Fruit Dilemma

[bonniethomas06]

Hi all, I wonder if you can help me with my current dilemma.

I am desperately trying to increase my fruit consumption, as well as eating more exciting breakfasts.

I am also dead set against buying out-of-season fruit and veg, and try and buy organic instead (on the basis that it is more affordable when in season). Quite often I have porrige with dried fruit, or in-season pears/apples and cinnamon etc.

However I have just slipped off the wagon with a soy/raspberry/coconut/bananna smoothie from the cafe accross the road. Apart from the fact that it is lovely, I must admit it does feel ngood eating vibrant coloured fruit in the middle of winter. I do eat banannas - as I gather they can be ship-freighted.

Does anyone have any other ideas for breakfast smoothies using ethical and not stupidly expensive fruit? It is just to see me through until things like rhubarb emerge, from then onwards there is enough nice fruit produced in the UK to put on cereal or puree and have on toast.

Sigh...if only it was easy being green and healthy eh?

[Carltonian Man]

I don't know how ethical Avocados are (incidentally, the dead-heads round here call them advocados ). Any way if you fancy a slightly different shake Lidl seem to be the most reasonably priced

One ripe avocado
One or two very ripe bananas
One tablespoon of honey
Good pinch of salt
One pint of milk

Blended this makes about two pints of very thick and filling shake.

Regards
Martin

[herbalholly]

I find this tricky too; I have a rule that if it's from Europe or UK then it's ok. This allows oranges at this time of year but not kiwis which seem to all come from South Africa.
I bought some frozen fruits in the supermarket which were from France. I don't know how you feel about out of season frozen stuff - if it was picked when in season but been frozen since then...? I make yummy smoothies (even if I say so myself) fom these raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. Also puddings and cakes etc. They're good added to homemade ice cream too.
If it's fresh fruit in particular that you are looking for and you want it to be from the UK then I think you're looking at apples and pears. Maybe you'd get some satisfaction from varying the varieties of these...
I guess next year you could make some jams and/or freeze some British fruits to see you through the gloomy winter months.

[madabouthens]

We have frozen all our summer soft fruits. Great for breakfast, a taste of summer sunshine. (Did the sun shine last summer?)

[Millymollymandy]

Me too, I am happily eating strawbs, raspbs, apple puree and blackcurrants at the moment. Strawbs are a bit sour and strange but the blackcurrants are brilliant. I just eat them in a bowl with yoghurt so it doesn't matter.

So go for frozen fruits if they are produced in Europe like Herbal Holly mentions cos there's nothing unethical about out of season frozen fruit from France.

[bonniethomas06]

Thanks guys - I think frozen is the way to go. Will have to make extra effort to freeze more this year - did freeze some rasps but they ran out by december, so may have to grow some more this time around. Frozen strawberries though....hope you don't mind me saying, but - my mum buys the frozen fruit salad you get in the frozen sections of farm shops where we are, and the last strawberry I found was brown and mushy, made me gag! Shame, because we get overrun with them in the summer. Not sure if the puree is better to freeze..I love that on toast instead of jam

I agree with the UK/Europe - unless I know it is ship-freighted. Partly because of the environmental side, but also so that I know it hasn't been sprayed with nasty ripening hormone on the plane over!

[Millymollymandy]

Don't worry, home frozen strawbs are not brown! I'm eating some right now and yes they are soft but they are lovely and red.

[crowsashes]

i have a freezer full of blackberries i foraged in summer. another way would be to make jams, fruit purees to freeze and add them to your porridge in the morning.

frozen fruit puree can also be added to smothies etc. and whole frozen berries can be added straight to a smoothie

[grahamhobbs]

Don't forget you can bottle fruit (in kilner type jars) which means you can store large quantities without needing a massive freezer. You can also dry some fruit eg apples or make fruit leather that can be used in meusili.

[crowsashes]

Don't forget you can bottle fruit (in kilner type jars) which means you can store large quantities without needing a massive freezer. You can also dry some fruit eg apples or make fruit leather that can be used in meusili.

want to try that! think it would help with my half size freezer issue

[indy]

I much prefer bottled fruit to frozen I have successfully bottled strawberries, raspberries and pears oh and peaches however, have also frozen loads last season. The trick to red strawberries is open freezeon trays then pack

[Millymollymandy]

I just bunged my strawberries in tubs and they are still red. Now cherries and plums, they go brown and inedible - seems that once the air hits them after they've been cut open or destoned the skin just blackens and plums take on a (not very nice) prune taste, even after they've been stewed. So I don't bother keeping those fruits any more!

[Stonehead]

We've just been eating bottled plums from our own trees—effectively jars of sunshine. Mmm. The syrup can be used, sparingly as it's quite sweet, with yoghurt, icecream, pancakes and the like. I've also used it in muffins, using it replace both sugar and liquid.

Apples can be dried, bottled or made into preserves and sweet sauces. The right varieties can be stored, wrapped in paper, for several months.

And as mentioned, jams and fruit preserves are another good option.

But one of my favourite ways of preserving soft fruits is to make them into wine. We opened a bottle of elderberry wine last night—two years old and absolutely superb. Definitely a good way to consume a portion or two of fruit!!

[bonniethomas06]

But one of my favourite ways of preserving soft fruits is to make them into wine. We opened a bottle of elderberry wine last—two years old and absolutely superb. Definitely a good way to consume a portion or two of fruit!!

Hehe, sounds good, but maybe not in a breakfast smoothie, could make work a bit interesting!

My (late) new years resolution then, is to stock up the freezer/larder with enough fruit to see me through the dark months.

One thing that I am particularly grateful for is the elderberry cordial we made last summer, which has only just run out. It is funny, but it truly is like drinking a little bit of summer - it just comes flooding back with one sip. Will definately be making more this summer.

[Keaniebean]

I'd love to be able to freeze enough but we havent got room for a large freezer unfortunately, so I have to rely heavily on fruit from the supermarkets.

I do have one suggestion for something a bit different, rosehips are apparently a good source of vitamin C, not fruit as such but might be worth looking out for in the hedgerows or in your garden.

A syrup made from them might be nice with porridge.