Just Picked

Berries of Summer - Blackberries

It's one of those words I'd heard a hundred times, but never really gave any thought to what it actually was. When describing a somewhat overgrown landscape I assumed that "bramble" was simply some additional branches and leaves, nothing too significant. Come to find out there are juicy treats in those brambles.  Bramble is where you'll find blackberries (and raspberries and several other varieties of berries). In fact, blackberries and their berry-cousins are sometimes referred to as brambleberries.

Blackberries are one of the most nutrient-rich foods available and one you should make room for in your diet.  Loaded with antioxidants, blackberries also offer vitamins A, C and K, potassium and fiber.

In our selection of recipes that feature fresh blackberries, I made the Blackberry Avocado Salad.  It's a nice blend of flavors with the sweetness of the berries, the creamy-tanginess of the goat cheese and the butteriness of the avocado. And here's a tip: make extra butter-coated pecans - you'll be snacking on those long after your salad is done.

Blackberry Breakfast Bars

Blackberry Avocado Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Grilled Chicken and Polenta with Blackberry-Nectarine Salsa

Nectarine Blackberry Crisp

Blackberry Lime Rickeys (includes alcohol)

The Berries of Summer

When the full-force of summer bares down with all its relentless heat (it's already reached into the 90's here on the South Shore!), you're probably craving something that's refreshing and healthy. Look no further than nature's summertime gift, fresh berries. Whether you're a fan of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries, they're really a perfect warm-weather snack or sweet addition to many dishes. And at this time of year, we've got berries that are grown locally here in Massachusetts. As of this writing, we're offering native blueberries from Kosinski Farms in Westfield, MA; a family farm just about 100 miles from our stores. We've also got native raspberries and native-style strawberries.

Throughout the month of July, we'll be featuring recipes that will help you get the most from your berries. Seeing as we have local blueberries in-store right now, here's a few fresh blueberry-focused recipes:

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Blueberry Walnut Salad

Blueberry Beef Burgers

Grilled Salmon with Blueberry Corn Salsa

Blueberry Mango Dessert

New Item: Prima Apples

How many apple varieties can you name? If you can name ten, you're doing pretty good, especially in light of the fact that there are about 7,500 known varieties. One of the reasons we have this amazing amount of varieties is that botanists and food scientists are continuously cross-breeding apples to attain better-tasting and pest- and disease-resistant fruit. Now don't panic. While the notion of scientists tampering with your food may seem scandalous, apples actually need the help of us humans to become the fruit we all enjoy.  Without getting too wonky, apples do not naturally develop as we would intuitively expect (as a similar "offspring" from it's respective "parents"). So breeders add their expertise in a completely natural way to yield some of the highly desirable apple varieties we all crave (Honeycrisp, Cameo and Jonagold to name a few recently developed treasures).

Fairly new to the scene is the Prima apple. It gets it's name in part from the three schools that worked to breed the fruit - Perdue, Rutgers and (University of) Illinois. This apple was specifically bred to resist scabbing, therefore reducing the use of chemical fungicides. The Prima is a sturdy, crisp apple that's mildly sweet and resists browning when cut. In a small experiment performed while writing this post, a Prima apple core sat close by for over twenty minutes without showing any signs of browning - clearly this makes the Prima a good choice for slicing and serving with a salad or simply on a platter.

So do you think you may try one? Have you tried one already?  Let us know what you think.

In Praise of ... Fresh Spinach

As this year's harvest moves up the East Coast, we're now receiving top-notch, "Close-to-Home" produce from New Jersey. If there's any doubt as to why New Jersey is called the "Garden State" - besides the fact that it boasts over 10,000 farms - look no further than the fresh items we've got available right now in our produce department: asparagus, parsley, escarole, Romaine lettuce and spinach. It the case of our fresh spinach, it's literally harvested, bagged and shipped.  You'll even notice a little sandy grit still stuck to the big, broad leaves (so wash thoroughly!).

As you may know, spinach is one of the most nutritionally-dense foods we have available to us. It's loaded with vitamins A and K, folate, magnesium and iron, just to name but a few of it's nutrients. Spinach has also been linked to preventing a wide range of diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer and arthritis.

Preparing spinach can be fairly simple.  You can quickly wilt spinach in a pan with some olive oil, garlic and salt. Of how about one of these tasty recipes:

Cheese and Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

Spinach Cauliflower Salad

Strawberry and Spinach Salad

Fusilli with Fresh Spinach and Ricotta

New Items: Hildon, Nicky's, Falafel Republic and our own chocolate

Hildon Mineral Water

Until recently, you could only enjoy this English mineral water at a particular Boston restaurant (the restaurant that sells "seafood legally", wink, wink). Available in both still and sparkling varieties, Hildon is extremely proud of their product, including their glass bottle design - there's a whole page on their web site devoted to it. That's not a knock - it just goes to show the level of detail this company puts into it's product. And it's certainly reflected in their water.

