3 ways of adding Quebec fruits and
vegetables to your desserts

It is possible to make desserts that are simple and inexpensive.

You simply need to plan your grocery list ahead of time and rely on a bit of creativity. Here are a few ways to integrate Quebec fruits and vegetables in your favourite desserts. Find "Super Québec" fruits and vegetables in your Super C and stock up on fresh local produce.

Shredded zucchini for extra moist desserts

Zucchini has become a popular ingredient in desserts. Yep, you read that right! In fact, zucchini can be used as a substitute for butter in some recipes such as brownies or chocolate cakes. In addition to being a low-calorie ingredient, it will make your dessert extra moist. If your kids don't believe you, have them try it. It will only take one bite to convince them!

The trick is to replace 100 grams of butter with about 150 grams of shredded zucchini. So if a recipe calls for a cup of butter, use about 1 1/2 cup of shredded zucchini. But make sure to peel it before shredding it because the peel is bitter!

Bonus tip: Don't have any zucchini? You can use apple sauce instead of butter in some recipes with a 1-to-1 ratio. Use 1 cup of apple sauce instead of 1 cup of butter. It's also a good way to cut down on the sugar in a recipe because the apple sauce is already sweet. As simple as pie!

Quebec berries to top all your desserts

Here are four ways of using seasonal Quebec fruits to make your desserts even better

Homemade coulis: Cook some berries with a bit of a water in a pot. Add some maple syrup to make the coulis sweet. Then pulse in a blender until you get a smooth texture. For even more savings, use berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries) that are in season. Did you make too much coulis? Freeze it in an ice cube tray for use later!
Dessert toppings: You can purchase an angel food cake at Super C and top it with Quebec strawberries and whipped cream. A quick way to please your whole family!

Do you have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that your kids adore? Try adding a few Quebec berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) as the final step of your recipe. Then scoop the cookie dough into baking moulds or on a baking sheet.
Frozen desserts with berries: You can use Quebec berries to make popsicles, sorbets, or even homemade yogurt. Depending on what's in season, you can add pieces of strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries in your popsicles. Berries can also help transform an ordinary bowl of vanilla ice cream into an eye-popping sundae!

Vegetables to turn your desserts into colourful and nutritional treats

You can use certain kinds of vegetables to prepare bright desserts packed with nutrients. Once these vegetables are combined with the other ingredients, their taste won't affect the final result. That means your kids won't even realize they're eating veggies!

Beets: You can add beets to cakes (just like you add carrots to a carrot cake) to give them a purple hue. The trick is to purchase raw beets and cook them in the oven and then reduce them into a puree. Depending on your cake recipe, you'll need about a cup of beets. You should obviously try adding beets to a white cake recipe because a chocolate cake won't brighten as much. To make the icing match, simply add some beet juice. You can also add beets in your healthy smoothies to make them pink!

Spinach: That's right, spinach! Spinach has a subtle taste that pairs well with bananas. You can therefore add some to your favourite recipe for banana bread or muffins. Simple take a generous amount of spinach and pulse in the blender with one of your wet ingredients. For instance, combine with milk before adding to your recipe. It will give your cakes and smoothies a nice green hue and extra nutrients!

Desserts with Quebec fruits and vegetables all year round

To take advantage of Quebec fruits and vegetables, keep an eye on your Super C flyer. You can also freeze them to ensure you always have some on hand in the winter for extra savings. It's another way to make preparing desserts with fruits and vegetables easy. Best of all, they'll boost the flavour of your favourite recipes!

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