6th Fruit Delivery Aug 27, 28 & 29, 2013

We’ve all heard that obesity in the U.S. is at an all-time high and increasing, especially in children. Experts agree that we eat too much sugar, which is contributing to this phenomenon. So, if we’re eating too much sugar, does that mean that we need to be concerned about the sugar in fruit? A new article in the New York Timesexplains that “sugar consumed in fruit is not linked to any adverse health effects, no matter how much you eat.” In fact, the article continues, “increased fruit consumption is tied to lower body weight and a lower risk of obesity-associated diseases.”

Why is that? It all comes down to fiber. Because sugars are contained within fruit cells, “it takes time for the digestive tract to break down those cells. The sugars therefore enter the bloodstream slowly, giving the liver more time to metabolize them.” That means your blood sugar doesn’t spike, and your body works to break down fruit slowly, so that you feel satisfied, longer. Need proof? “Unlike processed foods, which are usually digested in the first few feet of our intestines, fiber-rich fruit breaks down more slowly so it travels far longer through the digestive tract, triggering the satiety hormones that tend to cluster further down the small intestines,” according to Dr. David Ludwig, the director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Paste this link into your browser to read the full article and find out more about why eating fruit is truly one of the best things you can eat for a healthy diet, healthy weight and healthy life! http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2013/07/31/making-the-case-for-eating-fruit/?hpw=&

To Your Health!

Everett Myers, Founder of FruitShare™

In Your Box:

blueberries

flame grapes

champagne grapes

yellow peaches

white nectarines

Hass avocado

Storage and Ripening

Store your blueberries along with the grapes in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Only wash them right before you eat them, as moisture can contribute to molding. If the blueberries and grapes arrive damp take them out of their package and dry them off with a paper towel and then put them back in their container or bag and refrigerate. Eat the champagne grapes first since they are delicate and will not last long. Keep your peaches, nectarines and avocados out on the counter at room temperature until they give to gentle thumb pressure. Once they give to thumb pressure you can refrigerate them too, which lets you enjoy them over a longer period of time.

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What It Takes

Three Sisters Farm, owned by Joe and Johnni Soghomonian, is famous for their champagne grapes. Located near Fresno, CA, they use beneficial grasses and flowers – especially poppies – as cover crops, making their vineyard exceptionally beautiful. Three Sisters has been certified organic since 1981, but even before Joe and Johnni began farming, Joe’s parents owned the farm. Some of the vines are over 80 years old and are still producing champagne grapes! You might be wondering, what exactly is a champagne grape? Believe it or not, champagne grapes are not used to make champagne. Those grapes only come from the Champagne region of France, whereas champagne grapes come from all over. Rather, champagne grapes are technically called Black Corinth grapes, and they are tiny, seedless grapes – smaller than your pinkie finger nail – they are one of the oldest cultivated foods in the world! When dried, champagne grapes are called Zante currants. They are perfect for snacking, and they have less crunch than other table grapes. Because they are so small, most people eat them stems and all! The tiny, dark red grapes also make for beautiful edible centerpieces.  The champagne grapes are very delicate and should be eaten first.  These are the only champagne grapes that we will have this year, so enjoy them! Your flame grapes come from Three Sisters Farm too.

 

Jim Lott grew the blueberries that are in your box this week. Jim has a unique hobby, and strange as it may sound, you have birds to thank for the beautiful blueberries you are receiving today. Specifically, you can thank Jim’s falcons. In a unique and innovative “bird abatement program,” Jim has bred and trained falcons to scare away birds that would otherwise help themselves to his blueberries at Applegate Orchards in Burbank, WA. Falconers bring the birds of prey out to the fields to patrol the skies and protect the crop, chasing away starlings, robins and finches. It is a project that takes a lot of time and dedication, what with the extensive training that each bird requires from birth. But, Jim says, it is worth it. Not only is he passionate about the bird abatement program, it is cost-effective, especially for high-value fruit crops. Jim’s birds have been leased out to other blueberry farmers, and have also been used to keep cherries safe from hungry birds. He says there has been a lot of interest from other orchards, and he has hopes that the bird abatement program could take off on its own and extend from blueberries and cherries to grapes – and beyond.  We’re thankful for Jim’s creative hobby and these blueberries that have wonderful flavor and are protected by watchful eyes from above.
White nectarines and yellow peaches are from Mike Van Pelt and Jim Morford in Washington State. They have nearly 180 acres of apples, pears, peaches and nectarines. They converted to organic farming about 10 years ago and continue to produce amazing fruit to this day. Part of their secret is training their employees in careful handling and packaging practices. They are experienced farmers, who provide knowledge to the seasonal employees by sharing their expertise. With the benefit of that skill, Mike and Jim consistently provide fruit that is healthy, flavorful and totally delicious. Enjoy!
We know it is prime tomato season so we wanted to make sure you had an avocado to enjoy along with those heirloom tomatoes. Skip the mayo in the tomato sandwich and sub avocado. It is the perfect combo!

 

Health and Wellness

Avocados are a delicious addition to salads. The creamy avocados and juicy peaches in our recipe this week are a great combination, and you’ll get a ton of nutritional benefit from the avocados. One serving of avocado contains only 50 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, no cholesterol, and nearly 20 nutrients. Some of these include potassium, vitamin K, folate, several B vitamins and vitamin C. Plus, avocados contain 60% more potassium than a banana. And though they contain 4.5 grams of fat, it is the good kind of fat, called monounsaturated fat, which helps lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol levels.
Recipe

Summer Peach Pie Crumble (of course you can substitute nectarines here too)

1/4 cup rolled oats (25g)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp sugar or agave

2 1/2 tbsp coconut flour

6 loosely-packed cups sliced peaches

Optional: 3 tbsp oil or melted butter spread

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 380 F and grease an 8×8 pan. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, and stir very well. Put peaches in a separate large bowl, add the vanilla extract and optional fat source, and stir to coat. Now evenly disperse the crumble on top of the peaches, and stir until it’s as evenly coated as possible. Pour into the pan, and cook 50-60 minutes, opening the oven after 30 minutes to turn the peaches (so all sides cook evenly).

