Spring Fling: 14 Strawberry Recipes

May is the start of strawberry season and here is a round up of 14 irresistible strawberry recipes!

 

14 Strawberry Recipes

Each year in May we have our Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, Ca.  It's filled with lots of booths selling artistic creations and crafts, food vendors selling strawberry delicacies, and then there's the heavenly strawberries themselves!  We always bring home a flat of these gems so I can make all the different dishes that include this luscious fruit.

Below is a round up with links to 14 of my favorite strawberry recipes.  I hope you enjoy them.

1.  Strawberry Lime Slushy - perfect to cool down with on a summer afternoon.

2.  Grandma Landon's Strawberry Cake - a throwback recipe that is the best around!

3.  Strawberry Pear Smoothie - The perfect drink during the Spring when strawberries are popping up and pears are still around.  The pears lend a delicate flavor that compliments the strawberries.

4.  Spinach and Strawberry Salad - The perfect light salad.  Simple and delicious.  Great for Mother's day, Easter, or Memorial Day.

5.  Strawberry Banana Pancakes - get ready for all those Spring brunches.  This recipe is a crowd pleaser!

6.  Strawberry Shortcake Scones - I've made these scones for Mother's Day for many years.  They are elegant, flavorful, and lend something special to the day.

7.  Strawberry Waffles with Yogurt - These waffles are sweet with the flavor of strawberries in the batter and light with a dollop of yogurt instead of the heavy maple syrup.

8.  Strawberry Avocado Toast - this recipe is a WINNER!  Strawberries, avocado, and feta top toasted bread for one heck of a combination!

9.  Healthy Breakfast Banana Split - Banana Split for breakfast?  Yes! This modified version uses yogurt along with strawberries and almonds to top bananas.  It's heaven on a plate.

10.  Strawberry Couscous Spinach Salad - A favorite salad during the Spring and Summer months featuring strawberries and couscous.  Great for the 4th of July!

11.  Lighter Strawberry Crisp - An delicious dessert for spring and summer.  This is a lighter version!

12.  Strawberry Crostini - A great appetizer for any summer gathering.

13.  Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bars - I love these bars.  These are the best snacks!  I made these recently to take along with us on a road trip to Oceanside.

14.  Strawberry Banana Chunk Muffins - Muffins are a great breakfast treat.  These are filled with fresh strawberries and bananas that the whole family love.

Spring Fling: Blackberry Swirl Muffins with Crumb Topping - Small Batch

Fresh hot muffins swirled with a blackberry syrup and topped with a streusel topping make these spring muffins crave worthy!

 

Blackberry Swirl Muffins with Crumb Topping

I love when Spring arrives and all the berries are bursting with flavor.  I end up buying berries every week for yogurt parfaits, toppings for waffles, tossing in salads, and addition to muffins.  This week I made a blackberry syrup that I swirled in to my base muffin recipe for a different take on a fruit laden muffin.  If this wasn't decadent enough I added a streusel topping which took it to the next level.

These muffins are so good you are gonna crave them!  Laced with a little cinnamon that totally compliments the blackberries these muffins will bring you warmth and comfort.  This is another small batch of 6 so double the recipe if you want 12 muffins.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• fresh blackberries

• eggs

• low-fat milk

• canola oil

• all purpose flour

• sugar or sugar alternative if using (for Keto, low carb)

• baking powder

• salt

• brown sugar

• cinnamon

• butter

Substitutions and Variations

• Use white whole wheat flour in place of the all purpose flour

• Make mini muffins or small loaves instead

• Doing a Keto diet or want lower carb? Use an alternative sugar of you choice as a substitute. I like King Arthur's sugar alternative.

• Any add-ins (shredded coconut, walnuts, pecans, granola) will work.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of thumb when making muffins is "do not overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.

• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.

• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.

• Double the recipe for 12 muffins.

• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months.

• Fill the muffin tin almost to the top for nice big domed muffins.

