Allison Cafe

Nutrition packed strawberries

One of my favorite things about this time of year is strawberry season. Did you know strawberries have vitamin C, fiber, iron, calcium and protein? That is one power packed fruit! And they taste so good. Biting into a fresh strawberry from the garden is like biting into a taste of spring. (ok, I realize it is now summertime but you get the idea!)

There is nothing like the sweet, juicy taste of a ripe strawberry. And there is nothing more disappointing than the crunchy bland taste of the white inside of an unripe and out of season strawberry. That is why late spring and early summer are the prime time to enjoy this seasonal treat. And if you buy them in bulk you can create homemade ice creams and jams in no time and enjoy them for weeks and months to come.

When buying strawberries, you want to look for strawberries that are bright red (with no white or green around the stem), fragrant, and plump, with no soft spots. And when wondering whether to go organic, the safe rule of thumb is to choose organic when you will be eating the skin of the fruit, such as in the case of the strawberry.

And here is a must know tip: if you are going to be enjoying them right away, it is best not to refrigerate them. To store them, lay the berries flat on a paper-towel-lined plate or in a plastic container and refrigerate for up to 2-5 days. The paper towel will help to absorb the moisture created. Do not rinse or hull them until ready to use.

Another great trick for enjoying strawberries throughout the year is to freeze them. I have found this method for freezing them particularly helpful when making smoothies. As the frozen fruit actually yields a more milkshake like quality of the smoothie. Simply wash and drain the strawberries in a colander. Then place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, with just a little bit of space between the berries. Place the trays in the freezer overnight. The next morning, remove the trays and transfer the berries to a freezer safe bag or container. This way the berries are not stuck together and you can place them in serving size bags as well to make your life even that much easier.

So the next time you pass a roadside fruit stand displaying a sign for fresh strawberries, or you pass by some at your local farmers market, make the stop for this tasty spring treat. Not only do they taste good and have countless recipe options, these little power packed treats are incredibly good for you. Some recent studies have shown a link between eating foods such as strawberries, which contain anthocyanins, and preventing heart disease and inhibiting tumor growth. I could go on and on about the health benefits, but the real persuasion is in the taste. Try some fresh, juicy strawberries and you will not be disappointed!

Other strawberry tips or favorite recipes anyone?

Red, White and Blueberry Dessert

I can hardly believe that it is July already, where does the time go?  In honor of the upcoming 4th of July holiday, we decided to create a new twist on strawberry shortcake, a Red, White and Blueberry Dessert.  We packed all the ingredients and brought them with us on a recent picnic.  We easily assembled them at the picnic site for dessert, it made for a light but delicious summertime dessert. (more…)

A Delicious New Creation

It’s been awhile since I shared a new smoothie recipe.  Today I decided to try a new concoction of mango, strawberry, blueberry and banana.  Mangoes are rich in nutrients such as fiber, vitamins C, D and E, and more; making it a “superfruit”.  The berries and banana also are rich in important vitamins and antioxidants. Even with the healthy fruit already in the blender, I didn’t stop there. I also tossed in Yo-Plus yogurt and wheat germ to add extra nutrition to the smoothie.

Wheat germ contains protein from the wheat berry, iron, folic acid and over 20 other valuable nutrients, such as potassium and vitamin E.  And don’t worry, the term “germ” doesn’t refer to anything gross, it refers to the process of germination of the wheat.  Athletes often use wheat germ to maintain cardiovascular function and improve endurance levels.

The new blend tasted creamy and had just the right amount of sweetness.  I don’t often use mango in smoothies, but I had bought a large container of already sliced mangoes from Costco a couple weeks ago, and froze half of the container.  Frozen fruit makes all the difference in a smoothie’s texture. You can get more of a milkshake like consistency, without having to add ice.  Here is the new recipe, enjoy! (more…)

We are thrilled to have our second guest writer. My talented sister and nutrition expert, Lindsay. Enjoy her first post at Allison Cafe:

Put down your morning cup of coffee, there is a better way to get the energy you need!

