Strawberry and Cream Trifle

Now that strawberries are in season, and access to it is much easier, since a lot of people had gone up to Baguio for the recently concluded Panagbenga festivities, preparing one easy dessert is a delight.    A friend of mine started selling these bright red patches by the kilos.   So when she texted me if I want to order, well, of course I did and not just a kilo, and the rest was a culinary history.
Before I share one of the things I was able to make out those succulent berries, I do want to stress out some of the health benefits which I shamefully took in the net (credit to www.besthealthmag.ca), and just some of the reasons why I love them, raw and fresh.

Here are 10 Health benefits of strawberries:
1.   Boost immunity
      Here is a trivia, eight strawberries have more vitamin C than an orange, that's 140% of our daily    recommended amount.
2.   Promote eye health
     The antioxidant properties in strawberries may also help to prevent cataracts—the clouding over of the eye lens—which can lead to blindness in older age.
3.   Fight cancer
      Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants that can help with cancer prevention, since a healthy immune system is the body’s best defense. A phytochemical called ellagic acid—also found in strawberries—is another. Ellagic acid has been shown to yield anti-cancer properties like suppressing cancer cell growth

4.   It keep wrinkles at bay
    Yey to this!   The power of vitamin C in strawberries continues, as it is vital to the production of collagen, which helps to improve skin’s elasticity and resilience. Since we lose collagen as we age, eating foods rich in vitamin C may result in healthier, younger-looking skin. But vitamin C isn’t the only naturally-occuring wrinkle fighter found in strawberries. Researchers at Hallym University in the Republic of Korea concluded that ellagic acid visibly prevented collagen destruction and inflammatory response—two major factors in the development of wrinkles—in human skin cells, after continued exposure to skin-damaging UV-B rays.
5.   Fight bad cholesterol
     Strawberries  contain powerful heart-health boosters. “Ellagic acid and flavonoids— or phytochemicals—can provide an antioxidant effect that can benefit heart health in various ways,” explains Edwards. “One way includes counteracting the effect of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL—bad cholesterol in the blood—which causes plaque to build up in arteries. A second way is that they provide an anti-inflammatory effect, which is also good for the heart.” Researchers at the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center in Toronto studied the effect of strawberries on a cholesterol-lowering diet and concluded that adding strawberries to the diet reduced oxidative damage, as well as blood lipids—both of which play a role in heart disease and diabetes.
6.  Reduce inflammation
      The antioxidants and phytochemicals found in strawberries may also help to reduce inflammation of the joints, which may cause arthritis and can also lead to heart disease. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health shows that women who eat 16 or more strawberries per week are 14 percent less likely to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP)—an indication of inflammation in the body.
7.   Regulate blood pressure
      Potassium-rich strawberries can help regulate blood pressure and may even help to lower high blood pressure by acting as a buffer against the negative effects of sodium. With their impact on the reduction of LDL, inflammation and high blood pressure, strawberries have earned the title of one of the most heart-healthy fruits you can eat.
8.   Boost fibre
      Fibre is a necessity for healthy digestion, and strawberries naturally contain about 2 g per serving. Problems that can arise from lack of fibre include constipation and diverticulitis—an inflammation of the intestines—which affects approximately 50 percent of people over 60. F  ibre can also aid in fighting type 2 diabetes.  Fibre helps slow the absorption of sugars (i.e. glucose) in the blood, as a result, adults who are managing diabetes can enjoy strawberries—in moderation—in their diet.
9.   Aid in weight management
      A 100g serving of strawberries will serve you for just 50 calories - that's a whooping 0g of fat.   Strawberries are naturally low calorie (around 28 kCal per serving), fat-free and low in both sodium and sugar.
10.   Promote pre-natal health
      Folate is a B-vitamin recommended for women who are pregnant or trying to conceive, and strawberries are a good source with 21 mcg per serving. Folate is necessary in the early stages of pregnancy to help in the development of the baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord, and the folic acid in strawberries may help to prevent certain birth defects, such as spina bifida.

Making the Strawberry Triffle.

Now that we are all aware of the great importance of strawberries to our daily nutrition, why don't we do something that would tickle our family's or friends interests into it.   Now, let me see what I found in my kitchen to make with it.   Good thing, my kids haven't seen these Tous les Jours' chiffon cupcakes, the yellow type and the chocolate flavored.    Then, there's a box of cream, and a box of powdered sugar.

Getting them all together and preparing before layering each ingredients makes it more easier to do.  

  

First, get either a big glass trifle container.   In my case I used square-shaped glasses.    Next, slice your strawberries length-wise, either in half  in three slices.   Then,  slice your chiffon cakes.   There are a few tricks in making trifles, you can slice the cakes in cubes or cut a whole big Angel food cake or shortcake, whatever is available.   Next, we need to make the cream.   You can opt to use chilled no-sugar cream, or mix two cups of powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar) to a cup of cream.   Once the cream is stiff peaked.          We are ready to arrange the layers.   

You can start with the strawberries or the cakes.  In my case the layering is as such (from the bottom):  Strawberries, cream, chocolate cake, cream, strawberries, yellow cake, cream, strawberries, chocolate cake, cream and on the top are two slices of strawberries. 

Four ingredients, in five easy steps with 10 health benefits.  What could go wrong with that!
More yummy moments here, so visit often!