TASTE
Tasty strawberries key to cream-cheese spread
| • | Getting around gluten |
By Elaine Magee
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Q. I had a sweet, cream-cheese strawberry spread served to me when I stayed at a bed-and-breakfast in California. It wasn't anything like the strawberry cream cheese you buy at the grocery store. They wouldn't give me the recipe, nor any hints of what was in it. Can you create one for me in time for summer?
A. Your e-mail request inspired me to make a homemade strawberry-orange spread. I started with a blend of light cream cheese, sweetened with a combination of sugar and an alternative sweetener (if desired), plus vanilla extract, fresh-diced strawberries and some orange zest. Keep in mind, the more flavorful the strawberries, the better-tasting the spread. When I created this spread, I used the first really robust red and tasty strawberries of the season, and the spread was really yummy.
Enjoy the spread with toast, crackers, muffins, biscuits, French toast, bagels and anything else you can think to spread it on.
One-fourth cup of ordinary cream cheese contains 202 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 13 grams of saturated fat.
Makes 1 1/2 cups of spread or 5 servings (if 1/4-cup each).
STRAWBERRY-ORANGE SPREAD
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to blend until a spread forms, about 5 seconds. Scrape down sides of processor bowl and pulse again to break up any chunks of cream cheese.
Store in airtight container in refrigerator until needed. Serve within 8 hours for best results because the moisture in the berries may leak into the mixture over time.
Makes 5 servings.
Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian. Learn more at www.recipedoctor.com.
