Produce pushing its prime? Here's what to do
Sometimes we forget about our produce in our pantry or fridge. This produce then uncovered, deemed as too "old", and is sent away - never to be seen again. Luckily, we noticed some great ways you can use up this old/overripe/wise produce quickly, easily, and deliciously. Here we go!
Peaches, nectarines, berries, lemons:
- make a bread: mash the fruit, 1/2 cup sugar, a beaten egg. 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt, 1/3 cup melted butter. Stir up, pour it in a pan and bake for an hour at 350 degrees
- make muffins: lemon poppyseed muffins recipe
- make scones
Berries, cherries:
- make a jam: add fruit chunks, a little sugar, some juice for liquid in a pot and let it simmer after - mashing mixture together. Then bring to rolling boil for a few minutes. Jar and refrigerate
- make a compote: 1/3 cup fresh/frozen fruit + 3 tbsp OJ in medium saucepan on medium heat. Once bubbling, continue cooking over medium-low heat for no more than 12 minutes, add cinnamon or chia seeds after refrigerated (optional), reheat to serve
- make stuffed pancakes
- make a meat glaze: blend it + chicken stock + balsamic vinegar
- make a salad dressing: blend it + olive oil, vinegar, herbs/seasonings, nuts (optional), and cheese (optional)
Citrus, berries:
- make a pie or cobbler
- make flavored water
- make fruit leather: blend it, spread it in a thin layer on a Silpat/dehydrator rack, bake it at very low temperature in the oven until it's leather-like
Melons:
- make a granita/slushy: pour a fruity liquid into a pan, place it in the freezer, use a spoon or fork to scrape the icy mixture as it freezes
Grapes, citrus, berries:
- make a syrup: toss them with honey and cinnamon, roast the mixture and enjoy atop ice cream or anything for that matter!
Almost all fruit:
- make a smoothie: some people actually prefer the richer, concentrated taste of overripe fruit! you may, too!
- make popsicle lollipops: freeze it in ice cube trays with wood sticks as the handles
- make a sorbet
- make a chutney: fun recipe here
Apples, pears:
- make a vinegar: take the core and scraps (make a sugar water: 1 quart water to 1/4 cup sugar, dissolve sugar. Fill a jar with fruit scraps and pour in sugar water. Cover with towel, let ferment at room temperature. Stir once per day. Strain out fruit scraps when liquid darkens. Let sit/stir for 2 to 3 weeks longer.)
- make apple/pear sauce: cut apples into quarters and fill a very large enamel or stainless steel pot. Squeeze lemon juice over top and add about 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for several hours until apples are very tender. Push down with a potato masher occasionally and check that the apples are not burning. Allow to cool and pass in batches through a food mill. Stir in syrup and spices. Store in refrigerator or freezer
Look out for upcoming post: simple ways to stop forgetting to use up all your produce to begin with!