The Superfood for this month is berries and to celebrate, I’ve included some unberryable facts.

Did You Know…

• Strawberries have more vitamin C per serving than an orange
• Raspberries can be found in assorted colors including gold, black and purple, but red raspberries are the most common
• Technically, the blackberry is a drupelet, or a cluster of fruits, like a bunch of grapes
• Anthocyanins, flavonoids thought to help protect our brains give blackberries their glossy, dark color
• Blueberries don’t have as much vitamin C as other berries but are packed with other phytonutrients
• To ensure your berries star fresh, keep them dry and only wash right before you eat them

For storage, leafy greens should be placed in a sealable bag along with a clean, dry paper towel and then into the vegetable drawer. Replace the paper towel every few days and keep doing so for up to three weeks for a head of lettuce or about a week for loose leaves like spinach. The paper towel will absorb the moisture therefore keeping your greens crisp. So long sogginess and stay fresh everyone!

The best vegetables to consider freezing contain a more rigid structure such as peas, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kale or squash. Steer away from waterier vegetables like mushrooms, cucumbers or lettuce as they will become waterlogged and mushy upon thawing. Blanching before freezing is helpful and this can be done by...

• Chopping vegetables to uniform sizes and then briefly boiling them in salted water for just enough time for them to wilt slightly and turn a vibrant color

• Immediately transfer into ice water as this stops the cooking process

• Strain, dry and freeze (ideally on a sheet pan) directly after

• Store in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag for up to ten months

Some vegetables can be frozen directly without blanching like onions, peppers or celery. I personally like to use these veggies for smoothies or soups. Don’t forget to label and use within eight to ten months.
Herbs should be treated a little differently when it comes to freezing as they are more susceptible to freezer-burn than vegetables. Chop up finely and fill an ice cube tray pocket about ¾ of the way full. Then top with either olive oil or water and freeze. Simply add the frozen cube directly when cooking your next meal. If the herbs were frozen in oil, there should be no need to add additional oil. Hopefully you found some of these tips this helpful. In the meantime, stay fresh everyone!