Eat Write Love
NICKY AND SONJA of Creative Concoctions – a local social enterprise, boosting creative health
Nothing says summer’s round the corner louder than a bright, juicy strawberry!
Is your mouth watering just from the image?
Wait! Hold those sensations. Grab your journal and pen and let’s savour the sweetness of strawberries.
Journaling #1:
Wild roots [3 mins]
- Stare lovingly at these strawberries or have some to hand!
- Write a list of words that swirl and float in mind as you look at or taste a strawberry.
Reflect [1 Min]
- Pick out a word or two that feels supportive, comforting.
Fun Facts
- Strawberries are not a fruit but a type of rose, according to botanists.
- In the 12th Century, Strawberries were classed unfit to eat by St Hildegard von Bingen, who believed they were in danger of being contaminated by snakes and toads because they grew so close to the ground.
- Luckily, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus proved their safety after he switched to an all- strawberry diet. He believed strawberries were a cure for gout.
- Apparently, a cup of strawberries contains more vitamin C than an orange!
Nutrition info:
- Soluble and insoluble fibre – supports lowering cholesterol and gut health
- Vitamin C – supports immunity and protects against oxidative damage
- Potassium – supports muscles and heart health
- Low GI – as mainly water and with a high fibre content, so good for stabilising blood sugars
Strawberry and Avocado Salad
Serves 2
- Add a lovely fresh zing to a summer salad!
- Ingredients:
- 100g strawberries
- 2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
- 1 large handful fresh mint leaves
- 200g feta cheese
- 1 avocado
- Lime juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Seasoning to taste
- Balsamic vinegar can also be drizzled over the salad
Method:
- Wash and chop the strawberries into 2cm pieces.
- Wash the spinach and mint and chop it into thin strips.
- Dice the feta into small 1cm cubes, or crumble it
- Chop the avocado into small pieces and drizzle the lime juice over it.
- Combine all the salad ingredients with the feta.
- Drizzle a little more lime juice and olive oil over the salad, season and then mix well.
- Serve with crusty granary bread on the side and a balsamic glaze for those who want an extra zing.
Substitutes
- Blackberries work well or even tomatoes.
- Not a fan of spinach? Swap for salad leaves.
- No lime juice? Lemon juice does the trick.
- The saltiness of the feta works well with the tartness of the strawberries.
If you don’t eat dairy, try some salted nuts by rubbing oil and sea salt into cashews or walnuts and roasting in the oven for 15-20 minutes. You’ll get a nice crunch and a salty tang.
Storage
This salad keeps in the fridge, in an airtight container, for a couple of days.
JOURNALING #2
Once Upon a Strawberry [7 mins]
- Shiny red halves, heaped over vanilla ice cream, a treat in the sun, perhaps?
- Dip into your imagination or memories and write into a strawberry story.
- Bring in a place, people, music and sweetness.
Reflection in 1 sentence [1 min]
- What is energising in the words you wrote today?
JOURNALING # 3
Strawberry Mash Up!
- Pretty and versatile.
What one new way with strawberries can you experiment with?
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