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berries

Popsicles for All

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Adapted from recipes by Cooking Light and The View from the Great Island, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 6

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Cucumber Lemon Pop:

  • 2½ cup spring water
  • 1 lemon, washed and thinly sliced, seeds removed
  • 1 slender Asian cucumber*, thinly sliced

Yogurt Berry Pop:

  • 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt*
  • ½ cup lemonade*
  • ½ cup strawberries*, chopped

Wine Pop (for grownups):

  • 16 ounces strawberries*
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup wine (rose or wine)

Instructions

  1. Cucumber Lemon Pop: Insert lemon and cucumber slices into pop molds. Fill with water and let sit for one hour on counter. Freeze until solid.
  2. Yogurt Berry Pop: Mix ingredients together. Pour into molds and freeze.
  3. Wine Pops: Puree strawberries, sugar, water and wine. Once mixture is smooth, pour into pop mold. Freeze for 5-6 hours or overnight.

 

Stress Relief Smoothie

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Recipe shared by Moon Cycle Seed Company
Serves: 1

Photo by Sarah Avery

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1 frozen banana
● 1 cup frozen berries*
● ½ cup zucchini*
● 1 Tbsp Cherry Beetroot Moon Milk*
● 1 Tbsp flax seed
● 2 cups A2 milk* or plant milk

Instructions
Pour your milk of choice into a blender. Add Moon Milk and flax seed. Then add the banana, berries, and zucchini and blend until smooth. Add more milk for a thinner smoothie. Enjoy!

A farmers’ market guide to berries

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By Julia Howard

Sweet, sour, tart, juicy — berries are a highlight of the summer season. At the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, local farms bring the very best. The variety includes gooseberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and saskatoon berries.

These locally sourced berries signify the diversity that grows in our region from late spring to early fall. Berries are known for their health benefits and antioxidants, but it’s their taste that makes them a coveted summertime treat.

Gooseberries are produced by a thorny shrub and are easy to grow, according to Laurie Kokinda, owner of Kokinda Farm. “Pick off the stems, rinse, and you can freeze them whole or cook them down first,” explains Kokinda. Gooseberries have a strawberry-grape flavor and are popular in jams, pies, and as a dessert topping.

Gooseberries, AdobeStock

Strawberries can be found in bountiful harvests in the early summer with additional everbearing varieties that produce berries into late September. Locally grown strawberries are often smaller than those found in stores, however, they have much more flavor.

Strawberries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Blueberries are just beginning to ripen and at Butternut Ridge Farm, Debbie Stevens reports that their harvest will begin in 1-2 weeks. Sweet, juicy, and loaded with antioxidants, blueberries are ideal for eating fresh, or in sauces and baked goods.

Raspberries are cold-hardy and long-lived. They produce sweet, flavorful fruit suitable for fresh eating, sauces, and preserves. “Our raspberry and blackberry bushes have been on our farm for generations,” says Andy Burger of Burger’s Market Garden. “We hand-pick these all-natural, small-batch crops fresh for every market, and our purple raspberries are really wonderful.”

Raspberries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Blackberries are renowned for their nutritional value as they are packed with fiber and vitamins C and K. The delicate fruit is popular in desserts, jams, seedless jelly, and sometimes wine. “Get them while you can because their growing season can be short-lived depending on the weather,” advises Andy Burger. “Freezing these berries is as easy as spreading them on a baking sheet to freeze overnight, and throwing them in a zip-lock freezer bag.”

Blackberries and blueberries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Saskatoon berries are exclusively available at Scotch Ridge Berries & Trees. Saskatoons are similar to blueberries in their composition and nutrition, though they are more closely related to the apple family. Many describe their taste as having a sweet, nutty almond flavor. They typically ripen in late June or early July depending on the seasonal climate.

Saskatoon berry, AdobeStock

This week’s recipe: Blueberry Fool

Lightened Up Strawberry Shortcake

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Recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchen
Total time: 1 hr 20 min
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Shortcakes:
● 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
● 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
● 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
● 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
● 3 tablespoons cold salted butter*, cut into small pieces
● 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
● 1 large egg*, slightly beaten
● 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk*

Filling:
● 4 cups strawberries*, hulled and sliced
● 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
● 1 tablespoon orange juice
● 1 c. heavy whipping cream
● 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt*
● 2–3 Tbs honey*

Instructions
1. For the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
2. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles a coarse meal.
3. Whisk together the lemon zest, egg, and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk in a small bowl. Add to the flour mixture and lightly mix with your hands or a spoon until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently pat the dough into a 7­inch round about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 8 equal wedges. Space the shortcakes evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. For the filling: Combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, and orange juice in a large bowl. Let stand until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is syrupy, about 15 minutes.
5. Pour whipping cream, Greek yogurt, and honey into a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until soft peaks form. Taste and add more honey to match your preferences.
6. Split the shortcakes. Place the bottom halves of the shortcakes on plates and top evenly with the strawberry mixture and yogurt. Cover with the shortcake tops.