Strawberry smoothie

Bells were going off in my Tummy as it was breakfast time and i had completely forgotten to make Oats or Porridge in the morning frenzy.. Did what i do under such circumstances. Open the fridge, stand in front of it as if a light bulb will burst in my head and ideas will flow.. 

Well, lucky me! I did spot just what i wanted and voila, breakfast was ready in a jiffy... My eyes fell on a box of strawberries with a few left huddled up in a corner and a small tub of beaten curd.. Grabbed the ice cube tray and headed for the kitchen... 

Strawberry smoothie in a jiffy i call it.. :-) 

There was enough for the 3 of us, Grandparents slurped it up, and have since then been asking me how i made it, what was the secret to the richness and creaminess... 

Recipe

Strawberries - 3 per person 

Curd or yoghurt- 2 tbsp per person

Ice cubes- 2-3 per person

Mixer 

Sugar/Honey- optional

Method:

Take the mixer, put in all the ingredients and run the mixie for a few minutes till all blend together well. 

Add sugar/honey if you want.. It is nice as it is..

Tips:

Clean the strawberries, remove the leaves on the top 

Beat the curd a bit

Break the ice cubes if possible into smaller chunks for easier/faster processing

Pour into a glass and Enjoy!! 

You can make smoothies with bananas, figs, mango, and just about any other fruit you can think of!! Just avoid Pineapples :D

The Fig

One bite and the little crunchy seeds start playing around in the mouth, the sweetness fills our senses and that is exactly why i love this fruit... The Fig!! 

 

Have also read that "The Fig tree is the symbol of abundance, of fertility, of sweetness"... Hmm... Interesting how such a simple looking fruit has so many secrets within!  

The Fig is such a popular fruit from the days of Jesus, infact it even has a mention in the Holy Bible...

When Jesus was leaving Bethany, he was hungry. On seeing in the distance a fig tree, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.Angered and disappointed,  he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

The very first time i tried a dry fig, i knew there was no turning back. Since then, i buy them in bunches, stock them in the fridge, and devour 1-2 a day... Sometimes i defrost them in the microwave, almost til it gets nice and hot, which makes then sinful ... 

The other day, gramma and i saw a TV cooking show where the man made a Fresh Fig pickle.. Which gramma has recreated and it is quite good- not spicy, not fruity, but just perfect with those little crackling seeds all through the bottle....

A few of its health benefits include: [Source:organicfacts.net]

• Prevent constipation: There are 5 grams of fiber per three-fig serving. So, it helps in healthy bowel function and prevents constipation.
• Weight loss: The fiber in figs also helps to reduce weight and is recommended for obese people. Take care - figs also result in weight gain, especially when consumed with milk.
• Lower cholesterol: Figs contain Pectin, a soluble fiber. When fiber goes through the digestive system, it mops up globes of cholesterol and carries them out of body.
• Prevent coronary heart disease: Dried figs contain phenol, Omega-3 and Omega-6. These fatty acids reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Prevent colon cancer: The presence of fiber helps to mop up and usher out cancer causing substances.
• Protection against post-menopausal breast cancer: Fiber content in figs give protection against breast cancer.
• Good for diabetic patients: The American Diabetes Association recommends figs for a high fiber treat. Fig leaves reduce the amount of insulin needed by diabetic patients who have to take insulin injection. Fig is rich in Potassium. Potassium helps to control blood sugar. Fig leaves have anti-diabetic properties
• Prevention of hypertension: People used to take more sodium in the form of salt. Low potassium and high sodium level may lead to hypertension. Figs are high in potassium but low in sodium. So, it helps to avoid hypertension.
• Sexual weakness: Figs are known since ages for reducing sexual weakness. Soak 2-3 figs in milk overnight and eat them in the morning to enhance your sexual power. It also helps in gaining weight.
• Strengthens bones: Figs are rich in Calcium. Calcium helps to strengthen bones.
• Urinary calcium loss: People having high salt diet may be affected by increased urinary calcium loss. Potassium content in figs helps to avoid that.
• Prevent macular degeneration: Vision loss in older people is due to macular degeneration. Fruits and figs generally are good for avoiding this condition.
• Relief for throat: The high mucilage content in figs, helps to heal and protect sore throat

Psst... Taking too much fig can cause diarrhea. Dried figs are high in sugar and might cause tooth decay.

 A fig tree in Sringeri.. There is a board next to it that Forbids visitors from plucking the fruit.. Gramma says these trees attract snakes, which is probably why the board is placed!

Be it the fresh fruit or the dried one

Be it in a Fig shake

or Anjeer[Fig] burfi

it is divine... 

But it is an acquired taste.... 

So, next time you see one, do give it a try, you just might fall in love with it... :-)

Japan Fruit...

Me: Is it a different kind of tomato?

Gramma: No, it looks different... I havent seen this kind of tomato before

Me: Hmm.. it is in the fruit section.... Do you have any idea what it could be?

Gramma : [She looked at me perplexed...]

I then turned to the salesman behind the Apples counter and asked him what fruit it was..

Salesguy: Japan Fruit madam.. See that box next to it, it has the chopped fruit as well..

I instantly tweeted asking the kind souls out there if they had seen/tasted this fruit. Within few minutes, one of those souls replied saying "yes, have seen this before, it is also called Persimmon"

From Wikipedia- They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses. Like the tomato, it is not considered a "common berry", but is in fact a "true berry" by definition.

We were tempted to buy one and try, but put it off for another day... I got home and did some snooping around on the net... What i found had me curious.. 

Health benefits of persimmon fruit

[Source:http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/persimmon-fruit.html]

• The fruit is low in calories (provides 70 cal/100g) and fats but is rich source of dietary fiber.
  
• Persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants like catechins and gallocatechins as well as important anti-tumor compound betulinic acid. Catechins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.
  
• Fresh permissions contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Together, these compounds functions as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that plays a role in aging and various disease processes.
  
• zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus, helps prevent "Age related macular disease"(ARMD) in the elderly.
  
• The fruits are also very good source of vitamin-C, another powerful antioxidant (especially native Chinese and American persimmons; provide 80% of DRI). Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
  
• The fruit is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin...etc. These vitamins act as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.
  
• Fresh Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI),  and phosphorus. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells.
  

You bet on my next sighting of this fruit, i am going to grab one!!