7 Ways to Eat Berries This Summer ...

What could be more refreshing than iced tea or lemonade on a hot summer day? One of my favorite ways to eat berries is to add them to my drinks. Place the berries at the bottom of a glass and muddle them a bit. Add ice and your favorite drink and get ready to quench your thirst in a big way. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are all delicious. Try just one or mix and match a few for a super tasty treat.

Berries are a fun and festive way to decorate cupcakes. I like blueberries and strawberries on white frosting, but you can go crazy with any combination you love. Use just one berry or lots. Just think – adding berries to cupcakes makes them sort of virtuous because you can add some nutrition to an otherwise unhealthy treat.

You might not realize this, but you can actually grill berries. I typically wrap them in foil and put them on the top rack so they aren’t directly on the heat source. Just a couple of minutes per side and you have soft, warm berries that make the perfect topping for ice cream or angel food cake.

Yep, you can juice berries. Simply puree them in the blender, then drain through a fine mesh sieve. What you get is a delicious juice that you can mix with water so it isn’t too intense. I like to mix berries to create a blended juice, but you can do one at a time too. No matter how you do it, berry juice is wonderful.

Unlike juice, smoothies are thick and creamy. My absolute favorite flavor is strawberry banana, but mango blueberry can’t be beat either. Mix your favorite berries in the blender with a bit of Greek yogurt, some honey and a splash of juice or milk. Add any other fruits you like and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Berries are just sweet enough to make a delicious dessert. And one that’s refreshing and light on a summer day. Drizzle your favorite berries with melted dark chocolate, dip them in whipped cream and brown sugar or slice them up and pile them on top of cake or brownies. You can skewer berries with marshmallows for a yummy backyard treat you won’t find anywhere else.

If you’ve seen the menu at a gourmet restaurant, you know that fruit makes an appearance in salads quite often. Emulate that elegance right at home by adding berries to your salads. Blueberries and strawberries are great accompaniments to spinach and goat cheese. Raspberries and blackberries work well in melon salads. However you do it, you’ll love that hint of sweetness combined with the heartiness of a good salad.

What’s your favorite way to eat berries in the summer? I have say that mine is on ice cream. Yum! What other ideas do you have for berries?