Not all fruits get the same attention. Even fruits that rank at the super-food level are often forgotten in favor of the more familiar and popular fruits such as bananas, peaches and nectarines.
Such is the fate of the fuzzy little nectarine. A close cousin to peaches and nectarines, this fragrant, sweet, little gem is golden in color on both inside and outside. The skin can also reflect shades of orange, pink and peach along with yellow. They are creamy in texture and sweet in flavor.
Grown on well-drained soil on mountainous slopes, and Asian in origin, the Greeks affectionately called these prized fruits “golden eggs of the sun” and were responsible for introducing Europe to this little gem which eventually found its way to the U.S.
This fun fruit sports an impressive nutrition fact sheet:
Packed with vitamins and minerals such as:
Vitamin A and vitamin C
Rich source of fiber
Carotenes that provide us antioxidant properties essential for vision
Perfect in everything from jams to crisps and crumbles, they can be lightly roasted or dried with great success also. In fact, sun-dried organic apricots are nutritionally denser than their original fresh ones are although providing slightly less vitamin-C.
Grown early to mid-summer when fresh apricots are easily obtained, dried apricots can be easily enjoyed year-round by themselves or in dishes much the same as raisins and currants are currently enjoyed.
Apricots add a light sweet touch in salads and are the perfect balance to any mustardy, citrus type vinaigrette. They are the ideal “sweet” element needed in many desserts…and you’ll find them used in many raw food desserts. They are equally at home in jams, marmalades and syrups.
When purchasing fresh apricots avoid any that are pale yellow in color as they usually indicates they were picked too soon. Choose those that are uniform and golden-orange-peach in color with a rich aroma.
Like most fruits, they are at their peak of performance when used as quickly as possibly but can be stored inside the refrigerator.
Look for more exciting raw food specialties for dessert and treats that your whole family will enjoy:
“50 Raw Desserts” Volume One and Two
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup dates (soaked 30 minutes and drained)
- ⅓ cup dried apricots (soak with the dates)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1½ cups cashews
- 1 cup dates (soaked 30 minutes and drained)
- ¼ cups cocoa or cacao powder
- ¼ cup coconut oil (warmed until liquid)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1½ cups cashews
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (2-3 oranges)
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons honey (to taste, add more if needed)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (warmed until liquid)
- Place walnuts and almonds into a food processor and process until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add dates, apricots and vanilla and process until a sticky dough is formed. If needed add a little water (tablespoon at a time) to allow mixture to blend together.
- Press mixture evenly into the base of a 6-7 inch spring form pan or dish. Place in fridge while you make the filling.
- Place cashews in a food processor and process until broken down and resemble bread crumbs.
- Add dates, cocoa powder, coconut oil and vanilla and process again adding a little water if eeded to get the mixture to a smooth and creamy consistency. Spoon out evenly on top of the base and put back in fridge.while you make the orange topping.
- Blend cashews until they are broken down and resemble bread crumbs. Add orange juice and zest, honey and coconut oil and process until mixture is smooth and creamy. Spoon out on top of the chocolate filling and place in fridge an hour or two before serving..
The whole fruit…skin intact should be enjoyed for maximum health benefits.
