Raspberries are plentiful in summer, but are still available year-round. They’re delicate and highly perishable, so you’ll need to store them in the fridge and consume them within a few days. When you bring them home, get rid of any raspberries that don’t quite look plump and at their best, as they will affect other surrounding raspberries very quickly due to mould spores. One way to make them last just a little bit longer (along with other berries) is to place the berries in a bowl of 1 part water to 1 part apple cider vinegar for about one minute, drain and rinse gently to get rid of the vinegar taste. Gently pat dry so they don’t remain water-logged. Another option is to freeze raspberries. Freezing raspberries does mean that they’ll lose their plumpness and colour, however they’ll still keep a lot of their nutritional value.
Raspberries are high in Vitamin C and dietary fibre. Raspberries are also high in Vitamin K (crucial to blood clotting to prevent bleeding) and magnesium (a key anti-stress mineral, assists with the production of energy, promotes a healthy complexion and assists with the management of P.M.S.). One cup of raspberries provides around 40% of the recommended daily intake of manganese which is essential for effective digestion and for healthy joint development.
Raspberries can be mixed in with porridge or with yoghurt, and are also delicious eaten on their own. I like to make a raw raspberry coulis to drizzle over coconut ice-cream, coconut yoghurt, fruit salad, and buckwheat pancakes. Raspberries also pair very well with chocolate. Being a ‘raw’ recipe means that there’s no heat involved, unlike the traditional way of preparing coulis, so raspberries keep more of their nutrient content.
This Raw Raspberry Coulis recipe can be made with either fresh or frozen raspberries and will keep for a couple of days in the fridge.
Raw Raspberry Coulis Recipe.
(Gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, sugar free)
Makes approx 1 ½ cups.
Great served drizzled over coconut ice-cream, coconut yoghurt, fruit salad, and buckwheat pancakes.
I like my coulis to be quite tart in flavour, so if you prefer it a little sweeter, then use more honey to your desired taste.
Ingredients:
2 cups organic raspberries (fresh or frozen)
Juice of ½ a lemon
½ cup filtered water (you may need a little more if using fresh raspberries)
1 tbsp organic raw honey
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve to remove seeds.
Coulis will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.
(Note: For a vegan version, replace honey with pure maple syrup.)
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