Strawberry Vanilla Dessert Sauce

If using fresh berries, place strawberries, sugar and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl and mix together. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes until berries begin to give off their juice (skip this step if using frozen berries).

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine strawberries, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds (if using vanilla bean paste or extract, add after mixture is removed from the heat). Heat until sugar dissolves completely, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest. Serve warm or cold. Chill leftovers for up to a week.