Strawberry Breakfasts are in Season

In season: Strawberries!

Latin name: Fragraria vesca

Most of us are pretty familiar with strawberries -- they look like the fruits in this picture: little, red, and juicy with tiny seeds nestled in its skin.

But did you know that the strawberry fruit has a cooling nature and has been used to reduce fevers and other hot conditions within the body? As within, so without: for example, if you have a mild sunburn, you can rub a fresh cut of strawberry over the affected skin to reduce the redness.

Another time-tested use for strawberry fruit was to remove discoloration from teeth. Simply rub the berry on to them and allow the juice to remain on for about five minutes. Afterwards, rinse with warm water to which a pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) has been added. (There was no mention of the frequency of this remedy. As strawberries are so delicious, I'd use that as an excuse to do this about once a day.)

Carl Linnaeus, a renowned botanist from Sweden who lived in the 1700's, proved that the fruit was even useful for relieving rheumatic gout!

What's not commonly known is that the Strawberry's leaves are also high in Vitamin C and astringent. As such, they can be brewed into tea to alleviate diarrhea. Hooray! But even if you're not challenged by this ailment, you can still enjoy a cup of strawberry leaf tea - perhaps chilled with mint and fresh lemon for a cool lemonade?

Strawberries’ notable minerals: folate, manganese, potassium; notable vitamin: C. (Comprehensive nutrition facts on strawberries at NutritionData.com)

You can check out more folklore than you ever wanted to know at VegParadise

Sources:
* A Modern Herbal, volume II. Mrs. M. Grieve, ISBN 0486227995

* Nutrition Data: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2064/2

* University of California Museum of Paleontology for Carl Linnaeus' biography -- www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/linnaeus.html
* University of Illinois extension: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/strawberries/history.html

* VegParadise: http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch45.html

* Photograph: Johnnyscriv at iStockphoto

Sighing Strawberry Oatmeal with Coconut Milk

Tools You need:
A stove & saucepan (optional)
A small knife
A bowl and spoon

Ingredients You Need
Milk – rice, almond, soy, cow, goat, etc
Strawberries
Maple syrup or honey
Coconut milk
Rolled oats
Ground spices like cardamom, cinnamon, or ginger.

Do this
Optional: Put your milk on the stove to warm up. Keep it on low - medium. You will need about 1/2 – 3/4 cup.

While it’s heating, grab your bowl and cut up as many strawberries into it as you like. Add some coconut milk (I use about 2 heaping tablespoons), your honey or maple syrup, and about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of rolled oats. Add your spices, if you like.

Pour the milk over your breakfast. If you chose to heat it, wait about 1 minute for the oats to get soft. If you pour it in cold, wait 2-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like your oats. (I’ve been known to eat it right away.)