Strawberries

Calories in a cup of sliced strawberries:     53  – the perfect low calorie snack!

Spring is a wonderful time for berries, especially strawberries.  They are considered to be one of the best fruits for their antioxidant capacity and have been linked to improved blood sugar regulation especially for those people suffering with type 2 diabetes and are known for their anti-inflammatory properties.

We love them in our smoothies, fruit salads, and with yoghurt – as a sweet or savory dish.

Here are some variations that you might like to try more on the savory side of the strawberry menu:

Strawberries with pepper

Ingredients:

1kg strawberries – hulled and the large berries cut in half if necessary

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine strawberries in a bowl with sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Gently stir, cover and leave 30 to 90 minutes but no longer as they will start to collapse.  Just before you serve grind pepper over the berries.

Serves 6.

Strawberries with balsamic

Use the recipe above but leave out the pepper.

Strawberries with basil

Again use the original recipe without the pepper, but before you serve very thinly slice 8-10 basil leaves and scatter on the strawberries as a garnish.

A wonderful refreshing dish!

Note:  As strawberries have their seeds on the outside of the fruit they are more susceptible to contamination from pesticides so we recommend that you consume organically grown strawberries if you are wanting to avoid pesticide-associated health risks.