14 Ways to Use Up and Preserve Fresh Raspberries

14 Ways to Use Up and Preserve Fresh Raspberries

You know what kind of stinks?  Not having a big established raspberry patch, that’s what. Man, raspberries are pricey little buggers. And I’ve gotten so used to having plenty in the freezer, that I’d almost forgotten what it was like not to be able to enjoy them anytime.

That’s why this year, I’ve had to watch the sales like a hawk and snatch them up when prices were low. We enjoyed our fair share of them fresh, but I was sure to put some up too. Hopefully this year, my small, but growing raspberry patch will supplement.

Preserving

1. Make jam.  Raspberry jam is my favorite.  I like the freezer variety and the standard canned version.  It just kind of depends on what I am in the mood to make.
2. Freeze them. Just rinse them, lay them out flat to dry completely, and then transfer them to a Silpat {or parchment paper} lined cookie tray.  Place them on the tray in a single layer and freeze them until firm.  This step keeps the berries from sticking together during long term storage.  Once they are frozen on the tray, transfer the berries to a freezer safe bag or container.
3. Dehydrate them.  Dehydrated raspberries are perfect for trail mix or homemade granola.

Ways to Enjoy Them Fresh

1. Eat them straight out of the garden.  They are fantastic when they are all warm from the sun.  Doesn’t get much better than that.
2. Make a warm pot of Raspberry Applesauce.  I could literally put this one under dessert–it’s that tasty.
3. Toss them into your oatmeal.  The HH loves his Sunday oatmeal, so sometimes I’ll toss a few raspberries on top for a little something different.
4. Make smoothies.  Raspberries add a ton of flavor to just about any smoothie combo.
5. Make yogurt parfaits.  For a quick and easy snack or breakfast, layer yogurt, raspberries and some granola.  Repeat.
6. Toss them into salads.  They taste great in spinach salads, but you can also try Quinoa with Raspberries and Oranges, for a little creative variation on your standard side.
7. Make muffins.  Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins are a personal fav, but you could make a blueberry muffin recipe and just sub raspberries for blueberries.

Desserts

1. Raspberries make super tasty sorbets–which are a great dairy free dessert option.
2. Pie. Pie. Pie.  I try to make at least one pie out of every berry that crosses my path.  It’s a personal rule that I just cannot break.
3. For a healthier dessert, try Whole Grain Raspberry Bars.
4. Try your hand at a Raspberry Buckle.  A buckle is basically just a fancy word for cake with fruit.  I personally can justify eating it for breakfast, but of course, you could serve it as dessert too.

So there you have it, those are my 14 ways to use up and preserve fresh raspberries.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy raspberries?

~Mavis