Fun
with Fruit
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Smoothie Ingredients |
Welcome
to the New Year!
Now
that the holidays are over, you probably have a fridge full of leftovers you
have no idea what to do with.
I'm
here to help.
In
this series I'm going to show you creative ways of repurposing leftovers.
Reusing leftovers is not only budget friendly, but it's also smart from an
ecological standpoint, as it prevents food waste.
Since
fruits and veg are often the first things to go bad, I've decided to start with
those.
Have some fruit
leftover from a fruit salad or platter? A half a can of pineapple or fruit
cocktail you opened for a recipe but didn't end up using all of? Some bananas
you bought but are now too brown to eat right out of the peel?
Try
making a Smoothie
Smoothies are a
great way of repurposing fruit and even some vegetables because even fruit on
the brink of spoilage tastes fine in when blended up with a little fruit juice.
Smoothies are full of nutrients and great for or with breakfast or as an
afternoon pick me up. Want some calcium? Add some yogurt or milk to the mix.
Here's How You Do It
Total
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves
2
Ingredients
1
and 1/2 Cups of Fruit - coarsely chopped
1/4
Cup of Cucumber - peeled and chopped - Optional - Believe it or not, cucumber works GREAT
in smoothies as it makes them extra refreshing.
1/4
Cup of Frozen Chopped or Leftover
chopped cooked Spinach - Optional - This
may seem weird, but I've learned that if you add enough fruit to a smoothie,
you will get all the nutrients without actually tasting the spinach, so give it
a try. I highly recommend it.
3
Cups of Juice - I find
Orange Juice works best, but you can use any other juice you like.
1/4
Cup of Yogurt, Cow or Goat's Milk, Soy Milk, Almond Milk, or Rice Milk -
Optional
Equipment
1
Blender - OR - Hand/Immersion Blender - This will put the smooth
in your smoothie
1
Pitcher
Measuring
Cups
1
Knife and Cutting Board
Blend all the ingredients together and
serve!
Don't
like smoothies?
Try Making Jam
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Toast with Butter and Homemade Jam |
It may sound complicated, but
jam is basically a matter of boiling the heck out of a bunch of sugar and fruit
together until they merge, thicken, and become sticky. This stuff can not only
be spread on bread, but it also makes a nice sauce for ice cream or cheesecake.
Because this jam is homemade, it will be a quite bit runnier than what you get
in the grocery store, but I can assure you, it will be just as tasty, if not
better. Give it a try. I guarantee you'll never want to buy store bought jam
again.
Here's How You Do It
Total
Cook and Prep Time: 45 minutes
Serves
6
Ingredients
3
Cups of Fruit - Coarsely Chopped - I
used frozen mixed berries, but use whatever you have leftover
1
Cup of Brown Sugar
1
Cup of Water
Equipment
1
Medium Sized Pot
1
Wooden Spoon
1
Knife and Cutting Board
Measuring
Cups
Dump the sugar and water into your pot
and heat on medium, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar
dissolves.
Add the fruit and bring to a boil.
Simmer for at least 20 minutes or until
half the liquid has evaporated and the jam has thickened slightly. Be sure to stir it every once in a while or
it will bubble over, making a nasty mess.
Take the pot off the heat and cool for at
least 15 minutes before using. The jam will keep in the fridge for up to a
month.
Stay tuned for next week when I'll be
showing you how to re-purpose leftover vegetables!
-Samantha R. Gold
Questions? Comments?
Requests?
Bring it on!
I can be reached at: for.the.culinarily.challenged@gmail.com
Trolls will be
unceremoniously deleted and dismissed.
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