***I participated in the Berry Joyful Campaign as a member of the Vibrant Nation Network. I received a product voucher and compensation for my time creating this recipe. All content below is copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2014.
Momma Told Me: Make every moment sweet.
Growing up in Southern California I enjoyed the privilege of extended summers soaking up warm sun and an array of fresh from the field produce year-round. Locally we have several high volume crops from avocados and seedless oranges to bright leafy cabbage and big, plump, berries. In fact, when my family moved closer to the coast in middle school, I learned my new hometown was host to a very special berry event known as the California Strawberry Festival. This is no ordinary town festival, this is an event that has major streets blocked off and tourists flying in from outside states. It is an experience, to say the least. That's because Oxnard, California, and it's surrounding cities, are responsible for an estimated 1/3 of the U.S.'s strawberry production, yearly.
To say we have access to some of the largest, freshest, berries in the country would be an understatement. Just walking out the front door at the height of berry season puts a smile on my face and reminds me of childhood memories at the pick-your-own farm smearing fresh strawberry juice across my plump little cheeks. And, when our relatives visit from back East only one thing is demanded; the largest basket of strawberries we can find, and a fresh can of Reddi-Wip in the fridge. There's just something about that fluffy, creamy, whipped concoction that just makes my berry memories extra sweet. As a young girl Momma and I would be caught by pop, huddled around the refrigerator door swirling piles of Reddi-Wip onto strawberries before scarfing them down.
But there are many ways to dress up a berry, and a dozen desserts I can thin to whip up at last minute's notice. That's the beauty of having fresh, ripe, berries on hand this time of season; Berry Joyful Moments are just one swirl and dip away. That's why Reddi-Wip and Naturipe have teamed up to bring us the
#BerryJoyfulSweeps, where berry lovers nationwide are encouraged to pick up a can of Reddi-Wip and share their Berry-licious moments on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Now through July 7th, all photos tagged with #BerryJoyfulSweeps will be entered to win weekly prizes and count as an entry towards the grand prize of a 2 person getaway to the 2015 Watsonville Strawberry Festival!
Of course it doesn't require a reason, for me to share one of my favorite excuses to enjoy fresh berries and Reddi-Wip; so I hit the kitchen and 'Wipped' up my family's favorite 7 ingredient No-Bake Berry Cheesecakes in mini form. I happened to have some dark chocolate cordial cups leftover from the holidays so I piped some of the batter into them for individual servings. Then I took the leftover batter and spread it into 6oz cups for mini cheesecakes that could easily be served at our weekend cookout, or taken to the bowling alley for league.
You may not be as fortunate as me to have had a backyard full of berries growing up, but I bet you have a few Berry Joyful Moments to share- and if you don't there's never been a better time to start creating them! For those watching their waists, Reddi-Wip Original and Extra Creamy have just 15 calories per serving, while Reddi-Wip Fat Free is just 5, so no excuses!
Bring home some berry joy today and tell me how you like to indulge in your favorite berry moments!
What Daughter Says: Summer is here, enjoy your favorite berries today!
