APPLES

Apples are a very common fruit and yet I find myself confused about which are the best to eat and which are the best for cooking and baking. I've done a bit of research so let's rediscover the apple together!
Red Delicious- these apples are bright red with small orange dots and sometimes even striped. They are sweet and crispy and excellent for eating and salads.
Fuji- These apples originated in Japan and are a cross between a red delicious and another apple of Japan. They are similar in coloring to the red delicious but instead of heart shaped they are rounder and a little lighter in coloring. They are even sweeter than the red and crispy. They stand up better than the red for cooking and baking, yet still very good in salads and in eating. They are available from October to August.
Gala- These apples have the traditional apple shape and are orange and pinkish stripes over yellow. They come from New Zealand and are a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Cox's Orange Pippin. They are crisp, sweet and very fragrant, and are excellent in salads and sauces, for eating and are considered very good for baking and pies. They are available from August to May.
Braeburn- The braeburn comes from New Zealand and is kind of orange-pink over yellow. It is considered very flavorful even described as sweet and spicy. It's crisp and is very good for all apple uses. It is available from October thru July.
Jonagold- This is a very round apple with a orange red color. It's parents are the Johnathon and Golden Delicious. They are from New York originally and are described as crisp and sweet with a tart taste. They are said to be excellent for eating, pies, salads, and baking, and are available from September thru April.
Cripps Pink- True to their name, this apple is pinkish in color, and originates from Australia. It's parents are the Lady Williams and the Golden Delicious. It is firm, crisp, sweet, and tart even tangy. It is excellent for eating, salads, pies, and sauces, and very good for baking. It is available from November thru August.
Cameo- These are from Washington and are very tart and crunchy. These apples have white spots and are excellent for all apple uses. They are available from October thru August.
Golden Delicious-These apples are from West Virginia originally and are yellow in color. The taste is sweet and although they are not as crispy as the reddish varieties, they seem to keep their flesh color longer. They are considered excellent for all apple uses and are available all year around.
Granny Smith-These green apples are my favorite from Australia and are very tart and crisper than other varieties. They are available all year around and are considered excellent for all apple uses.
McIntosh- This apple is slightly tart and very juicy. It's very good for eating, salads, and sauces and good for baking pies.
Johnathans- These are sweet and spicy and great for all apple uses.
Romes- These apples come originally from Ohio and are the roundest of all the apples. They are sweet and the best for baking because they hold up their taste and shape better than any other variety.

One medium apple has about 80 calories, no fat, 170mg of potassium, 22g of carbs, 5g fiber and 16 sugar.
Different studies on apple eating suggests that they may help to improve lungs, help to ward off cancer, and are perfect for weight loss!
There are soooo many recipes for apples, but I have recently become hooked on my version of Waldorf Salad.
To make the salad, I cubed and peeled both red delicious and granny smith apples, cut some red seedless Welches grapes in half, chopped very fine some celery, and threw in some chopped walnuts. For the dressing I used some light mayo with an equal amount of light sour cream. The flavors all work together very well and just burst in your mouth!MMmmmm!

WATERMmmelon!!!

Watermelon is my favorite. It's cool, it's refreshing and sweet. Did you know that watermelon has more lycopene than any other fruit? It's got more than four times the levels than even tomatoes have. Two cups of watermelon have only 80 calories and no fat at all. It only has 10mg sodium and 230 mg of potassium. There is no cholesterol and 27g of carbs, 2g of fiber and 25g of sugar. It is full of vitamins, it's good for your eyes, for stress, for your heart and is said to be a great detoxifier for your system. On top of all that it's fun to eat!
If you thought all you could do with watermelon is just cut and eat it you are missing some great watermelony ideas. Try it with some boiled chicken pieces and also throw in some cut grapes, sliced bananas, and some honeydew for a great fruit chicken salad. Use the fruits you like in it to give the chicken pieces a great flavor. Chop it up with other fruit for a tropical salsa, or puree it and make a fruit smoothie. You can even freeze the puree and use it for ice cubes in other fruit and summer drinks.
My very favorite dinner is pieces of fruit with french or italian bread, cubes of cheese, and a great glass of wine. I call it my classic romantic dinner!
How about pureed watermelon and maybe kiwi and strawberry for a cool summer soup. If you add a bit of hot sauce or spice it will take a little of the sweetness out and add some kick.
One word of caution for those of us who live in areas where the watermelon is more available during the summer, the first melons to buy in the spring are not as juicy or sweet until about late June or July. The wait is worth it!

LYCHEE

I have been seeing this fruit known as the Lychee on sale at a nearby market. I have never seen one before so I checked it out.
It is a fruit that originated from China. It is small red and has a bumpy texture. To eat it you must peel off the outside to expose the white edible part inside. There is also a pit inside of the white part you need to remove. The fruit itself is juicy and sweet and smells delicious. It is worth while if you happen on these in your store to take one or two home to try them.MMmmmmmmmmm!

