Photo by James Ransom

By the Editors at Food52.com

One of the best things about summer is the abundance of fresh berries at the market. But it's often the case that our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, and the once plump and happy fruit we bought at the beginning of the week can start to look a little sad in the fridge.

Fear not! Here are two ways to turn those berries around and make them taste just as delicious as -- if not even better than -- their perkier counterparts.

Roasted Rhubarb and Strawberries

The classic combination of strawberry and rhubarb is wrapped up in a sweet-savory syrup made with vermouth and balsamic. Just chop strawberries and rhubarb, toss with the remaining ingredients, and roast. Serve the cooked fruit on yogurt or stirred into oatmeal.

Makes about 5 cups

2 cups hulled strawberries, cut in half
3 cups roughly chopped rhubarb
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sweet vermouth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet or large cooking dish with parchment paper, this is a juicy dish and you don't want the delicious juices running all over your oven. 
2. In a large bowl mix the strawberries and rhubarb. In a small bowl whisk together the maple syrup, sweet vermouth, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Pour this over the rhubarb and strawberries, gently tossing until coated. Spread the fruit out on the baking dish in a single layer, drizzling the juices over the fruit and slide into the oven. 
3. Roast the fruit for about 40 minutes; the juices should be thick and the rhubarb tender to touch. Transfer to a bowl once out of the oven and still warm. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to one week.

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Photo by James Ransom

Blackberry, Rosemary, and Yogurt Popsicles

When it’s too hot to turn on the oven, it’s time to give the freezer a turn in the spotlight. The mission: popsicles!

First up: a layer of blackberry and blueberry puree, sweetened with rosemary syrup, is added to the molds. After a few hours in the freezer, top the fruity base with a layer of yogurt sweetened with vanilla sugar. A few hours more and you have double-decker, torpedo-shaped treats you can feel good about eating.

Makes 6 popsicles

2 rosemary sprigs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup blueberries
1 1/2 cups blackberries
1 cup Greek or European-style whole milk yogurt
2 to 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract)

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