Strawberry season has arrived in North Carolina

It’s Strawberry Season in Eastern North Carolina! Those beautiful red jewels are glowing in strawberry patches across our region.

While strawberries are delicious year-round, now is the best time to find them growing locally. Roadside stands and pick-your-own patches are great places to find the freshest berries. A fresh-picked strawberry offers a flavor explosion that is both delicious and nutritious.

One cup of strawberries contains only 43 calories, but is a powerhouse of nutrition. More than thirteen percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of dietary fiber is found in just one cup of strawberries. Dietary fiber helps to aid digestion regularly, helps to lower blood pressure, and helps you feel full.

Strawberries are also excellent sources of vitamin C and folate. The vitamin C in one cup of strawberries contains one hundred thirty percent of the RDA of vitamin C, an effective antioxidant that can help lower blood pressure and ensure a healthy immune system.

One cup of strawberries also contains twenty-one percent of the manganese recommended. Manganese is an essential nutrient that acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Manganese is also great for the bones, helping in bone building and maintaining proper bone structure.

While fresh strawberries are a perfect snack on their own, treat yourself to a frozen strawberry sandwich. Mash 1.5 cups of fresh strawberries and add the mashed berries to ¾ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt.

Snap 12 graham crackers in half. On one of the crackers, place a rounded tablespoon of the strawberry mixture. Place another half on top to create a sandwich. Repeat the procedure to make 12 sandwiches. Wrap each sandwich in waxed paper, plastic wrap, or place in a sandwich bag. Place the wrapped sandwiches on a flat surface in the freezer. Freeze for 2-4 hours.

Strawberries are excellent additions to beverages. Infuse strawberries in plain water for added flavor, or make a refreshing Strawberry Fruity Fizz by adding ½ cup of strawberries, ½ cup 100 percent orange juice, and ½ cup sliced strawberries.

Pour the mixture over ice and enjoy. If you are celebrating this season, serve Strawberry Punch to your guests. To make the punch, combine one cup of water with one cup of sugar in a saucepan.

Heat the mixture to almost boiling while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice and chill well. In a blender, puree four cups of sliced strawberries with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Add to the chilled juice and chill for an additional thirty minutes. Pour the strawberry mixture into a punch bowl or beverage dispenser. Slowly add 2 liters chilled lemon-lime soda.

For more recipes using strawberries, contact Lisa Smith at lfsmith5@ncsu.edu or 252-789-4370.