Summer Spotlight: Raspberries

Long, glorious days of summer, bring me your sun-ripened berries! Specifically, barrels and barrels of Washington grown raspberries. Bursting with sweet and slightly tart juice, these fruits are one of the great culinary joys of July. 

Not only will they delight your taste buds, but your whole body will be thankful for their nutrient content. Raspberries are the fruit highest in fiber, clocking in at 8 grams of fiber per cup. They also contain a hefty portion of your daily recommended manganese intake, which aids in regulating blood sugar. 

There are countless ways to enjoy raspberries this summer! Check out the recipes below for inspiration, or just eat them by the handful if you desire.

Raspberry Galette with Whole Wheat Crust

Crust Ingredients

1 ¼ cup Whole wheat flour

1 tbsp Granulated sugar

½ tsp Salt

5 tbsp Unsalted butter, frozen

¼ cup Water, ice cold

1-2 tbsp Heavy cream (milk/milk alternatives can be used to substitute)

Filling Ingredients:

3 cups Fresh raspberries

1 tbsp Granulated sugar

1 tbsp Lemon juice

1 ½ tsp Cornstarch

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and sugar. 

  2. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate in the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. With your hands, combine the butters and flour so that it clumps together. 

  3. Add in the ice cold water 1 tbsp at a time, mixing with a spatula/wooden spoon to hydrate the flour just enough that dough forms.

  4. Turn out the dough onto counter and form into a ball. Flatten so it is a circle of even height (approx ¾ in tall). Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour in refrigerator. Dough will keep in the fridge for 1 week. 

  5. Just before taking the dough out to form, toss the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch together in a bowl. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

  6. On a lightly floured counter, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a circle 12 inches in diameter. No need to trim any rough edges. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. For easy transportation, drape the dough over your rolling pin and carefully deposit on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

  7. In the center of the circle, pile the fruit. There should be 2 inches of dough surrounding the fruit. 

Raspberry + Beet Salad (serves 2)

Salad Ingredients

2 medium sized Beets

1 tsp fresh or ½ tsp dried Thyme

1 tsp Olive oil

3 cups Arugula

2-4 tbsp (depending on preference) Goat cheese

½ cup Raspberries

Instructions:

  1. Thinly slice the beets using a knife or mandoline. In a large bowl, toss with olive oil and thyme. Add arugula, goat cheese and raspberries. Toss salad with dressing (follows). 

Raspberry Balsamic Dressing (lower-fat)

Ingredients

¼ cup Raspberries

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp Garlic powder

Instructions:

  1. In a mason jar, use a fork to macerate the raspberries until broken down. Add the rest of the ingredients, seal and shake until the oil is emulsified. 

by MacKenzie Patton-Donnelly

NutritionBallard Health Club