Virginia Beach is known for its strawberries. They're delicious and sweet, and good for you too! If you're looking for a fun, family activity, head down to the southern portion of the city and go strawberry picking on a weekend afternoon. Check out our Virginia Beach Strawberry Guide for a list of farms.
When you return home, try some of these delicious strawberry recipes provided by the city's Agriculture Department. And remember, cooking in the kitchen is not only fun, it's a learning experience too. Children can improve fine motor skills, brush up on arithmetic and learn to read by reciting the recipe out loud. Assign each child a task to incorporate them into the cooking experience. They can crack eggs, measure sugar or stir.
Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut in chunks
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F/200°C. Grease muffin tins or line with paper cups.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until light. Add milk, yogurt, vanilla, and melted butter. Gently whisk.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to milk mixture and stir just until flour disappears. Gently stir in berries.
Spoon thick batter into muffin cups to the top. Bake about 25 minutes. Invert and cool on rack. Serves 12
This recipe is from Totally Strawberries Cookbook.
Papaya Strawberry Banana Drink Ingredients:
- 1 cup sliced papaya
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 banana
- Ice cubs
Directions:
In a blender mix papaya, strawberries and banana. Add ice cubes until drink has desired consistency. If needed, add Splenda®
Strawberry Banana Apple Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 banana
-
1 cup apple juice
Directions:
Put all ingredients into blender. Blend until smooth. Add Splenda® to your liking.
Strawberry Drink recipes are from Strawberryrecipes.com.
Strawberry Pancakes with Almonds
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix flour, milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 5 eggs and a dash salt. Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Let pancake dough rest for 30 minutes.
Mix low fat curd cheese with the rest of sugar, vanilla sugar, 2 egg yolks and lemon juice. Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Wash strawberries and filter them through colander (put a few strawberries aside for decoration). Add strawberries to curd cheese mixture.
Put butter into a pan and heat. Bake 8 pancakes. Spread strawberry cream onto each of the pancakes and roll them.
Decorate the pancakes with almond splitters and strawberries.
Serves four.
This recipe is from Strawberryrecipes.com.
Laurel Wilcox, PA, VCE Nutrition Education, City of Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture provided the recipes listed above.