Don’t you hate it when you buy fresh produce and it goes bad before you can enjoy the garden-good quality? Berries, grapes and spinach were the worst for me until I discovered a couple of tricks that have helped me to ‘savor the flavor’ for a longer period of time. Grapes are a family favorite and, at certain times of the year, they can be a pricey investment for a healthy treat. If you have purchased a bunch of grapes and your family hasn’t taken advantage of the freshness, take part of the bunch, separate and freeze it in individual snack bags. Frozen grapes are full of flavor, rich in nutrients and have the consistency of bite-sized popsicles without the stick.
Frozen berries can be used in smoothies. I take clean strawberries and blueberries and freeze them in snack-sized bags. When I am ready for a healthy treat, I blend the frozen fruit with a cup of vanilla almond milk (you can add protein powder too, if you choose) and enjoy a healthy shake. Since the berries are frozen, you don’t have to add extra ice to get the thick consistency. I have also put spinach in the shake. Spinach does add a special color to the shake, but the nutrient value far outweighs the color. (Hint: If the color bothers you, put the shake in a colored cup instead of a clear glass).
Spinach is also a great vegetable to hide in sauces. Blend spinach with onion and garlic before adding to store-bought or homemade pasta sauce. Fresh spinach is also great on sandwiches, with eggs and steamed (with a sprinkle of apple cider vinegar). The Green family loves fresh spinach salad with diced hard-boiled eggs, sunflower seeds, turkey bacon, red onion and a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Yum.
By Julie Green
