Welcome to Fruity Friday today I am showcasing a fruit which is synonymous with desserts and I definitely am not the desert queen by any means…I may make the odd ice cream or a fruit compote but my culinary skills lie elsewhere I am a savoury lady although I  used to make birthday cakes when my kiddies were young and I wish I had the photos but I didn’t back them up and lost all of them a few years ago…Lesson learnt the hard way … I think my favourite was Goldilocks and the three bears and of course, I made numerous forts and fairy castles…I digress…

I suppose this is what has stopped me my lack of dessert making in showcasing a fruit which I love… fresh or frozen it freezes very well…The Raspberry…

Raspberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibre. They are a very good source of copper and a good source of Vitamin K, Vitamin E, magnesium, folate, omega-3 fatty acids and potassium.

A little powerhouse of benefits…

Spicy Raspberry Sauce.

• I punnet of raspberries
• 3 tbsp. Hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

Let’s get saucy…

In a blender, purée raspberries with 1/4 cup water; strain through a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl, pushing the mixture through with rubber spatula.

Into the raspberry mixture, whisk the honey, smoked paprika, 1/8 tsp salt, and remaining 3 tablespoons hot sauce.

This spicy little dip is lovely with chicken wings or sliced strip steak…

I like raspberries made into a fruit compote and I love it with porridge oats …To make the compote measure 3 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries, 1/3-1/2 cup of sugar, I tsp lime juice…Just pop your berries in a saucepan on a low heat with half the sugar if you think you need a splash of water then add it bring to a slow rolling boil and let simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the fruit has broken down add your lime or lemon juice.

I don’t mind the pips but if you prefer a smoother compote then pass the mixture through a fine sieve.

Adjust the sugar depending on how sweet you like your compote ..I prefer mine on the tart side …This will keep in the fridge for about a week or freeze it in portions.

You could also do a mix of different berries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries which is also very nice and something which I do…

A compote is also lovely served with natural or greek yoghurt…

Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.

• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt

Mix raspberries and sugar together in a bowl; set aside until mixture is juicy, about 10 minutes.

Mash berries using a fork until liquefied if you prefer a smoother vinaigrette then blitz in a small mixer.

Pour berry mixture into a jar with a lid; add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and salt. Cover the jar with a lid and shake until dressing is mixed well.

Store in refrigerator.

Raspberry Smoothies.

Doesn’t that look beautiful? To me, it just screams drink me the colour is awesome so vibrant.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of coconut water
• 1/3 cup of greek yoghurt
• 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries
• 1/2 medium beetroot(raw) peeled and diced.
• 1 tbsp honey ( optional)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds ( optional)

Let’s, Blitz!

Measure all the ingredients into your blender and blitz away… The colour was amazing a beautiful colour and it tasted very nice not too sweet and I did add honey.

This smoothie can be drunk instead of a drink with protein powder and the like in it …An alternative to bought protein drinks…Having never had a protein drink I do not know what they taste like although I have listened to others who say well they don’t taste great but I drink them anyway…Really!

I think I know which one I would rather drink…Don’t you??

Did you know?

Each raspberry consists of around 100 individual tiny fruits, called drupelets, filled with one seed. They are arranged in a shape of a helmet around the centrally positioned small stem. When ripe raspberries are harvested from the plant, the stem remains on the mother plant, leaving the hole in the middle of the fruit.

Did you know?

Scotland is famous for its raspberry growing. In the late 1950s, raspberries were brought down from Scotland to London on a steam train known as the Raspberry Special.

I think my abiding memory of raspberries is one picking them as a child and two my nan used to make the best trifle with raspberries no custard just plain sponge, raspberries and jelly made with raspberry juice and served with lovely fresh cream …Very simple and how I make my trifles to this day…Nothing fancy…Just simply done so fruity and fresh…

So no I am not a fancy dessert queen just simple flavours and that is how I roll…No airs and graces…Just me…

I hope you have enjoyed this post and if you have please pin it or share on your favourite social media … Comments in the comments section it really makes my day to hear from you…What is your favourite recipe using raspberries???

Enjoy your weekend, have fun and laugh a lot and be mindful xxx