STRAWBERRIES May 7, 2003 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

An old piece of advice tells us that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Or to put it another way - there's no need to reinvent the wheel. Good advice I think. Instead of viewing some things as old and outdated, maybe we should accept them as time tested and proven.

This is certainly true with the wisdom of William Butler, a sixteenth century writer. According to Mr. Butler, when it came to strawberries, "doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did." You can test his wisdom with the recipes I've included.

Along with having good taste buds, Mr. Butler apparently knew his history. The strawberry had grown wild for centuries in Europe and the Americas and was much enjoyed by the "locals." The ancient Romans also valued the strawberry for its healing abilities. It supposedly cured everything from loose teeth to gastritis.

I'm not sure about the strawberry being a cure-all, but it is a healthy food. Strawberries are high in vitamins C and A and fiber while low in fat. The trouble comes when we combine strawberries with high-fat pastry and whipped cream. Again, check out my recipes. They'll help you keep the healthy in your berries.

Now you need some strawberries ... and you're in luck! Wonderful, ripe, fresh berries are waiting for you at our local strawberry farms. Call the Extension Center at 910-671-3276 for a list of local farms. But call quick. There's another old bit of wisdom - make hay while the sun shines. In today's English, that means you should enjoy strawberries now while they're fresh, available, and reasonably priced.

Using knife blade in food processor, blend first 3 ingredients till smooth, scraping down sides of bowl once; set aside. Combine fruit and jam. Spoon 1/4 cup of fruit mixture into each of 2 (8 ounces) parfait or wine glasses. Top each parfait with 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of crumbs over ricotta mixture. Top each with 2 tablespoons more ricotta mixture. Spoon 1/4 cup fruit mixture over ricotta and top with 1 tablespoon whipped topping. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Yields 2 parfaits at 244 calories each.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in large bowl; stir well. Add strawberries; stir well and make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just till moistened. Divide batter evenly between 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar evenly over muffins. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or till a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on wire rack.

Yields 18 muffins (serving size: 1 muffin).

Recipe from Cooking Light magazine.

For a fancy presentation, invite guests to dip fresh strawberries (and other fruits) and small squares of angel food cake (naturally low in fat) into this low-fat chocolate sauce. Yogurt is a great source of calcium.

In small bowl, stir together yogurt and milk.

Recipe from Snackwell'sŪ.

Using 1/2 package of cookie dough for a 14-inch pizza pan, spread dough over pan. Bake till cooked--about 12 minutes in 375° oven. Cool on pan. Blend cream cheese with sugar and vanilla till thoroughly mixed. Spread in thin layer over crust. Cover cream cheese mixture with sliced fruit, arranging fruit in circles of overlapping slices. Bring water and jelly to a boil, stirring constantly. Brush on fruit to preserve color. Refrigerate pizza till serving.

Yields 10 servings.

Recipe from Put Your Best Food Forward by Dayle Hayes.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 6/05/03