A collection of the best berry recipes from Simply Quinoa! Plus, get my tips and tricks for berry picking, storing, and freezing to help you use up those summer berries so you never waste them again!
I absolutely love all kinds of berries—strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries each hold a special place in my heart. While breakfast might be the first meal that comes to mind when we think of berries, I think berries can be enjoyed at any time of day. Don't get me wrong, I love my oatmeal with fresh berries, but berry desserts might be my latest addiction. And lately, I've been adding fresh berries to all my quinoa salads at lunchtime.
So, today I've rounded up my favorite healthy berry recipes, from homemade muffins and smoothie bowls to fresh salads, berry crisps & crumbles, and so much more.
Healthy Berry Breakfast Recipes
You're bound to have a fabulous day when you start your morning off with one of these delicious and nourishing breakfast recipes. We've got some brunch crowd-pleasers like French toast and coffee cake, but also some brekkie recipes that are great for meal prep too. And don't worry if you don't see muffins here—that's in the next section!
Triple Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bake
Blueberry Banana Baked Protein Oatmeal
Fluffy Vegan Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes
Gluten Free French Toast with Berries
Strawberry & Peach Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
Lemon Raspberry Quinoa Breakfast Bars
Blueberry Muffin Quinoa Breakfast Cookies
Honey Blueberry Quinoa Granola
Berry Breads & Muffins
If you're not a huge fan of berries but still want to incorporate more fruits into your diet, muffins and breads might be the recipes for you! I love berry muffin recipes because you still get all the flavor and texture from the muffin itself, but with little speckles of fruit throughout. Here are the best simple and delicious bread and muffin recipes that use up your fresh berries. These berry recipes are great for meal prep or freezing for later!
Healthy Chocolate Muffins with Raspberry Swirl
Healthy Blueberry Muffins
Blackberry Lime Oatmeal Muffins
Blueberry Banana Bread
Skinny Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
Cranberry Quinoa Banana Bread
The Best Berry Smoothies
Is there anything better than enjoying a refreshing, homemade berry smoothie on a hot summer day? Here are my very favorite berry smoothies and smoothie bowls. These berry recipes are a great way to start your day, but they're also so delicious I won't blame you if you enjoy one for dessert. Pro tip: add a handful of greens to any berry smoothie recipe for an extra healthy kick!
Triple Berry Smoothie Bowl
Refreshing Raspberry Smoothie
Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
Vegan Triple Berry Protein Smoothie
Salads & Savory Berry Recipes
Berries aren't just for sweets! Get ready for some delicious salad recipe inspiration. These savory berry recipes are a perfect way to get some fruit into your meals at lunch or dinner time.
Blackberry & Apricot Quinoa Salad
Summery Spring Mix Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Maple Lime Triple Berry Salad
Blueberry Quinoa Power Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Toasted Quinoa
Snack Recipes with Berries
Need a quick and healthy snack recipe? Here are the best berry recipes for snacking. With energy bites and protein bars, these recipes are perfect for on-the-go. The little ones will love these ideas, too!
Lemon Blueberry Energy Balls
PB&J Energy Bites
Blueberry Acai Granola Bars
Raspberry Chocolate Chip Protein Bars
Berry Delicious Desserts
See what I did there? 😉 Here are my favorite ways to enjoy berries in dessert form! The best part about these dessert ideas is that they are made with totally clean, healthy ingredients. The whole family will love these berry dessert recipes!
5-ingredient Mixed Berry Crumble
Healthy Vegan Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake
Healthy Raspberry Quinoa Brownies
Raspberry Banana Avocado Mousse
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
More About Berries
How to Pick Berries at the Grocery Store
Berries are a seasonal ingredient and I recommend buying fresh berries only when they're in season. When they're out of season, buying frozen is a great alternative, and many times frozen berries can be used the exact same way.
When you're shopping for berries, keep in mind that they're delicate fruit and can often get damaged in shipping.
Look for berries that are:
- bright & colorful
- unbruised
- don't have mold
- look fresh
If they're in a plastic container, don't forget to flip the container upside down!
How to Prep + Store Berries
The best way to store and prep your berries is to actually leave them alone. Washing berries and then putting them back into the container causes them to go bad more quickly.
I like to just wash what I'm going to use at the time and leave the others in the container. This post might also help with some additional berry storing tips!
How to Freeze Berries to Use Later
Bought too many berries or feel like they're going to go bad? No worries—you can freeze them!
The best way to freeze fresh berries is:
- wash the berries under cool water in a colander
- pat the berries dry with a paper towel
- transfer the berries onto a parchment-lined baking sheet
- freeze the sheet until berries are frozen solid
Then you can store them in a sealed container/bag and use them in your recipes!