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Blackberry Swirl Muffins with Crumb Topping

Makes 6

Blackberry swirl:

1 cup fresh blackberries

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Muffins:
1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Crumb Topping:

1/6 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoon butter, melted

1/3 cup flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 6 well muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. 

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat add blackberries, sugar, and cinnamon.  Stir mixture until the blackberries cook down and get syrupy, mashing the blackberries with a spoon as they cook about 5 min. Set aside and allow to cool. 

In a medium bowl add all the crumb topping ingredients and use your fingers to mix together until crumbly.  Set aside.

In a large bowl add the egg, milk, and oil. Mix together using a whisk.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.   Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to a muffin tin to make 6 muffins.  Add one teaspoon of the blackberry swirl to each top and swirl in the batter with a toothpick.  Sprinkle each muffin with the streusel topping.  (You may have leftover blackberry swirl and streusel topping.)  Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin. Remove from the pan and serve.

Spring Fling: Strawberry Spinach Couscous Salad

A delicious and healthy salad loaded with couscous, goat cheese, strawberries, spinach and almonds.  All doused in a lemon vinaigrette.  The perfect salad this Spring and Summer!

Strawberry Spinach Couscous Salad

Spring has finally hit Southern California and hopefully all the rain is a thing of the past.  We've come out of our drought after soooo many years.  This makes me want to eat light and healthy and I just picked up some ripe red strawberries so a salad is in order!  This salad is perfect for Spring and Summer meals.  It's filled with great ingredients like, juicy ripe strawberries, baby spinach, Israeli couscous, goat cheese, and sliced almonds for crunch.  Then you make a great lemon vinaigrette and toss it all together and end up with one of the best salads of the season!

Serve this along side the protein of your choice.  It's perfect for picnics, BBQs, potlucks, Mother's Day, Easter (next year) Memorial Day, graduation parties, bridal or baby showers.  You name it, it's a winner!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Cooked Israeli couscous
• Baby Spinach
• Strawberries
• Goat cheese
• Sliced Almonds
• Lemon
• Honey
• Dijon Mustard
• Olive oil

Substitutions and Variations

• Try a different grain such as farro, bulgar, or quinoa.

• Add kale or arugula instead of spinach.

• Switch up the cheese. Try feta, cotija, or ricata salata.

• Try a poppyseed dressing.  Here's my recipe for a Lemon Poppyseed dressing.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• I always like to use either a leftover grain or cook the grain/couscous ahead of time so that it cools down to room temperature.

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Additional Strawberry Salads to Try:

• Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Yogurt Dressing

• Summer Salad

• Spinach and Strawberry Salad

• California Salad

Strawberry Spinach Couscous Salad

serves 4-6

Salad

2 cups cooked and cooled Israeli couscous
2 large handfuls baby spinach
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons honey 
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until coated. 

Spring Fling: Strawberry Balsamic Ricotta Toast

Balsamic drizzled strawberries top creamy ricotta laced with lemon zest on a toasted slice of country bread.

Strawberry Balsamic Ricotta Toast

It's breakfast time and I want something different than the regular toast or avocado toast, or my daily yogurt parfait.  Strawberry Balsamic Ricotta Toast sounds all fancy but really is just simple as can be.  A toasted slice of country bread is topped with ricotta cheese that's been mixed with lemon zest.  Then we top it with sliced strawberries that have been coasted with a balsamic glaze.

Ricotta cheese is a healthier cheese option that is lower in fat and calories, and high in protein.  Strawberries, a superfruit, are a great source of Vitamin C and a perfect way to sneak more fruit in to your diet.  All combined together you have a wonderful breakfast, brunch, or snack "toast"!  Simple, easy, and tasty.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• fresh strawberries
• French or Italian bread
• ricotta cheese
• fresh lemon
• olive oil
• balsamic glaze (like this one)

Substitutions and Variations

• You can play around with the bread by using your favorite such as sourdough, rustic white, wheat, 7 grain, and ciabatta.

