The Fuzzy Fruit

The other day my mother told me that I should be eating kiwifruit.  She wasn't sure why or where she heard it from, but just that they were supposed to be really good for you.  That's my mother.  She's always relaying these things she read or heard that "they" say you should do, or "they" say you shouldn't eat.  But she never says who "they" are.  Sometimes I think she's making things up and using that blanket word to give it validity.  Then I think, regardless, mother knows best, right?

So she tells me I should be eating kiwi, and I go out to the store and buy three for $1-- which is a steal.  Kiwi reminds me of my mom's homemade fruit salads, where she always bought the freshest fruit, and lots of it.  A few times, I remember her carving out a watermelon to use as a bowl!  The kiwi, along with the rest of the fruit, was always cut up so nicely.  My experience was a little different.  I'm not sure the best way to cut or peel a kiwi, but I'm pretty sure it's not my way.  I cut it into slices and then, if it's really ripe, I pull the skin off easily.  If it's tougher to peel off myself, I get a knife and cut around the edges.  Either way, it ends up looking like an octagon and less of a circle.  And not at all pretty.  Good thing it tastes the same however way you slice it.

Much like it's namesake-- a little furry brown New Zealand bird that can't fly-- the kiwifruit is small as well.  But don't let the size of it fool you-- one kiwi fruit has more vitamin C than a whole orange!  It's also a better source of potassium than bananas!  (So now you can just avoid the world's most boring fruit and eat a fun, tropical fruit instead.)  Kiwis are also loaded with antioxidants, lots of amino acids, Vitamins A and E, and lots of fiber.  So, it turns out that my mother was right after all.

I simply cut, peel and eat.  But apparently the kiwi is great for cooking because of it's strong texture.  I came across a recipe from The Daily Green for a blueberry-kiwi fruit tart that looks super easy to make and looks really pretty for entertaining.  Of course, you can always throw a kiwi in a smoothie, or fruit salad too.