It Smells Like Summer in Here!

Strawberries! Photo by Angela Tague

Half awake and blurry-eyed, I took my 9-year-old puppy out for a potty break at 4:something a.m. As I waited around in the kitchen for her to finish her duties, I wasn't sure what it was, but a sweet smell filled my nostrils.

Then it hit me. I left 4 lbs. of fresh strawberries out to dry after a good thorough washing.

If you never need a natural air freshener, try leaving a bunch of strawberries out! I was lucky enough to snag them on sale for $1.28 per pound at Fareway, so I had to stock up. No, I won't eat all of these in the next few days. Most of them will be sliced and frozen for future smoothies and strawberry sauce for shortcake.

How do you like to use up extra fresh produce? Do you can, freeze or preserve it another way? Please share in the comments below. I'm always looking for smart ways to save fresh produce.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Healthy Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal

I eat oatmeal a lot. This morning when I realized I was out of fresh blueberries, raisins or dried fruit of any kind to "spice" up my breakfast, I got creative.
A few minutes later, my breakfast was ready, and it's so good I wanted to share!

A cellphone snapshot of breakfast! Yum!

Last week I made a batch of strawberry sauce (recipe here!) to use up a few pints of berries purchased for a birthday party I ended up not attending. Since it's fruit, I tried pouring it over oatmeal.

It's delicious!

This is so easy, I'm not even going to call it a recipe. While preparing one serving of plain oatmeal, toss in 2 tablespoons of milled flax seed. This adds 3 grams of protein to your breakfast and a healthy dose of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Those are the buggers responsible for reducing inflammation in the body and improving memory. You can get Omega 3's in higher doses from eating fatty fish such as salmon, tuna or trout, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. More importantly, flax seed gives the oatmeal a slightly nutty taste.

Finally, pour the oatmeal into a bowl and pour a generous amount of strawberry sauce on top. That's it! No butter or sugar needed. Serve with a tall glass of milk (soy, rice, cow or whatever you prefer!) to complete the strawberry shortcake experience.

Sure, this isn't like having dessert, but it's darn good for a healthy breakfast.

So, have you been munching on strawberries lately? They are plentiful and cheap in the midwest right now. Share your favorite strawberry related snack, recipe or creation in the comments below! I've been slicing berries and topping them with locally-raised creamed honey. Mmmmm....

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Want to browse some of my older posts? Check out:
Oatmeal Makeover! 5 Oatmeal Combinations
How to Eat Flax Seed
Is Cinnamon a Health Food?

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Strawberry Sauce in 5 Minutes

It's Saturday! As the weekend and warmer weather sets in, so do the summer desserts. Just because I prefer to eat healthy doesn't mean I skip dessert. I love topping homemade vanilla ice cream with my super easy 5 minute strawberry sauce.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

If you think that goopy red stuff they sell in the produce section next to the fresh strawberries is strawberry sauce, you've been missing out! This sauce is simple, delicious and much healthier than the high fructose corn-syrup and sugar infused goo they sell at the grocery store.

Simple Strawberry Sauce
Wash, clean and slice as many strawberries as you have on hand. Place them in a pot and put it on the stove over medium-low heat. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot with approximately 1/4-inch of water. Let the berries slowly come to a simmer and soften.

Use a fork to lightly mash the fruit. As the strawberries soften, they will generate more liquid. When the berries are soft, use a stick blender to puree the fruit into a sauce. Taste the strawberry sauce and add a sprinkle of stevia to sweeten. Let the sauce cook down to the desired consistency.

Pour the strawberry sauce over cheesecake, ice cream, strawberry shortcake or angel food cake. Or, use the sauce as a starter for a smoothie or strawberry daiquiri! Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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