Beyond Trim: It’s berry season once again, let’s make sorbet!

I try to eat whatever produce is in season, and there are a lot of advantages to that. For one thing, seasonal produce is at its peak of ripeness and flavor, and because it’s plentiful when it’s in season, it is usually less expensive. Eating this way also guarantees that you eat a good variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year.

One exception for me is berries. Berries are a priority because of their nutritional profile. They contain especially high amounts of vitamin C and other antioxidants that help to protect the cells in your body from wear and tear.

All berries are good sources of these compounds, and therefore I eat berries year-round. I put them in oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes, etc. During the fall and winter months I resort to frozen berries, but when the spring and summer months roll around, I enjoy having access to fresh, locally grown strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Speaking of berries and seasonal eating, I thought I would share a recipe for a frozen treat using strawberries. Although the recipe calls for a bit of sugar, it’s far less than the amount you might find in a commercial sorbet in your grocer’s freezer section. There is also no dairy, and no gums, fillers, preservatives, etc. I hope you’ll give it a try!

Strawberry Margarita Sorbet

Simple Syrup:

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Add sugar and water to small saucepan and stir together. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Makes about ¾ cup.

Sorbet:

• Simple Syrup (the entire recipe from above)
• 4 cups fresh or frozen strawberries (if using frozen, let them thaw at room temperature for a bit – they can still have some ice crystals.)
• Juice of one lime

Add the strawberries, syrup, and lime juice to food processor or blender. Pulse until strawberries are broken down but not “juiced”. This took six pulses in my food processor; it might take more or less for you. Pour mixture into a flat baking dish and freeze until edges are getting solid (1-2 hours). With a fork, scrape the frozen edges into the center and redistribute the mixture evenly. Return to freezer for another 1-2 hours until solid or until needed. To serve: Let sit at room temp for 20-30 minutes, until it’s “scoopable”.

You can watch me make this recipe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nFaS7B-mk7U, part of the What’s Cooking CGH video series.

Sherry DeWalt is the healthy lifestyles coordinator for the CGH Health Foundation in Sterling.