The ingredients oil and vinegar have long been integral components of Italian cuisine, which adheres to the Mediterranean diet. This diet advocates the consumption of nutritious items, such as olive oil, vegetables, herbs, grains, fish, fruit, wine, and cheese. Given the healthiness of olive oil and vinegar, you should certainly consider making these items a regular part of your diet.

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A Unique, Healthy, and Tasty Dessert

Everyone loves desserts, so you shouldn’t let their unhealthiness stop you from eating them. Instead, you can create your own delectable, low-calorie dessert right in your own kitchen. Such low-calorie desserts are especially great for mothers, who, according to research, are overweight more often than not. Even if yours is not among the over 50 percent of mothers who are currently at risk for diabetes, help your mom stay healthy by preparing healthy desserts for her to enjoy.

Because fruits are both sweet and a healthy choice, these are great for desserts. Strawberries, in particular, possess a delicious sweet taste. Strawberries topped with balsamic vinegar may seem like an odd combination, but this is actually quite a mouthwatering treat. In fact, once you try topping your strawberries with balsamic vinegar, you’ll never find the need to use sugar.

Instead of taking your mom out to dinner this Mother’s Day, prepare this tasty balsamic-topped strawberries dessert for her. She’ll surely remember it for years to come as a dessert that is both flavorful and good for her health.

A recipe for homemade balsamic vinegar is listed below. If you opt to buy store-bought brands, go for Villa Bellentani Gran Reserva Balsamic. This vinegar has an exquisite and complex aroma, a dense and syrupy consistency, and a rich taste that makes it perfect for drizzling over strawberries.

Preparing a Homemade Balsamic Topping

To create a delicious balsamic topping, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil. Let it simmer until its viscosity is reduced to a thin syrup and the vinegar has a sweet taste. The vinegar should be reduced to less than half of its original volume. This process is called reduction or what some refer to as “boiling down.”

Featuring a taste much bolder than apple cider, authentic balsamic vinegar is made from grapes. It is the result of years of aging in wooden barrels. The barrels actually have a great influence on the final taste of the vinegar. The finest, and most expensive, balsamic vinegar comes from the province of Modena in Italy.

Cheaper versions of the Modena-made balsamics are available as traditional brown-colored balsamic or white at local grocery stores. Try which of the two you like best. Dark balsamic vinegar is great with strawberries as explained above. You can even add a dash of pepper to this dessert for added flavor. Aside from being a great dessert topping, balsamic vinegar can be used on all types of vegetables, like cauliflower, asparagus, squash, and also on fish.

Fresh Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

1 cup balsamic vinegar (white balsamic if desired)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups ripe red strawberries

Using a saucepan that won’t react to the vinegar, combine the vinegar and sugar. Constantly stirring the mixture, bring the ingredients to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, while you stir occasionally. Be careful, as the vinegar can scorch if left unattended. You want the vinegar to turn into a thick syrup. Once it does, remove it from the heat and leave to cool.

As for the strawberries, wash, dry, and slice the strawberries, preferably with an ulu knife. Place the strawberries in a bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of the balsamic reduction your created over the strawberries. Gently stir the berries together with the reduction using a plastic spatula. Refrigerate the dish for one hour.

To serve your strawberry dessert, place the strawberries in a dessert saucer and garnish with fresh mint. You now have a unique, flavorful, and low-calorie dessert perfect for Mother’s Day or any special occasion.

balsamic strawberries dessert

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