Enjoy the benefits of eating fruit
Drinking orange juice at breakfast and apple juice in the afternoon are great ways to get more servings of fruit into your diet. But trading in a glass of juice for a piece of fruit adds more fiber to your diet while making you feel full longer for fewer calories and less sugar. Some fruits even have additional vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more when they are eaten whole. For a snack, try a serving or two of fresh fruit with a glass of water or milk instead of a glass of juice.
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Summer Fruit Bowl
3 large peaches, peeled and cut into chunks
1-1/2 cups blueberries
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
2 medium bananas, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sauce:
1 cup vanilla yogurt, regular or reduced fat
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
In a large bowl, toss fruit in lemon juice. In a small bowl, mix yogurt and concentrate. Put fruit in a large glass bowl or divide evenly between 6 small bowls or parfait glasses. Drizzle sauce over fruit. Makes 6 servings.
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Creamy Fruit Dip
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
1 8-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assorted fresh fruit
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in marshmallow creme. Stir in whipped topping. Serve with fruit. Store in the refrigerator. Makes about 20 servings.
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Low-Fat Mango Peach Shake
1 cup diced mango
1 small peach, pitted and quartered
1 cup vanilla sorbet
1/2 cup low fat milk
Put mango and peach in a blender and process till smooth. Add sorbet and milk and blend until ingredients are thoroughly mixed and serve. Makes 1 to 2 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
To get children to eat more fruit, add fruit to foods that already are their favorites. Slice a banana or a peach on top of cereal, add fruit to milkshakes, and top salads with orange and berry slices.
Since we tend to eat more fruit when it tastes good, try shopping for fresh, in-season produce whenever possible. That means looking for peaches, plums, melons, and berries in the summer and grapes, pears, and apples in the fall. When fruit is not in season, use frozen fruit as they often are as nutritious as fresh.
When you do buy fruit juice, look for those that contain 100% fruit juice instead of those that contain added sugar.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
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