Courtesy of chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

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5th Fruit Deliver; Aug 13, 14, & 15, 2013

August is always a conflicting time.  On the one hand it is full on summer with homegrown tomatoes, sweet corn, summer fruit and county and state fairs, and on the other hand kids are getting ready to head off to college, back to school sales are in full swing, and summer schedules and daylight are beginning to wind down.  Living with the seasons really helps me stay connected with our environment and live in the moment.  I take this time to enjoy every savory flavor and expression of summer.  Where there is over an over abundance of fruit and veggies we like to preserve.  Just last night we cut up peaches and put them in freezer bags.  Knowing we would get to drink them up in a smoothie this winter was more than enough incentive for the labor involved.  Getting up early and running with the early morning light is a simple pleasure and finding a special spot to take in the last light on a summer night can’t be beat.  I wish all the joys of August to you.

To Your Health,
Everett Myers, Founder of FruitShare™

In Your Box

blueberries

green grapes

yellow peaches

yellow nectarines

two types of pluots

Storage and Ripening

Store your blueberries along with the grapes in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Only wash them right before you eat them, as moisture can contribute to molding. If the blueberries and grapes arrive damp take them out of their package and dry them off with a paper towel and then put them back in their container or bag and refrigerate.  Keep your peaches and nectarines out on the counter at room temperature until they give to gentle thumb pressure. Once they give to thumb pressure you can refrigerate them too, which lets you enjoy them over a longer period of time. Keep your pluots in the refrigerator for a crisp, cool treat on warm summer days.

What It Takes
Jim Lott grew the blueberries that are in your box this week. Jim has a unique hobby, and strange as it may sound, you have birds to thank for the beautiful blueberries your are receiving today. Specifically, you can thank Jim’s falcons. In a unique and innovative “bird abatement program,” Jim has bred and trained falcons to scare away birds that would otherwise help themselves to his blueberries at Applegate Orchards in Burbank, WA. Falconers bring the birds of prey out to the fields to patrol the skies and protect the crop, chasing away starlings, robins and finches. It is a project that takes a lot of time and dedication, what with the extensive training that each bird requires from birth. But, Jim says, it is worth it. Not only is he passionate about the bird abatement program, it is cost-effective, especially for high-value fruit crops. Jim’s birds have been leased out to other blueberry farmers, and have also been used to keep cherries safe from hungry birds. He says there has been a lot of interest from other orchards, and he has hopes that the bird abatement program could take off on its own and extend from blueberries and cherries to grapes – and beyond.  We’re thankful for Jim’s creative hobby and these blueberries that have wonderful flavor and are protected by watchful eyes from above.
The Thompson green grapes this week are from Three Sisters Farm, owned by Joe and Johnni. Located near Fresno, CA, they use beneficial grasses and flowers – especially poppies – as cover crops, making their vineyard exceptionally beautiful. Three Sisters has been certified organic since 1981, but even before Joe and Johnni began farming, Joe’s parents owned the farm. Some of the vines are over 80 years old!
Nacho from Twin Girls brought us two varieties of pluots this week, called Dapple Dandy and Flavor King pluots. Pluots in general have a high sugar content that comes from crossing plums and apricots, so these stonefruits are usually sweet and juicy with a little bit of tartness. My daughter says pluots “taste like sugar in a bag”. “A bag,” I question?  “Yes, an edible bag,” she says. She took a whole box to her friends and what a bunch of smiling faces we were rewarded with! Enjoy the pluots cold and crisp right out of the refrigerator.
The yellow peaches and yellow nectarines are from Mike Van Pelt and Jim Morford in Washington State. They have nearly 180 acres of apples, pears, peaches and nectarines. They converted to organic farming about 10 years ago and continue to produce amazing fruit to this day. Part of their secret is training their employees in careful handling and packaging practices. They are experienced farmers, who provide knowledge to the seasonal employees by sharing their expertise. With the benefit of that skill, Mike and Jim consistently provide fruit that is healthy, flavorful and totally delicious. Enjoy!

Health and Wellness
Did you know that 1 in 3 people will develop cancer in their lifetime? That’s a big number. But did you know that there is an emerging movement to tackle cancer simply by eating the right kinds of foods? The idea is to “starve cancer” by eating healthy, flavorful foods that work against a process called angiogenesis, which is the way microscopic cancers gain blood supply. By eating to starve cancer, you can help prevent cancers from beginning to grow in your body. Some of the fruits that do work to stave cancer include: apples; blueberries; cherries; cranberries; grapefruit; nectarines; oranges; peaches; grapes; and strawberries. Read more at www.eattodefeat.org.

Recipe

Grilled Peaches with Feta and Mint

6 large firm-ripe peaches, quartered (or 10 medium peaches, halved)

½ cup crumbled feta

2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

Canola or grapeseed oil for brushing
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Brush the cut sides of the peaches with a little oil. Grill for a few minutes on each side, to soften the peaches a bit, warm them through and create grill marks and a bit of smokiness. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the feta and mint, and serve.

Courtesy of foodily.com