Tips to Go From Fruitless to Fruitful

That black stuff? Not for the next 5 days,   read on for grapefruit info.

Fruit is healthy and of course nutritious but sometimes it's difficult to get people excited over fruit. Carolyn and I were asked to speak about fruit at a breakfast at for Edible Arrangements at Sarabeth's restaurant. Edible Arrangements has new items called their “grab and go collection” at their stores nationwide. I hear clients complain about buying fruit only to watch it rot; so anything that removes a mental barrier deserves a vote in my book. Here were some of our fruity ideas.

What's in it for me?

You’re not alone; most of us are selfish.  And fruit is no exception. I talked recently about pineapple as a mood food and that the core may boost fertility. What about prickly pears helping with elevated blood sugar? Or grapefruit is one of the top fruits a research proven health glow (thanks Jess)? Yup, it’s one of the best edible “beauty tools” (see recipe below).

Be Your Own Sous Chef

You are not going to take a whole cantaloupe to the office. The day you food shop (which according to the Manhattan Diet is every day for New Yorkers) cut your fruit and put it in single-serve glass containers and slice up limes or lemons for water or teas. There are days my children are standing at the door waiting in the morning and others where they aren’t cooperating. Let your fruit “stand by the door and cooperate”. If fruit calls your name when you open the fridge it’s much better than the cheese.

We Do Judge a Fruit By its Cover

Presentation matters so be your own “fruit” stylist. Even if you don’t have arrangement making skills, skewer, make melon balls or use pretty containers. I love ceramic berry containers from Roost.  Include lobster forks in containers for eating fruit on the go.

Go, Go, Go

Thanks to Dr Oz and Oprah, we know nutritionists aren’t the only ones fixated on bowel movements. It’s important to everyone. Berries, kiwi, pears and avocados are your pooping personal assistants.

Fun Fruitensils

I mentioned the melon baller but how about a grapefruit knife or pineapple corer? Nothing like a new gadget to get you “in the mood”.

8 Glasses Isn’t Easy

While I don’t suggest reaching your water goal via fruit alone, watermelon, cucumbers (yes a fruit), oranges and apricots are water-packed fruits.

Doctor (your) Fruit

Trying to tame a sweet tooth? Hooked on Skinny Cows and trying to convince yourself they’re healthy? Make your own applesauce or baked apples, freeze banana slices (or try Yonanas), warm frozen wild blueberries (close your eyes and it’s berry pie) or our favorite broil grapefruit. 

• Preheat Broiler
• Halve a grapefruit and cut inside the perimeter separating the grapefruit from the peel
• Sprinkle with Coconut Palm Sugar (use approx 1 teaspoon) or brown sugar.
• I like to sprinkle with ground ginger but cinnamon or cardamom works too. 
• Place halves in baking dish or on cookie sheet close to broiler
• Broil 5 min until edge browns a little and sugar caramelizes.

And then try to tell me fruit isn't exciting.

Are you "fruitless" or fruitful? Why do you eat fruit? Any suggestions for making fruit exciting? 

Superfruits or Super hype?

Source: NY Times, is this in your fruit bowl?

Recently, I was contacted by one of my favorite writers who was working on a story about superfruits.  She asked me if I had time for an interview and said “I'll be talking to some hard core sciencey types, but also was wondering if I could get your Laurenly real world insight (a la, "do you really think a Dunkin Donuts Acai Slushee will keep cancer at bay?"). While I was fairly very insulted not to be regarded as “hard core and sciencey” (why did I bother with the whole Masters of Science? Do I need a PhD?) I obliged. My Laurenly opinions:

Most fruits are super:

When it comes to produce (and not gummy candy or “juice” drinks) brightly colored means beneficial. There are food trends much like fashion trends. While we’re hearing about maxi skirts, minis are just fine. The same goes for acai and blueberries. Just because something is familiar doesn’t mean it is inferior.

Don’t look to vodka for your vitamins:

Did you see the article, last month, in the New York Times about Dragon fruit? There’s a new superfruit on the block (see photo above, not sure I want to eat that). “Skyy is introducing a dragon-fruit-flavor vodka spring. Celestial Seasonings, the Colorado-based stalwart of herbal infusions, recently began pairing powdered dragon fruit with green tea. There’s a Sumatra Dragon fruit version of Bai, a thirst quencher made from the unroasted fruit of the coffee plant; a line of Lite Pom that blends a few swigs of dragon fruit with pomegranate juice; and a new pitaya-tinged cream liqueur called Dragon Kiss.”

This is where popularity turns into perversion. To answer the question above, nothing at a doughnut shop is improving your health. The same goes for flavored vodka with a smidgen of fruit (the real sign a superfruit has arrived). Quality counts and if you sample superfruits seek out a something as close to the original source as possible.

Superfruits and foods may be new to us but not necessarily new:

Though superfruits may seem to suddenly pop up, many of them have been consumed for thousands of years. I am a big Goji berry fan (though a client almost ruined them for me saying they taste like feet). Lest you think superfruits are only about heart health and cancer prevention gojis are also sexual tonics. I wrote about them last year for Valentines Day. I love the cocoa dusted gojis.

Pomegranates are also on my shopping list when they are available. With a family history of heart disease, I put on rubber gloves and shell those slippery seeds. I also add an ounce of pure pomegranate juice to seltzer every so often.

What ever happened to eating seasonally and locally?

It’s strange to me that on one hand we’re encouraging people to shop at farmers’ markets and join CSA’s. In another breath we’re mentioning mangosteen. There’s no mangosteen at my local market or anywhere close. There are delicious fruits and vegetables that I recognize and can pronounce. 

It’s fine if you want to try dragon fruit (though the Times didn’t rave about it’s taste despite its “good looks”), just don’t forget about the plums, blackberries and cherries that are all “super” right now.

What’s your verdict on superfruits- super or hyped? What’s the most silly superfruit use you’ve seen? Have you tried goji berries, acai or dragon fruit?