It's Strawberry Season! - Part 2 (Sugar-Free Strawberry Oat Bars)

Last week we talked about strawberry season in Louisiana, why those little berries are so good to eat, and suggested some recipe ideas. This week we're showing you how to create one of those recipes.

These easy to make delicious bars are sugar-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, and soy-free, sure to please almost anyone with allergies or any picky eater. Although they taste like dessert, because they're healthy you can eat them as a guilt-free snack throughout the day or even for breakfast. No sugar is needed with the dates providing sweetness. Healthy fat and protein comes from the almonds, and strawberries contribute Vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. We've provided a detailed recipe below with pictures to aid you along the way. Try them out; we promise you won't be disappointed!

Sugar-free Strawberry Oat Bars

Recipe adapted from: www.wholeliving.com

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 2 tbs rolled oats*
• 1 handful of flour*
• 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced

*Note - You can use certified gluten-free oats and a gluten-free flour to make this recipe gluten-free as well.

Directions:

• In a food processor blend the dates, almonds, and oats together until combined. 

Make sure to use rolled oats (not quick oats) and raw almonds (not salted or roasted)

Dates, almonds, and oats coming together in the food processor

The final product consistency. The mixture should stick together when squeezed.

• Spread a small handful of flour in a bread pan so the bars are easier to get out later. 

• Spread the date mixture out in a bread pan. Press it down so it's flat in the pan and evenly distributed.

 

• Remove the stems from your strawberries. 

• Mash up 1/2 cup strawberries in a bowl. 

•  Spread this over the date/nut mix in the pan.

• Slice the remaining 1/2 cup of strawberries. 

•  Place the slices on top of the mashed strawberries in the pan.

The entire pan should be covered with slices. 

• Put the whole pan in the refrigerator and allow to chill. After about an hour take out the pan and slice into rectangular bars. Before placing the sliced bars on a plate, you may want to sprinkle some flour on it to make pick up easier. The dates make the bars a little sticky!

You can leave the bars this size or...

...cut them smaller.

For more healthy snack ideas check out Whole Living's Snacks

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!

Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day first began in April of 1970. This now yearly holiday occurs every April 22nd as a day to put the environment first. Celebrations around the country focus on key environmental issues and ways to tackle them. Although a lot of change needs to occur at the policy level, there is a tremendous amount we can do as individuals!

Sourced from: www.involvement.mtu.edu

Show your support for local food and other local products by visiting a market. If you have children consider taking them to a local farm so they can see where their food comes from. Have a picnic in the park. Whatever you do, go outside and enjoy the beautiful earth we live on!

New Orleans celebrates Earth Day in a big way

This past Saturday Louis Armstrong Park hosted the 2014 New Orleans Earth Day Festival and Green Business Expo.

The festival brought together local food vendors (selling things like solar-powered drinks), sustainable clothing businesses (using bamboo, organic cotton, and natural dyes), alternative energy companies, environmental clean-up organizations, committees petitioning for more bike lanes, several demo booths, and of course live music. It was truly a celebration of environmental progress, and instilled a sense of empowerment.

Five ways to celebrate Earth Day everyday

1. Buy only what you need, from local and sustainable sources when possible.

2. Think before you throw away. STOP and think about how you can reuse it (or compost it, see our post on how to compost here: http://sankofacdc.blogspot.com/2014/03/composting-part-2-of-2-how-to-compost.html)

3. Recycle as much as you can. For a list of acceptable curbside recyclables in New Orleans visit: http://www.nola.gov/sanitation/recycling/sort/

4. Eat more plants. Meat production is a large contributor to global warming.

5. Waste less electricity and water by turning off lights when you leave a room, turning off appliances and electronics when not in use, taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth.

Re- Opening of Sankofa's Mobile Market

After a few months closed due to the freezing weather, we officially re-opened The Sankofa Mobile Market this past Saturday April 5, 2014 at 5030 St. Claude Avenue in the Lower 9th Ward.

Produce in the market included : hydroponic tomatoes, radish, turnips, Ponchatoula strawberries, collard, mustard greens and fresh herbs from our garden.

Plump tomatoes from Cajun Growers

Turnips and Radishes from Frank Fekete Farms

Juicy Ponchatoula strawberries from Fletcher Family Farm

Through the Mobile Market, we are bringing fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs to the Lower Ninth Ward every week. We are currently developing plans to expand to additional stops in the neighborhood during June. Through offering low-cost produce sales we are working to address the ‘food desert’ problem , a major issue in New Orleans, address some of those barriers that affect access to fresh fruits and vegetables in low-socioeconomic communities.

We recently started a new Rewards Program for our loyal customers to continue to support healthier eating. Many shoppers signed up for the Rewards Program and will receive a free item when they purchase vegetables and fruits at the Mobile Market at least two times a month.  

Sankofa is working to improve health and wellness in our community and create progressive programs that bring quality of life resources to the area. Community collaborations are critical to our work and the success of the Mobile Market. We appreciate the support of Reverend Dyson and Mr. Parther for their support in hosting the Mobile Market at St Paul Church of God in Christ at 5030 St Claude Ave.

Community members picking out local strawberries

Please come by and visit us for fresh local produce, and join us in this movement to improve community health and wellness. We hope to see you this Saturday, April 12!