Kiwifruit

The kiwifruit is a small fruit approximately 3 inches long and weighing about four ounces. Its green flesh is almost creamy in consistency with an invigorating taste reminiscent of strawberries, melons and bananas, yet with its own unique sweet flavor. Packed with more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange, the bright green flesh of the kiwifruit speckled with tiny black seeds adds a dramatic tropical flair to any fruit salad. California kiwifruit is available November through May, while the New Zealand crop hits the market June through October making fresh kiwis available year round.

Kiwi is a very versatile fruit that you can enjoy in many ways. Here are a few quick serving ideas:

• It can be eaten as is by peeling and slicing with a pairing knife.

• Add kiwifruit to tossed green salads.

• Serve sliced kiwifruit and strawberries, fruits whose flavors are naturally complementary, topped with yogurt.

• Mix sliced kiwifruit, orange and pineapple together to make chutney that can be served as an accompaniment to chicken or fish.

• Blend kiwifruit and cantaloupe in a food processor to make a chilled soup. For a creamier consistency, blend yogurt in with the fruit mixture.

• Kiwifruit have a wonderful flavor and appearance for use in fruit tarts.

Fruit and Veggie Handling

It always pays to be safe than sorry. We should always wash our fruits and veggies to wash away bacteria that may cause illnesses. Here are simple tips on how to handle fresh produce.

PREP THE KITCHEN
Before preparing fruits and vegetables, wash your hands with warm water and soap and use hot soapy water to clean your cutting board, countertop and utensils.

USE WATER
Thoroughly rinse fresh produce under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Never use detergent or bleach to wash fresh fruits or vegetables. These products are not intended for consumption.

SCRUB THOROUGHLY
Rub firm skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.

Food Friday - Pomegranates

I never had pomegranate fruit in my life till after New Year's day. I just wanted to complete our traditional 12 different kinds of round fruits to welcome the New Year so I had to get pomegranates too. Believe it or not, I didn't even have a clue on how to eat this fruit. I didn't know how to pull out the seeds or if I should eat them too, lol. So for those of you who don't have any idea on how to eat pomegranate, here are the easy steps on how to eat pomegranate for your health:

POMEGRANATES

Step1

Eat the seeds from the fruit. While pomegranates are messy to eat (the juice will stain fingers and clothes) and it may be difficult to pull the seeds out of the fruit, eating the seeds is a great way to get the health benefits of a pomegranate.

Step2

Take pomegranate seed oil. Early research indicates that the seed oil itself may help prevent against various cancers and may help with hormone control as it is the only fruit that contains estrogen. You can find the seed oil in capsule forms at many health food stores.

Step3

Drink the juice. Pomegranate juice contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and is one of the only fruits where drinking the juice will get you more antioxidants than eating the fruit itself. This is because there are antioxidants in the peel and we don't eat the peel. When we squeeze the fruit to get the juice out, the antioxidants in the peel are released. While you can try to squeeze the juice yourself, this will take a great deal of effort from you. You can buy pomegranate juice in health food stores and in the health food sections of most grocery stores.

HEALTH BENEFITS:
Pomegranates are becoming increasingly popular from a health perspective as they are rich in antioxidants. In addition, pomegranates are full of potassium, niacin, Vitamin C and fiber. We are only just learning about the pomegranates' health benefits, but they may prevent some cancers and the hardening of arteries associated with heart disease, be a natural Viagra and may prevent Osteoarthritis.

(Source - ehow.com)

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Power Booster

I am very fond of eating fresh fruits anytime during the day. I mix my strawberries with cereals for breakfast, munch on blueberries at snack time and pack some grapes when I'm on the go. I buy fruits in bulk at Costco, not only because its cheaper by the bulk but also it saves me the trip of going there often. I just leave some in the fridge to snack on and put away the rest in the freezer for later. I usually buy blueberries, strawberries, bananas , oranges and grapes and any fruits in season.

Berries have more protective plant anti-oxidant than almost any other food, while grapes are rich in vitamins and minerals that are vital for our health. Bananas not only give an instant and sustained boost of energy but can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, so it is a must to add bananas to our daily diet. Oranges are a great source of iron and calcium, and they help keep our cholesterol low. These are just a few of the many benefits that these favorite fruits can give us.