All Dietitians

Strawberry Pie and Strawberry Spinach Salad by Patty from Oklahoma

Patty thought she would follow the career path of the other women in her family and become a Home Economics teacher. Then, while studying at Louisiana Tech University she took some classes in dietetics and decided to chart a different path.

Luckily for Patty’s patients at her Oklahoma DaVita center she changed her mind. And luckily for her team members, the well-traveled daughter of a career Air Force officer made Oklahoma her home. Patty feels pretty lucky too. She says her job is “never boring.”  She enjoys working with different teammates at her center, “and being a part of the team. Hearing the wonderful stories of the patients and their families,” she says. Patty tries to be a good listener, “so the patients will express their concerns and share their ups and downs,” she shares. Always trying to do the best for her patients, Patty consistently tries to find a way to include their favorite foods into their diet.

This brings us back to those red, juicy “strew” berries.  Like many of her patients, Patty loves to garden. Although she says she does not possess the green thumb that her father did, her garden is still a great place for her to relax. This year, she decided to grow strawberries. Patty says, “Strawberries grow best in a cool, moist climate and can be planted in the spring or fall. They are an ‘inside out fruit’ where the seeds are found on the outside of the fruit.”  Patty’s full of helpful gardening tips as well as being an accomplished and caring health care professional. For those on fluid restrictions, Patty advises, “Strawberries can be frozen and then used to help control thirst and dry mouth.”  

If all this talk of strawberries puts you in the mood for some, here are two dazzling recipes for Patty’s Strawberry Pie and Strawberry Spinach Salad.  

Recipe

• Strawberry Pie
• Strawberry Spinach Salad