Hi. My name is Heather. I have a strawberry addiction. I just can’t stop eating them! Juicy, plump, sweet, delicious strawberries! Who doesn’t love enjoying this beautiful fruit as an afternoon snack, quick breakfast with some yogurt, or tossed with some other fruits or greens to make a beautiful salad for dinner.
I haven’t posted a blog post highlighting seasonal fruits and vegetables in quite sometime and decided I needed to start this up again; and I couldn’t let this summer pass by without featuring some of my favorite fruits and vegetables.
Below you will find some interesting and useful information about strawberries. Also, don’t forget to check out the recipe round up at the bottom, with recipes from all over the web featuring my favorite berry!
When available: Strawberries are fresh and ripe for picking during the Spring and Summer months (April through September). They will taste best during these months as well as be the most affordable.
Nutrition: Strawberries are a naturally fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free food. They are high in Vitamin C and folate and also provide calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Recently research has shown that eating strawberries in addition to other red fruits such, as cranberries and raspberries can help reduce the risk of cancer.
Purchasing: When purchasing strawberries look for berries that are firm, plump, deep red in color, medium in size, and with their green caps still attached. When buying prepackaged strawberries avoid those packages that are packed too tightly which will cause them to be easily smashed and bruised.
Cleaning: To thoroughly clean strawberries, place strawberries, with the steam still attached, in a large bowl. Cover with one part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Using hands, mix strawberries around in water. Remove washed strawberries from water and dry completely on paper towels.
Storing: Strawberries should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within just a few days of purchase. After cleaning strawberries, as directed above, place strawberries in a bowl lined with paper towels. Strawberries will keep whole, in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Once sliced strawberries should be eaten within 1-2 days.
Freezing: Strawberries can also be frozen for further use. To freeze strawberries, wash and thoroughly dry berries. Remove stem and place the strawberries on a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching one another. Freeze until solid, about 3-4 hours. Transfer frozen strawberries to a freezer safe plastic bag or airtight container. Strawberries can be stored in the freezer for 6-9 months.
Want to know more about strawberries? Well check out these fun facts:
- Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside. And a single strawberry has, on average, 200 seeds.
- The strawberry plant belongs to the same family as roses.
- According to botanists the strawberry is not a true berry, because true berries, such as blueberries and cranberries, have seeds on the inside.
- Strawberries have long been associated with love and flirtation and have been labeled as an aphrodisiac.
So why not add a some sweet strawberries to your weekly menu this Spring and Summer with these recipes:
Strawberry Cream Cheese Egg Rolls (Bluebonnets and Brownies)
Strawberry Banana Sherbet (Kitchen Concoctions)
Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Orange Vinaigrette (MJ and Hungry Man)
Strawberries ‘n Cream Oatmeal (Kitchen Concoctions)
Strawberry Cream Angel Pie (Taste and Tell)
Strawberry Spinach Wrap (Kitchen Concoctions)
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes (Lick The Bowl Good)
Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Kisses (Kitchen Concoctions)
No-Cook Strawberry Peach Jam (Chef in Training)
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Protein Shake (Kitchen Concoctions)
Strawberry Mint Ricotta Tart (Stetted)
Strawberry Banana Bread (Kitchen Concoctions)
Crunchy Quinoa Baked Oatmeal with Caramelized Strawberries and Toasted Coconut (How Sweet Eats)
Disclosure: I originally wrote this article for meal planning/recipe site Food on the Table in the spring of 2011. It has appeared in several publications including Wallowa County Chieftain and East Oregonian. I have since added to it, to include updated photos, more cooking tips and to share some of my favorite strawberry recipes from around the web.