This week my favorite Food Bank had all-you-can-eat strawberries, plus an abundance of raspberries. Not thinking much beyond "yum!" I grabbed a bunch... and was reminded why I can sometimes be such a locavore. The strawberries were from California and just about had enough flavor to be worth hauling up the hill -- since I was going anyway -- but the raspberries were all seeds and red water, not really even worth carrying from bowl to mouth. Granted, some of that was my fault, since they got pretty squished riding home in my panniers.
The point is, the farther food travels and the longer it sits in a distributor's warehouse, the older it gets. And with any kind of produce, the older it's going to get, the earlier it has to be picked and the less flavor it has time to develop. This is the best reason to buy your food directly from local farmers as much as possible.
Other reasons include the economic -- buying locally keeps your money "at home" -- and the ecological -- all those interstate trucks and international planes do nasty things to the air quality.
Don't get me wrong, I still love the food bank and am grateful to them, they just sometimes have things that aren't much good. In fact, one of the coolest things about the food bank is the chance to try stuff you'd never risk spending money on.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
Showing posts with label raspberries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label raspberries. Show all posts
07 July, 2018
08 June, 2018
Raspberry Goop
4-serving package of raspberry flavored gelatin powder
2 c whipped cream substitute such as Cool Whip or Dream Whip (or whipped cream if goop will be used up immediately)
up to a quart of fresh raspberries, gently washed and allowed to dry
Prepare gelatin according to package instructions and chill to a thick syrup; do not allow it to set*. Fold in the whipped cream substitute to make a slightly unappetizing pink fluff; fold in raspberries. Chill until completely set.
Summer comfort food
I scored a big package of raspberries at the Food Bank today (yum). I didn't have the other ingredients for this dish on hand, so I just ate them (Food Bank raspberries have to be picked over and the still-good ones eaten immediately). Whenever I so much as think of raspberries, though, I remember this treat.
You see, when my parents first put in their vegetable garden (this was in the Spokane Valley and produced a strong candidate for the title of World's Bitterest Lettuce, as well as two rows of corn that demonstrated admirably the value of composting, the stalks growing shorter and shorter the further they got from the spot Dad dumped the lawn mower bag... where was I?) they answered a newspaper ad and bought a dozen raspberry starts. The seller, who was clearing out his large raspberry patch, started digging and for every "good" start he dug, he found at least one that was "too small" but he threw it in as well. My parents, being unable to just throw out a healthy plant, ended up with a double row all along the back fence, in excess of two dozen plants that all settled in happily and began producing berries.
At first it was great, lots of lovely raspberries. By August of the third year, my mother (being equally unable to throw out good berries) began to get desperate, having frozen and given away as many raspberries as she could, and with more ripening. She came across this recipe -- I think it must have been on a box of Jello -- and it was a great success. Better, it used up lots of raspberries. I don't remember the official recipe title, we promptly started calling it "goop" and it remains "goop" to us to this day.
It can actually be made with any pairing of gelatin and fruit; peach with sliced peaches is another favorite of mine, but I can't recommend orange with canned mandarin oranges, that's terribly sweet. Best of all, making it produces very little heat, especially if you heat the water in a microwave; that alone would make it a great summer recipe.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
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*Chunks of Jello and raspberries in whipped cream substitute, while also good, is a different dessert.
2 c whipped cream substitute such as Cool Whip or Dream Whip (or whipped cream if goop will be used up immediately)
up to a quart of fresh raspberries, gently washed and allowed to dry
Prepare gelatin according to package instructions and chill to a thick syrup; do not allow it to set*. Fold in the whipped cream substitute to make a slightly unappetizing pink fluff; fold in raspberries. Chill until completely set.
Summer comfort food
I scored a big package of raspberries at the Food Bank today (yum). I didn't have the other ingredients for this dish on hand, so I just ate them (Food Bank raspberries have to be picked over and the still-good ones eaten immediately). Whenever I so much as think of raspberries, though, I remember this treat.
You see, when my parents first put in their vegetable garden (this was in the Spokane Valley and produced a strong candidate for the title of World's Bitterest Lettuce, as well as two rows of corn that demonstrated admirably the value of composting, the stalks growing shorter and shorter the further they got from the spot Dad dumped the lawn mower bag... where was I?) they answered a newspaper ad and bought a dozen raspberry starts. The seller, who was clearing out his large raspberry patch, started digging and for every "good" start he dug, he found at least one that was "too small" but he threw it in as well. My parents, being unable to just throw out a healthy plant, ended up with a double row all along the back fence, in excess of two dozen plants that all settled in happily and began producing berries.
At first it was great, lots of lovely raspberries. By August of the third year, my mother (being equally unable to throw out good berries) began to get desperate, having frozen and given away as many raspberries as she could, and with more ripening. She came across this recipe -- I think it must have been on a box of Jello -- and it was a great success. Better, it used up lots of raspberries. I don't remember the official recipe title, we promptly started calling it "goop" and it remains "goop" to us to this day.
It can actually be made with any pairing of gelatin and fruit; peach with sliced peaches is another favorite of mine, but I can't recommend orange with canned mandarin oranges, that's terribly sweet. Best of all, making it produces very little heat, especially if you heat the water in a microwave; that alone would make it a great summer recipe.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
-------
*Chunks of Jello and raspberries in whipped cream substitute, while also good, is a different dessert.