• Use different flavors with the ricotta such as honey.

• Use a mixture of ricotta and mascarpone whipped together.

• Ricotta will go with any berry (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry) or stone fruit (think peaches, nectarines and plums).

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Toast your bread any way you like (oven, toaster, or skillet)  I like placing olive oil on my bread and toasting it in a skillet for a golden crust, plus the olive oil goes well with the dish.

• Balsamic glaze is balsamic vinegar which has been reduced down in to a thick syrup and is sweet and delicious.  You can find it at Trader Joes' or your local grocery store.  I like this one.

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Strawberry Balsamic Ricotta Toast

serves 4


4 slices of French or Italian Bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz. ricotta cheese
zest of 1 lemon

1 cup hulled and diced strawberries

Balsamic glaze

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Brush one side of the sliced bread with olive oil.  Toast in the skillet until golden brown.

Mix the ricotta cheese with the zest of 1 lemon.  Spread ricotta on toasted bread.

In a small bowl add diced strawberries and drizzle some balsamic glaze.  Stir until well coated.

Spoon strawberries over the ricotta and serve.

 

Spring Fling: Grilled Chicken Spring Vegetable Salad

When you take a base of arugula and spring mix and top it with asparagus, green beans, peas, radishes, goat cheese, and a fabulous grilled chicken you have one heck of a main dish salad perfect for Mother's Day!

Grilled Chicken Spring Vegetable Salad

It's time to use up all the abundance of spring produce. Yea Spring!  Today we are making a main dish salad that I served for Easter.  It's filled with spring greens, asparagus, green beans, carrots, radishes, and peas!  It's a smorgasbord of spring ingredients.  I then grilled some coriander rubbed chicken breasts to top the salad.  Finish with a sprinkling of goat cheese crumbles, pecans, and a few raspberries and you have an amazing main course salad!  Feel free to top this with your favorite dressing or use one of my suggestions below.

This is the perfect main course for light lunches, weeknight dinners, Easter, Mother's Day, bridal showers, spring brunches or eating alfresco on a sunny weekend afternoon.  You will be filled with good for your ingredients and have a happy tummy to go along with it!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• boneless skinless chicken breasts - I used thin cut
• 50/50 spring mix - part arugula and spring mix
• asparagus - thin spears
• fresh green beans
• frozen peas
• radishes
• goat cheese with herbs
• raspberries
• pecan halves
• ground coriander
• fresh mint

Substitutions and Variations

• Substitute roasted chicken, a rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken

• Substitute the protein:  salmon, shrimp or pork tenderloin would be great in the salad

• Use the herb of your choice: basil, thyme, or chives would be great additions

• Use a plain goat cheese, or use feta or ricotta salata - or leave off the cheese

• Switch up the greens:  use red leaf, green leaf, spinach, or butter lettuce

• Use your favorite spring produce - get creative!

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Chicken:  if you like cold or room temperature chicken on your salad, cook the chicken first, then prep all the rest of the salad ingredients.  If you like hot chicken on your salad, cook the chicken last.

• Vegetables:  To get bright green tender crisp vegetables blanch them in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain them in a colander and rinse them with cool water to stop the cooking process.  They will be bright and green and tender crisp!

• Instead of using a large salad bowl for the entire group I plated the salads directly on each individual's plate.  It's easier, and the presentation comes out better than tossing a salad.

• See below for some of my suggested dressings.

What do I dress this salad with?:

Avocado Herb Dressing

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing

Lemon Mustard Dressing

Herby Buttermilk Dressing

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Grilled Chicken Spring Vegetable Salad

serves 4

4 thin cut boneless chicken breasts
kosher salt & ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander
8 cups of spring mix with arugula
1 1lb of thin asparagus spears, woody ends discarded
1/2 lb of fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 radishes, thinly sliced
2-3 oz of goat cheese with herbs, crumbled
1/2 pint raspberries 
1/4 cup pecan halves, toasted

Pre-heat an indoor grill pan over medium-high heat.  Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.  Sprinkle the coriander about 1/4 teaspoon for each side on all chicken breasts.  Place chicken on the grill pan and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken reaches 160 degrees internal temperature.  Set aside and allow chicken to cool.

