So last week I went strawberry-happy at the farmer’s market, mainly because I have no willpower and I can’t say no to someone offering me a one gallon bucket of berries for $12. Because pregnancy.
But I was glad I did, because we enjoyed them all week long and ate them with EVERYTHING. We popped them in our mouths when we needed a quick snack, we made strawberry-ricotta toast with honey (which turned out to be an awesome lunch for me and Miss P), and then right before they started knocking on death’s door, I made the quickest, tastiest, 3-ingredient jam out of the rest.
First let’s start with the sandwich.
Strawberry Ricotta-Honey Sandwich
This one is so easy, and after I made it I couldn’t believe that I never thought to do this before. It was a quick lunch that turned out to be both filling and just the right amount of protein and sweetness.
You’ll need:
- 1 handful of strawberries (rinsed, stems removed, sliced into chunks)
- 2 tbsp. fresh ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 piece of whole grain toast
To assemble it:
Mix the ricotta and the honey together in a bowl. Spread it on a slice of toast. Top with strawberries, and serve. DONE!
Now, for the flax Jam!
Strawberry Maple Flax Jam
This one blew my mind: it was so ridiculously fast and easy to make that I now want to make jam out of ALL THE THINGS. You can do this with any kind of berry, so when you have a lot and you don’t want to freeze them, whip this up and you’ll love it. One of you lovely readers passed along to me a recipe for a chia seed jam, and this is an adaptation of that using flax seeds. Thank you, Barb! I love when you guys send me things!
You’ll need:
- 1 lb strawberries, rinsed, stems removed
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- 3 tbsp. ground flax seeds
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
To make the jam:
Place the berries in a blender and pulse until desired consistency. (I like it pureed, you may like it more chunky.) Place the berry puree in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup and flax seeds, and stir to combine. When it comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and leave it until it cools. Transfer to glass jars, and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
That’s it! You can mix it into oatmeal, spread it on toast, use it in smoothies…the possibilities are endless. You can even freeze it in an ice cube tray for future berry cravings.
