The moment one turns to a gluten and dairy free lifestyle, most especially if done at the recommendation of their physician, immediately panic as to “what am I going to eat?”  It feels as though life is over, since all the delights of this world are no longer at our fingertips to enjoy.  But what we sometimes forget is that there are simple options that do not have to break the bank in order for us to enjoy the luxury of healthy eating.

Today I am sharing a long time “simple” dessert that is one of my favorites!!  Okay, sometimes I will enjoy it as my morning breakfast 🙂  But it can also be used as a topping to a variety of dessert items.

Basic Macerated (Sugar Sweetened) Strawberries

Macerated – Sugar Sweetend – Strawberries
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• 2 pounds of cleaned strawberries, hulled and sliced, being sure to remove the bad spots (approximately 2 cups sliced)
• 2 Tbls of sugar (I use natural sugar)

NOTE:  For every cup of hulled & sliced strawberries use 1 Tbsp of sugar

1. After you have cleaned, hulled and sliced your berries, mix in the sugar and toss your berries so that they are completely covered.
2. Let your berries marinate in the sugar at room temperature for 30 minutes, allowing it to release the delicious berry juices.
3. If you do not plan to eat soon after, you can refrigerate up to one day covered.

Well, that was simple!!  Okay, it took some time to wash, then hull, then slice while removing the bad spots, but seriously, it really is a simple process.

OKAY…this is a great dessert after a dinner of veggies and a healthy protein options such as fish or naturally fed beef, chicken, venison, bison, etc.  But, what else can you do with this sweet delight?

During the summer months it is rare that I have the desire to heat the kitchen up to bake something, so my first option is to add this to a vanilla flavored Coconut Milk Frozen dessert option, such as So Delicious.  One can also make their own frozen dessert (will share how in a future post).

Macerated strawberries on top of coconut milk frozen dessert – very yummy!!
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But, say you want something a little more exciting:

• For your morning breakfast, or a lazy evening meal, consider taking my Gluten Free German Pancake recipe and topping it off with the macerated strawberries.  Oh my, you are in for a treat!!
• Top your gluten and milk free yellow or white cake with the macerated strawberries 🙂  Be sure to put on right before eating, unless you are one to enjoy your strawberry juices to saturate your cake.  Top with a milk free whip topping and place a fresh strawberry (cleaned & hulled) on top.
• Place on top of a milk free yogurt option – great for breakfast, mid-day snack, evening dessert.
• Add some fresh blueberries to a 1/c cup bowl of these macerated strawberries for a very berry dessert option.

The options are endless.  Please share, here on this blog, other dessert ideas that you would enjoy macerated strawberries on.

It is a matter of choice to eat healthy, and the choices do not need to be boring ~ Enjoy!!

Laura