UGLI FRUIT

I have passed by this strange and true to it's name, ugli fruit, many times in the store. I have been curious but unwilling to try it because of the way it looks.
I did some investigation and found out that it is from Jamaica and is a cross between grapefruit and tangerines. Talk about freaky offspring! Anyway it is somewhat more tart than sweet and extremely juicy. This would be an excellent choice for those of you who home juice as it would make a great base to start with.
It is a fruit worth trying despite it's appearance and name.
The uglis fruit is easy to peel and you can either eat it like an orange, or use a spoon like you would for a grapefruit.
MMmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

FRUIT FUN OR VEGGIE VENTS!

If you have any ideas , tips, or secret family recipes that you'd like to share, please leave a comment. Or maybe you've seen a fruit or vegetable that you have questions about, or maybe just to say hello, whatever inspires you post a comment for me. I love to hear from you.
In the near future I hope to run a recipe contest of course with a lovely prize for the winners. So watch for it in future posts .

The Beauty Of Orange

When I was training to become an activity director, an very wise teacher taught us something important about using the senses. She used an orange as an example and I'd like to pass it along to you.
One of the reasons we can enjoy something is that we use more than one of our senses to take it in.
Put an orange in front of you on a table. Sight is first. Look at the beautiful orange color and the roundness of this fruit. If you can look even closer you can see the texture too. Then pick it up. Touch. Can you feel the coolness, and the pebbly texture? Smell. Put it to your nose and breathe in the wonderful freshness. Sound. Listen close as you tear the peel and expose more of the aroma. Pull apart the segments and watch as a gentle spray of the juice bursts into the air filling your nose further, making your mouth water. Taste. Pop a segment into your mouth and feel the texture as you chew.
Now that's how to enjoy an orange!

ONIONS, MY FAVORITE VEGGIE

I must confess. I love onions. I will put onions on everything I eat, I even saw a recipe for an onion cake I would like to try. I believe this comes from a trick that my aunt and uncle played on me when I was a kid. They offered me an apple, it really was an onion. I liked it and haven't stopped eating them since!
Onions are truly the food of the gods. They have been around longer than almost any other vegetable. So long, in fact, that it's origins really can't even be traced. They contain a flavonoid that helps with free radical in your body. Even more than tea and apples.
For those of you who don't care for them, here are some tips to make you more onion friendly.
If they seem too strong for you raw, cut and soak them for one to two hours in some ice water, that will take the sting out.
If crying while cutting is a problem, refrigerate them first and cut the root part last. I also suggest rinsing in cold water after taking off the skin and ends.
Always cook the onion on a low heat. They tend to become bitter when cooked on high heat, and never store onions and potatoes together if you want to keep them both fresh and flavorful.
Today I broiled brats, and steamed corn on the cob for our holiday celebration. I also caramelized some onion for the brats. Here's how I do it.
Chop up an onion in medium size pieces. Put some oil in a pan add about two to three tablespoons of sugar and put your onions in. Cook on low to medium heat till onions are deep golden brown. Take out of the pan and drain and pat with paper towel. Add to brats, hamburgers, hot dogs, on top of steak or just eat them alone! MMMmmmmmmmm!

Lemons and Limes

If you are watching what you eat like I am trying to do, try this for a fast refreshing summer drink. Cut up a lime and a lemon. Squeeze the juice from both into a glass, saving one slice of each for the rim of the glass. Add some Splenda or other sweetener, cold water, and fill with crushed ice.
MMmmmmmmmmm. Refreshing, healthy for you, and pretty in a tall glass!
(The sections of the lemon and lime that I squeeze I usually just leave in the bottom of my glass for extra flavor and eye appeal!)

Strawberries

A word here about strawberries. I was surprised to learn that strawberries should be kept in the refrigerator. I always put them in my fridge when I get back from the store, but the thing that surprises me is that the markets never have them in their cold sections. That would explain my constant disappointment in the strawberries. There is always a couple that are growing mold on the bottom. I have also learned that if even one has mold you can bet that the spores are on the rest in the container even if you can't see them.
A fresh ripe red strawberry is a real treat if the markets take proper care of them. Otherwise, I for one will pass on the fresh and just purchase a bag of frozen strawberries. Of course it's not the same but at least you can use those in drinks and other recipes.

Zucchini

I have fallen in love with zucchini. Relax, it's not what you think. It's good for you, and there are so many ways to enjoy it. Zucchini bread is loved by many, but I came across a great idea about a new way to enjoy it as part or all of any lunch or dinner.

Take the zucchini and peel the skin off with a potato peeler. Continue to peel the entire zucchini into long strips. I prefer to steam mine. Once cooked they resemble wide egg noodles. From there just use your imagination. I like to spray mine with what I call the "fake butter". It has nothing in it but flavor, no fat, no sodium, no calories, nothing, and it tastes like butter or margarine. I then sprinkle a little salt on it and some pepper and it's ready to serve! I consider it a real treat. It's not fattening at all, is good for you and tastes great!