Meanwhile bring a large pot filled with water to boil.  Cut the asparagus spears in half and the green beans in half.  Add asparagus, green beans, and peas to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are bright green and crisp tender.  Remove from heat and drain vegetables in a colander.  Run cold water over the vegetables until cool, to stop the cooking process.

Arrange salad on individual dinner plates by spreading about 2 cups of spring salad mix per each plate.  Divide the green vegetables among the plates.

Cut the chicken breasts in to slices.  Place the slices on each salad plate among the veggies and lettuce mix.  Add sliced radishes, a few raspberries, crumbles of goat cheese, and pecans to each plate.  

Dress with your favorite dressing.

Spring Fling: Asparagus and Tomato Frittata

Asparagus and Tomato Frittata is my version of a classic Italian egg dish.  It's filled with tender spring vegetables and herbs and makes the perfect main entrée for a weekend breakfast or brunch!

Asparagus and Tomato Frittata

We are heading back to my Spring Fling series where I provide you with fresh food featuring spring fruits and produce.  Today we are talking breakfast and we are talking Asparagus!  Asparagus screams springtime and although they can be found year round they taste the best in Spring.  I'm a fan of the pencil sized slender spears because they are dainty and a little more tender.  This is such a versatile vegetable but today I'm using them in a breakfast dish.

Have you ever had a frittata?  They are the Italian version of a baked egg dish with fresh vegetables inside.  Similar to an omelet, but baked in the oven. My frittata is simple to make and cooks in 15 minutes in the oven.  It is filled with springtime tender asparagus, juicy tomatoes, sweet onion, and fresh dill and all made in one pan.  This will serve the whole family and is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or lunch.  

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• butter
• yellow or sweet onion
• fresh asparagus
• eggs
• milk
• grape or cherry tomatoes
• fresh dill

Substitutions and Variations

• Change up the herbs or use a combination:  basil, oregano, thyme, or chives would be good.

• Double the recipe to serve a large family and use a 10 inch skillet

• Swap out the vegetables to your liking or add additional ones:  mushrooms, leeks, peas, spinach, arugula, or bell pepper.

• Add some cheese to the dish

• Add some bacon to the dish

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• I used an 8" cast iron skillet such as this one however, any oven proof skillet or even a pie pan will work well.

• Make sure to cook your vegetables prior to adding your eggs, unless they are fine raw. Items like onion, leeks, and mushrooms taste better when browned prior to adding them to the eggs.

• Because you are using the same skillet that you cooked your vegetables in you will notice that the eggs will start to cook and set around the edges as you are adding your final ingredients.  This is okay and expected.

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Asparagus and Tomato Frittata

serves 4 - Makes 1 8" round

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced sweet or yellow onion
1/2 bunch of fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2" pieces
5 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cups grape tomatoes, halved, divided
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped, divided
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In an 8" cast iron skillet melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and starts to brown.  Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat.

In a medium bowl add the eggs, milk, salt and pepper, and 3/4 of a teaspoon of dill, reserving 1/4 teaspoon for the topping.  Whisk vigorously until well combined.  Add to the skillet with the onion and asparagus.  Add 1/2 cup of the chopped tomatoes to the egg mixture in the skillet, spreading them out evenly.  

Place in the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes until set on the top.  There may be some small wet spot on top and that is ok.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before cutting. 

In a small bowl add the remaining tomatoes and dill and a drizzle of olive oil.  Mix to combine.  Top frittata with the tomato mixture.   Cut in to wedges and serve immediately.