideas so simple you won’t need a recipe:

For a healthy decadent dessert, dip them in melted dark chocolate.

Layer strawberries with yogurt and granola or just toss them in your oatmeal in the morning.

Enjoy them in a salad with spinach, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Toss strawberries with your other favorite fruits for a fruit salad or alternate these fruit on a bamboo skewer.

Did you pick too may strawberries or just want to enjoy them out of season? To freeze strawberries, wash and dry them, remove the stems, and arrange them single layer on a baking sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer until the berries are solidly frozen. Then store them in the freezer in a zip-lock freezer bag.