|
|
| Back to the Table of Contents |
Good Dried Things in
Bulk
|
by Lisa Vines
|
In the cold, dark days of
February, it’s particularly easy to yearn for fresh fruits (How many
people have thought about their gardens already?) Michael Pollan, in
his In Defense of Food, writes "Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants."
What can a person do in the dreary midwinter? An old fashioned solution
is to try dried fruits. They are high in complex carbohydrates,
vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
They also taste good and are easy to eat—nothing to wash, peel or cut.
They last longer than fresh fruit; also: six months to a year in an
airtight container, no refrigeration necessary. Because dried fruits
are denser than fresh fruits, they tend to be richer in vitamins
(except for vitamin C, which is heat sensitive) and minerals: A cup of
fresh Thompson grapes, for example, has 0.54 mg of iron, whereas a cup
of raisins has 2.73 mg. A cup of grapes supplies 1.4 grams of fiber; a
cup of raisins supplies 5.4 grams of fi- ber. Unfortunately for people
with New Year's resolutions to lose weight, the dried fruit also
contains more calories: One cup of grapes is 104 calories; one cup of
raisins is 434 calories. One source estimates that a pound of dried
berries is the equivalent of four to five pounds of fresh berries.
These treats should be used sparingly—as treats, nutritious ones.
The Bulk area contains a wide range of dried fruits, including a number
of dried berries: organic bing cherries, organic cherries, organic tart
cherries, organic goji berries, organic strawberries, organic
cranberries, organic blueberries, and unsulphured cranberries, as well
as the newest addition, dried gooseberries. Gooseberries—aka
goldenberries, Cape gooseberries, or Incan berries—contain
bioflavinoids, pectin, phosphorous, vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, and
protein. The fresh version looks "somewhat like a Chinese lantern" (www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov),
but the dried version is flat and about the size of a dime.
Like the fresh version, the dried is tart and sweet, with a flavor
similar to pineapple and strawberries. Similar to other berries, the
fresh gooseberry is low in calories and rich in nutrients: a halfcup of
fresh gooseberries is 35 calories and supplies 35% of the daily
requirement for vitamin C and 11% of the fiber.
Dried berries are delicious additions to hot cereal—just a few perk up
a bowl of oatmeal—and oatmeal raisin cookies are a staple sweet;
consider substituting other dried berries for the raisins.
|
Sources
|
Michael
Pollan, In Defense of Food (New York: Penguin Press, 2008)
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov
www.NaturalZing.com
http://altmedicine.about.com
www.goaskalice.columbia.edu
http://health.yahoo.com
www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/science/01qna.html
|
Granola
Bars
|
(Most
of these ingredients are available in the Bulk area.)
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup wheat germ
½ cup coconut
½ cup roasted hulled sunflower seeds
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS canola oil
5 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/3 cup agave syrup or honey
½ cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup dried berries
Heat oven to 325°. Grease a 9”x13” pan. Combine all ingredients in
a large bowl. Stir well, checking that all ingredients are evenly
moist. Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or
until browned. Place on rack to cool. While pan is slightly warm, cut
into small bars. Store in a sealed container for up to a week or freeze
in plastic freezer bags.
|
| Back to the Table of Contents |
|
|
|
