Berry Important News

Spring. Strawberries. Bright, plump, red. Sweet and juicy. Laden with pesticides. Move over apples, strawberries have stolen your spot as number one on the top of EWG’s dirty dozen list. 

What am I talking about?  Since 2004, the Environmental Working Group has been ranking pesticide contamination on 48 popular fruits and vegetables from over 35,000 samples tested by the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.   They call it the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, or as it’s more commonly known: "The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15”  lists. This is the go-to guide for how to prioritize your dollars on organic produce if you cannot afford to buy (or don't always have access to) organic produce all the time.  While there are several repeat offenders each year (apples, zucchini, strawberries, tomatoes and grapes), apples have been taking home the top prize until this year's list was released and strawberries came out on top.

(Want to know more? Read all about it here)

That's all fine and good, but how does this strawberry news affect you as a consumer? This is your cue to make sure the strawberries you eat are certified organic. Bonus if they come from local farmers. And with strawberries just coming into peak season, this is the time to indulge.  If you want to really stock up, then purchase a flat of strawberries, wash, trim and slice some for immediate eating and then prep the extras for later with my berry preservation method: 

Wash, dry and cut strawberries into slices or small pieces.  Spread them out onto a cookie sheet and place in your freezer until they are frozen.  Once frozen, scoop them up into a zip top plastic bag and store in your freezer for later use.  They are great added to smoothies, stirred into hot oatmeal or tossed into salad. This works great with blueberries and raspberries, too.

Strawberries are worth the extra cost of going organic and not just to avoid pesticides. They offer a great dose of nutrition! They offer plenty of vitamin C, fiber, they support heart health and are full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

The possibilities of what to do with strawberries are (almost) endless.  How about a strawberry-cucumber smoothie? Or a chia seed pudding?  You can add them to your overnight oats, infuse your water with a few fresh sliced berries or even try them with my pesto chicken salad recipe.

So make the most of strawberry season – buy organic – and enjoy every sweet bite!

What’s your favorite way to eat strawberries?

Quinoa for Spring... Bring it on!

Need a new fresh way to incorporate quinoa into your day? Here’s a new recipe for reinventing the quinoa salad with some of spring’s tasty offerings.

Strawberry Sugar Snap Quinoa Salad

This salad is packed with nutrients and flavor!

Strawberry season is in full swing and there is nothing quite as mouth watering as fresh, juicy (organic) strawberries. A great source vitamin C, they do not ripen after being picked, so choose fragrant, bright red berries when you are at the store and eat them within a few days.  They add just the right amount of sweetness to this salad.

Sugar snap peas are also in season and bring their own dose of vitamin C along with vitamin A and some iron.  They taste good raw or lightly steamed and add a nice bunch of crunch to the mix.

Quinoa is its own powerhouse, a seed that acts like a grain and is considered a complete protein.  It is gluten-free and gives you fiber, magnesium, folate and iron. It is flavorless and can be eaten warm or cold, as breakfast or as a main course. It cooks quickly, so it’s easy to prepare. It’s even better for you when you sprout it. 

Pumpkin seeds give us a healthy dose of zinc, magnesium and plant based omega-3’s. Toast them in a low-heat oven to preserve vital nutrients. 

Combine these ingredients with some herbed goat cheese and a tangy dressing and you’ve got a great salad that works as a main dish when served on a bed of greens or as an easy, make-ahead side for dinner. Great for a pot luck, too!

Nutrient Notes:

Manganese - Plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese is also necessary for normal brain and nerve function.

Magnesium is important for every organ in the body -- especially the heart, muscles, and kidneys.

Zinc helps heal wounds and plays an important role in the immune system, reproduction, growth, taste, vision, and smell, blood clotting, and proper insulin and thyroid function.  

*sources: www.umm.edu; www.whfoods.com;