"The Last Day"

Hello everyone and Happy Memorial Day!!!!!!  Today also marks the last day of May and the end of National Strawberry Month.  Hope you have all been enjoying your long weekend - hopefully filled with barbecues, family and friends.  Since Thursday I have delivered four babies but thankfully i have had a few moments to relax and enjoy the nice weather.

     Yes today marks the last day of National Strawberry Month - i finally was able to enjoy freshly picked strawberries from a local farm this weekend that were absolutely spectacular.  Strawberry picking is one of my favorite things about summer.  Walking through the field and seeing these splendid little fruits bursting with flavor is one activity i will never tire of.  I can remember as a child sitting in the middle of the field consuming more berries than actually ended up in my tiny basket.  I would have eaten so many berries that my fingers were stained red and i would have strawberry juice all over my shirt.  To this day i still sneak a few into my mouth while picking one of my favorite fruits.  

Here is a picture of some of my gems that I have been consuming way too much of!!

Some interesting strawberry facts:

1. Strawberries are the only fruit with their seeds located on the outside

2. These are the first fruit to ripen in the spring

3. In Belgium there is a museum entirely dedicated

 to strawberries (really!!)

4.  Strawberries are actually a member of the rose family

5. Strawberries are grown in every single state in the US and provinces of Canada

6. Americans eat 3.4 pounds of strawberries each year.

Remember the 1980's craze of the Strawberry Shortcake doll and her friends!!!!

Some great ways to use these super fruits:

1. delicious paired with greek yogurt, agave nectar and flax seed

2. a perfect addition to any smoothie 

3. with overripe berries i simply place them on my stove and reduce them with sugar to make homemade preserves - perfect to top whole wheat toast 

4. strawberry muffins

5. love adding fresh strawberries to spinach salads

The possibilities are endless!!!

Simply put - i love strawberries - so i hope wherever you live you are able to enjoy them before the season is over!!!!!

Since today is Memorial Day - it kicks off the official start to summer - the barbecue season.  Many of you will be attending barbecues with family and friends.  I do love barbecuing and one of my favorite things recently is to make homemade black bean burgers.  In the past i have had the pleasure of eating Amy's Bistro Burgers - while these are my favorite "frozen" burgers i was tempted to try and make my own.  By combining a few recipes that I had read in the past and having many cans of black beans in my pantry that needed to be consumed i figured - why not!

The result????    I loved them - now i know that having frozen burgers in the freezer are always a great meal when you are pressed for time but trust me - try these - you will not be disappointed and you can freeze them as well.

 I plan on making them tonight so i will snap a picture of the final product but here's the "rough" recipe ( i say "rough" because i really don't measure my spices)

For one burger:

   1/3 cup rinsed black beans

   1 tablespoon of whole - wheat flour  (could use oatmeal if preferred)

   1/4 of large zucchini and red pepper finely shreddded

   chopped onion (as much or as little as desired)

   cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder

Basically take the beans and with the back side of fork mash half of them and leave the rest whole, combine all ingredients and form into patty.  Place in refrigerator and let it get cold before grilling.  You can either cook in pan on stove, barbecue or place in oven on broil for approximately 20 minutes.  Spray the burger with olive oil spray prior to cooking so it develops a nice crust on the outside.

I served mine in a mini whole wheat pita topped with Annies mustard, ketchup, roasted red peppers, lettuce and tomato but feel free to try and toppings.   Enjoy!!!

       Trying all of these new recipes has been really helping me on my road to recovery.  I am slowly starting to realize that food is meant to be enjoyed - life is too short to deny ourselves of things that we truly enjoy.  When i try new recipes i get excited about food again - something that i haven't felt in quite a while.  Although it isn't always easy i am trying at least once a week to try an get out of my usual "food ruts" and try new and exciting things.  I want to thank all of you and all of the blogs i read because you all inspire me to keep going even when things are tough!!!  I wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day!!!  xoxo aimee