 Fruit Time!
We are coming up on my favorite time of the year,
food-wise: Fruit Time.
Why do I love Fruit Time so much? Fruit is:
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Sweet. It keeps my sweet tooth in check in a healthy and natural way.
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Very filling. Most varieties contain a large amount of water. A large quantity will yield a small calorie count.
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Good for you. There are few truly guilt-free goodies out there. You have to take full advantage of the ones you do have.
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Colorful. You can use it to decorate and garnish food and make it more appealing. You can have fun with it. And yes, there is nothing wrong with playing with your food.
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Portable. If I have to run errands and don't want to worry about getting hungry, I can drop a baggie of grapes or berries in my purse and munch them while I'm out.
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Seasonal (many varieties). I consider this a benefit because if the fresh and sweet stuff was available all year round it wouldn't feel like such a treat.
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Low-calorie. I don’t believe I've ever heard of a single person who got fat eating fruit.
All of my staple foods get a tasty temporary makeover this time of year:
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Cottage Cheese gets fresh berries on top (no sugar necessary).
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Egg Beaters and whole wheat toast get diced melon on the side.
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I get to munch a side of grapes along with my sandwich.
The key to getting the most from your fresh fruit is preparation. I always spend a little time at the beginning of the week washing and prepping what I buy. I put things in the fridge so they are visible and easy to grab and go. This provides several benefits:
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What I buy is more likely to be consumed and very little, if any, is wasted.
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What is easy to grab right now is what gets eaten. This helps to ensure healthier choices for you and your family.
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Overall preparation time is shorter if you just do it all when you have the kitchen equipment out and in use.
Try some of these tips and tricks and perhaps you'll start looking forward to Fruit Time as much as I do. And before you know it, you may wind up on a first-name basis with your supermarket's
produce guy (as I have).
There's no question, one of nature's best plans was to have a wonderful, watery food that is best served cold, ready and available during the hot summer months. Guilt-free seasonal treats, how can you possibly say no?
Until next time, stay healthy and be happy. |
