Let Them Eat Healthy: Red, White & Blue Fruit Skewers

I just love this time of year, when summer is starting to get hot and the berries are emerging at the farmers market! I love all the U-pick signs lining the roads as well, we are big berry pickers and like to plan a whole day, and menu around it. My daughter ends up with a stained face and fingers and rarely has any in her bucket when we are ready to leave. I think that berry picking is incredibly satisfying, all the ripe berries among the prickly branches and green leaves that are plump and warm from sitting in the sun. There are a number of ways that we eat this bounty; simply with cold, sweet vanilla milk or over our local yogurt with just a small drizzle of dark buckwheat honey. We also do fancy things with the berries too, dipping them in decadent chocolate and pairing it with some wine or how about a tall, delicious shortcake! These fruit skewers are a combination of the latter two, making for a very special but very simple and portable snack or dessert. I am going to an annual fourth of July party with a very close friend and we always like to bring something to share. I have seen many red, white and blue desserts on Pinterest and thought, wow what a great idea! I then combined two dessert ideas and made them into, portable individual servings, perfect for a 4th of July picnic! The skewer offers tart tangy fruit, sweet, moist cake and just a smidge of white chocolate that ties the whole thing together nicely. They are festive and delicious! You can use any combination of fruit, cake and chocolate that you would like and change it to fit any party or occasion, I just love these. I do want to note that whatever cake you use, you will want one that is dense because it holds onto the skewer better, that is why I chose pound cake, its incredibly moist and holds together well. I am a terrible baker so I chose to go with a locally made, lemon pound cake and didn't feel the least bit guilty because it was incredible.

This recipe makes 25-30 skewers.

Ingredients

2 Pints local, organic or low spray strawberries, hulled.
1 Pint local, organic blueberries
1 Bag (11oz) white chocolate chips, I used Ghirardelli.
6 Small slices of lemon pound cake, I used a locally made one any dense cake will work.
Small bamboo skewers, I bought them at Amazon for 2$, craft stores also carry them.

Directions

In a small, microwave safe bowl melt the chocolate. I do this by microwaving it for 30 second increments and stirring after each one till the chocolate is melted. Be careful not to get water or anything in the chocolate while melting or it will seize (it will harden and you will not be able to dip in it). Make sure your strawberries are room temp and dry. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Dip each strawberry, half-way into the white chocolate, twist to coat and remove to the wax paper to dry. Once all are dipped, place the sheet in the fridge to dry and harden. About 20 minutes.

Cut the pound cake into bite size chunks.

To assemble: Start with a piece of cake, 2 blueberries, a chocolate covered strawberry* and then another piece of cake. Set them on a serving tray or in a long tupperware dish, with top for storing.

*Note: When skewering the strawberries be sure to do it so that you are not puncturing the chocolate shell, this will cause it to crack and break off making a big mess and frustrating you, I do it through the top half of the strawberry that is not dipped.