Berries, berries, berries! (And some peaches, too!)

Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Co-Owner, Nourish Northwest

Summer fruit is in full swing and we couldn’t be more excited here in the kitchen of Nourish Northwest.  This is a time when the fruit is so sweet and flavorful that you really don’t need to do too much with it besides eat it.  If you live in Portland, there’s a good chance that sometime this summer you might venture out to Sauvie Island to do some fruit picking.  It’s such a beautiful way to spend the day and to stock up on a bunch of fruit for a great price.  The only problem is, berries get moldy pretty quickly due to their high sugar content, so you have to act fast to either freeze them, make them into jam or incorporate them into some tasty dishes.  Here are a few of my favorite ways that I used up my abundance of raspberries from a recent trip to the island.  Enjoy!

 

 

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Puree raspberries, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender until combined.
2. Store in an airtight container and serve over any salad.  My favorite is mixed greens with avocado and chopped hazelnuts.

Raspberry Glazed Peaches

Ingredients:

• 6 firm, ripe medium peaches, peeled and halved
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 pint raspberries
• ¼ cup raspberry preserves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter a large glass or ceramic baking dish. In a bowl, toss the peaches with the butter and sugar. Arrange the peaches in the dish, cut sides down, and bake in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes, turning once, until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the raspberries, preserves and 2 tablespoons of water to a boil. Strain the glaze into a small bowl.
3. Spoon the glaze over the peaches and bake for 15 minutes longer, turning once and basting, until tender. Spoon the juices on top and serve.