Nicky's Dipping Oil

For all it's mystique and contributions to New England culture, you don't always think of Martha's Vineyard as a source of great food products. Here's one that will change that perception. From Vineyard Haven's Nicky's Italian Cafe come Nicky's Dipping Oils, a line of flavored oils that will add bursts of flavor to any number of dishes, not to mention a simple piece of dipping bread. Look for four varieties: Classic Italian Herb, Zesty Lemon, Piccante and Nero's Revenge.

Falafel Republic

Another local product from right down the road in Needham, MA, is this Middle-Eastern staple. Falafel Republic crafts fresh falafel with a simple list of ingredients. And their products are gluten-free, dairy-free and have no trans-fats.

Fruit Center's Own Chocolate Bars

After much investigation, and loads of sampling, we finally found a chocolate bar that was worthy to put our name on. Introducing the Fruit Center's own chocolate bars in both milk and dark varieties. They passed our rigorous inspection, so we hope you enjoy them too.  Let us know what you think by commenting here.

Tempeh Recipes

So you're trying to lower your intake of meat products, or perhaps cut them out of your diet altogether. Crafting a fresh-foods, fruit & veggie-driven diet offers some undeniably amazing health benefits. But if you still crave flavors associated with meat products, there are some wonderfully tasty meat-free alternatives. Tops on our list - tempeh. If you're not familiar with tempeh, it's made from fermented soybeans, is low in fat and high in protein. The brand we offer here at the Fruit Center is LightLife Three Grain which includes brown rice, barley and millet. Tempeh's firm texture and mild flavor make it a nearly perfect meat substitute (more so, in my opinion, than tofu). While some folks will eat it simply as-is, tempeh greatly benefits from cooking and marinating as it readily takes on other flavors. One of my favorite recipes that includes tempeh is Tempeh Bourgignon (see link below), featured a few years ago in Vegetarian Times magazine. Very hearty and full of flavor, the tempeh takes on a savory flavor (since it's marinated in red wine and onions) and closely mimics beef. I recommend serving it over brown rice. Let us know if you try any of these recipes:

Tempeh Bourgignon

Orange Pan-glazed Tempeh

Tempeh Hash

Smothered Tempeh Sandwich

Heart-healthy Recipes: Brussels Sprouts

People usually are not on the fence about Brussels sprouts - you're either a raving fan or a "can I give them zero stars?" critic. If you're one of the fans, you understand how amazing a freshly roasted Brussels sprout can be (and we've included a simple roasted sprout recipe here from one of our favorite recipes blogs, 101Cookbooks.com). For you critics, perhaps a healthy, flavorful preparation of sprouts would swing you over to the other side. Surely one of the recipes we've linked to below would delight your senses. And if appealing to your sense of taste isn't strong enough, how about an appeal to your sense of logic: Brussels sprouts have enormous amounts of vitamins C and K, fiber and a powerful phytonutrient that detoxifies the body and potentially removes carcinogenic substances. Swayed you yet? Let us know if you try any of the receips below.

Golden-crusted Brussels Sprouts

Hashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Zest(recipe preceded by an entertaining story from the New York Times' Mark Bittman - worth a read)

Citrusy Brussels Sprouts

Spicy Brussels Sprouts with Mint

Heart-healthy Recipes: Kale

It's not a vegetable that most folks think of when it comes to serving a meal, but kale's health benefits may change your mind. Much like Swiss chard, kale is packed with vitamins, fiber and phytonutrients. Kale is also credited with preventing a variety of cancers such as breast and ovarian cancers. Check out these recipes and add some more kale to your diet:

Sauteed Kale with Smoked Paprika

Garlicky Kale

Quinoa, Kale and Avocado Salad

Ribollita (Soup with kale, vegetables and white beans)

What To Give That Someone Special on Valentine's Day

Here's a virtual tour of what the Fruit Center is offering this Valentine's Day:

Happy Valentine's Day!
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 

Heart-healthy Recipes: Swiss Chard

As one online resource states, Swiss chard is the "valedictorian" of vegetables. The list of nutrients packed inside is huge - everything from vitamins A, C, K and a variety of B's, to magnesium, potassium and iron. It's no surprise, then, that Swiss chard is thought to be beneficial in preventing certain diseases and strengthening vital parts of the body. Chard has been linked to preventing certain cancers and reducing loss of memory function. It's also been linked to strengthening bones, lungs and, the theme of our recipes this month, the heart.

Here are some recipes featuring chard that we think you'll love - let us know what you think.

Curried Black Beans with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard

Italian Style Swiss Chard

Penne with Swiss Chard, Feta and Roasted Red Peppers

Swiss Chard, Apple and Cherry Salad