It's Strawberry Season! - Part 1

Get 'em while they're hot folks! As many of you may know strawberry season is in full swing here in Louisiana. The season peaked in March/April and will continue throughout the month of May. Be sure to stock up while they're still fresh and local.

These berries are packed full of good for you nutrients, making the sweet juicy fruit that much more rewarding to eat. One cup has only 55 calories, lots of vitamin C, and loads of cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Sweet Louisiana Strawberries

Want some strawberry fun facts? Here are five!

The average strawberry has 200 seeds 

94% of US households consume strawberries

The strawberry is the most popular berry in the world

It's a member of the rose family

Belgium has a museum dedicated to strawberries

Information gathered from: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/strawberries/facts.cfm

Strawberries are only in season for a few months of the year. Here at Sankofa we have several tips to make those local strawberries last all year round. There's no need to buy frozen strawberries flown in from another country in December, when you can use local strawberries from your freezer.

To make the most of berries in season...

1. Buy in bulk - Stock up while the berries are in season
2. Wash your berries in a water/vinegar solution - The vinegar acts a disinfectant which cleans your berries and helps keep them fresh longer. 
3. Freeze whole or sliced strawberries to use in smoothies or baked goods all fall and winter long. When freezing, lay the berries out on a baking sheet. Place them in the freezer until firm to the touch, then add them to a freezer bag. 
4. Preserve them as jams

Be sure to rinse all fresh fruit and vegetables you purchase!

The culinary opinions for strawberries extend far beyond adding them to fruit salad. Below we've listed six recipe ideas to get you started.

1. Sweet Strawberry Salsa - strawberries, fresh basil leaves, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar
2. Creamy Strawberry Smoothie - strawberries, kale, banana, almond milk
3. Strawberry Spinach Salad - spinach, strawberries, pecans, balsamic vinegar
4. Refreshing Strawberry Popsicles - strawberries, yogurt
5. Strawberry and Mint Infused Water - strawberries, mint, water
6. Sugar-free Strawberry Oat Bars - strawberries, rolled oats, dates, almonds (come back next week for the full recipe!)

Visit Sankofa's mobile market every Saturday from 11am - 2pm at 5030 St. Claude Avenue in New Orleans to purchase some local strawberries from Johndale's Farm in Ponchatoula Louisiana.

Come back to the blog next week to see how Sankofa does dessert with our delicious sugar-free strawberry oat bars!