Metabolism is all of the physical and chemical changes taking place in the body. Certain foods have potential energy that can be metabolized in a way that allows us to obtain energy. We call this potential energy calories.

Get energy and prevent heart disease with red grapes, blueberries and strawberries

Energy is required for your body to do various types of work including everything from sleeping to running a marathon.Your personal metabolic rate is the amount of energy that is used over a period of time. In other words, it is also the amount of calories from food that are required for all of your daily activities.

So how many calories do you need in a day? This is defined as your “Total Energy Expenditure.” About 65% of the calories you consume each day are used for “Resting Metabolic Activities” which are activities like (more…)

We all lead busy lives, and it isn’t always easy to get our recommended 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables in each day. And what constitutes a serving anyway? So I thought I would share with you some ways to get your 5 servings each day, and a little fact finding.

Did you know strawberries have vitamin C, fiber, iron, calcium and protein?

Here is what I did today, 7 servings: (more…)

Each month we will highlight important information from the American Cancer Society that each one of us can implement in our own lives to help in the fight against cancer. This month I invite each of you to fight back through nutrition and physical activity.

Did you know that the American Cancer Society has confirmed that eating a healthy diet and being physically active can help prevent cancer?

Red grapes, blueberries and strawberries may prevent heart disease and inhibit tumor growth with anthocyanins

Here are some important rules to live by:

• Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day, with an emphasis on plant sources (i.e. not juices).
  • Try to work them in at each meal and for snack times (think baby carrots instead of chips with your sandwich, or sliced strawberries in your cereal, etc.).
• Choose a variety of healthy foods; whole grains in preference to processed grains or sugars.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle.
  • Adults, strive for 30 minutes a day (at least 5 days per week) of moderate physical activity (anything that makes you breath hard as you do during a brisk walk).
  • Kids and teens, strive for  60 minutes a day (at least 5 days per week) of moderate physical activity (anything that makes you breath hard as you do during a brisk walk).

As a part of my role on the event planning committee for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Clairemont, CA, I will share fight Back moments with you throughout the year. This year’s event on May 16-17, 2009 is less then 40 days away!

One of my favorite things about Spring is the fresh flowers; especially this month when my favorite flowers are in season, Ranunculus. I was so disappointed to learn that they were not in season in October (I had wanted them for my bridal bouquet). I absolutely loved my bouquet from Petals by Shell though, it was breathtaking even without my favorite flower. I learned something fun today about the flower, the word Ranunculus is Late Latin for “little frog,” probably referring to the many species being found near water, like frogs.

Ranunculus

One of our favorite things to do on the weekend is to walk to the local La Jolla Farmer’s Market. I always look forward to this time of year when Ranunculus and strawberries are in season. Having fresh cut flowers in the house feels like we are bringing life into the house, and the Ranunculus almost seem like the wild version of a rose. Plus, the cost of flowers at the market is really affordable, about $4 for one bunch of Ranunculus. And the strawberries were about $6 for a 3-pack (and are sweeter and tastier than anything we have bought recently at the grocery store). They are both grown locally in San Diego as well, so we are supporting the local growers by shopping at the Farmer’s Market.

Interested in finding a local farmer’s market near you? Local Harvest has an easy to use tool that allows you to search by zip code or state to find one near you. Happy shopping!

Ok, so it’s a cheesy title for this post, but I couldn’t resist. One of my passions in life is making tasty smoothies. This is one of my favorite ways to get several servings of fruit and some protein each day.

Tasty and healthy

Smoothies can be made with just about any fruit. This is a great way to use fruit that is ripe and you aren’t sure if you can eat it all before it goes bad. Just chop it up, put it in a Ziploc bag and toss it in the freezer. When it’s time to make a smoothie, you’ll have fresh fruit. (See some fun facts below about strawberries to learn about this power fruit.)

Tip: I always freeze my fruit for smoothies because it gives a thicker consistency to the smoothie; think milkshake instead of juice. Yum! Cutting and freezing the fruit ahead of time is a great time saving tip too.

Here is one of my favorite smoothies below. (more…)