12 July, 2017
Chocolate-Raspberry Frozen Yogurt Pops
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2 cups plain Greek-style yoghurt
3-5 Tbsp. sugar, to taste
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Puree raspberries, yogurt, and sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Divide the mixture among freezer-pop molds or paper cups, stopping about 1 inch from the top. Divide chocolate chips among the molds and stir in, removing any air pockets at the same time. Insert sticks and freeze about 6 hours, until firm. Dip molds briefly in warm water to unmold, or tear paper cups from pops.
Adapted from eatingwell.com
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
2 cups plain Greek-style yoghurt
3-5 Tbsp. sugar, to taste
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Puree raspberries, yogurt, and sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Divide the mixture among freezer-pop molds or paper cups, stopping about 1 inch from the top. Divide chocolate chips among the molds and stir in, removing any air pockets at the same time. Insert sticks and freeze about 6 hours, until firm. Dip molds briefly in warm water to unmold, or tear paper cups from pops.
Adapted from eatingwell.com
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
06 July, 2016
Raspberries
native to: earliest evidence of cultivation is in Europe; may have originated in Eastern Asia
in season here: late June-July
Although red and black raspberries are the best known, they can also be purple, yellow, and golden. Each color has its own combination of nutrients (as usual, darker colors tend to have more flavor and nutrients while lighter colors are sweeter and milder).
Raspberries contain flavonoids, associated with memory and heart health; potassium, good for the heart and joints; antioxidants, protecting against cancer; fiber, supporting digestion and the immune system and helping stabilize blood sugar; vitamin C, good for the eyes; and a host of other good stuff like vitamins E and K, iron, and manganese. Raspberry extract is even being investigated as a weight-loss aid, although the research is still in its early stages.
Raspberries tend to retain pesticide residues, so this is a good time to splurge and buy organic ones. Studies have even found that organic raspberries have a higher antioxidant capacity than conventional ones.
Raspberries are members of the Rosaceae family, related to roses, apples, apricots, cherries, loquats, peaches, and almonds. They are "aggregate fruits," composed of many small fruits or drupelets. Raspberries should be eaten within a day or two of purchase (so now you have an excuse); keep them in the fridge and don't wash them until you're ready to use them. Processed raspberries (jams, juices, etc.) can lack significant amounts of nutrients due to removal of seeds or exposure to heat, so there's another reason to gobble them up on the way home.
At least five continents have wild raspberries, from Alaska and northern Asia to the Hawaiian Islands, so it's not known where they originated. Raspberries are one of the earliest berry crops, with evidence of cultivation in Europe dating back a couple thousand years. Raspberry leaves have long been used to make tea for "female complaints" and pregnancy-related issues. Raspberry seed oil is currently of interest to the skin-care industry, being rich in vitamin E and omega-3s and even having a moderate SPF. You can even make an anti-wrinkle treatment by blending two cups of raspberries with a cup of yoghurt until smooth; keep it on your face 15 minutes.
Read more:
label-style nutrition information for raw raspberries
World's Healthiest Foods
Oregon State University
Organic Facts
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
in season here: late June-July
Although red and black raspberries are the best known, they can also be purple, yellow, and golden. Each color has its own combination of nutrients (as usual, darker colors tend to have more flavor and nutrients while lighter colors are sweeter and milder).
Raspberries contain flavonoids, associated with memory and heart health; potassium, good for the heart and joints; antioxidants, protecting against cancer; fiber, supporting digestion and the immune system and helping stabilize blood sugar; vitamin C, good for the eyes; and a host of other good stuff like vitamins E and K, iron, and manganese. Raspberry extract is even being investigated as a weight-loss aid, although the research is still in its early stages.
Raspberries tend to retain pesticide residues, so this is a good time to splurge and buy organic ones. Studies have even found that organic raspberries have a higher antioxidant capacity than conventional ones.
Raspberries are members of the Rosaceae family, related to roses, apples, apricots, cherries, loquats, peaches, and almonds. They are "aggregate fruits," composed of many small fruits or drupelets. Raspberries should be eaten within a day or two of purchase (so now you have an excuse); keep them in the fridge and don't wash them until you're ready to use them. Processed raspberries (jams, juices, etc.) can lack significant amounts of nutrients due to removal of seeds or exposure to heat, so there's another reason to gobble them up on the way home.
At least five continents have wild raspberries, from Alaska and northern Asia to the Hawaiian Islands, so it's not known where they originated. Raspberries are one of the earliest berry crops, with evidence of cultivation in Europe dating back a couple thousand years. Raspberry leaves have long been used to make tea for "female complaints" and pregnancy-related issues. Raspberry seed oil is currently of interest to the skin-care industry, being rich in vitamin E and omega-3s and even having a moderate SPF. You can even make an anti-wrinkle treatment by blending two cups of raspberries with a cup of yoghurt until smooth; keep it on your face 15 minutes.
Read more:
label-style nutrition information for raw raspberries
World's Healthiest Foods
Oregon State University
Organic Facts
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
White Peach Raspberry Smoothie
2 cups chopped white peaches
1/2 cup chopped banana
1/4 cup raspberries
1/2 cup sweetened vanilla almond milk, or your preferred substitute
3-4 ice cubes
honey to taste
Place all ingredients except honey in a blender and process until smooth. Add honey to sweeten if necessary.
Adapted from The Clever Carrot
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
1/2 cup chopped banana
1/4 cup raspberries
1/2 cup sweetened vanilla almond milk, or your preferred substitute
3-4 ice cubes
honey to taste
Place all ingredients except honey in a blender and process until smooth. Add honey to sweeten if necessary.
Adapted from The Clever Carrot
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
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