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Natural Healing With 6 Seasonal Summer Fruits
by Alice Osborne & Patty Liston
 We were reading an article by Rachel Venokur-Clark on Care2 the other day and thought this was such good information, we needed to pass it on:
Eating fresh, locally grown fruit as opposed to imported fruits shipped from far-off places keeps you eating in season and more in harmony with your environment and climate. We all know a healthy lifestyle is key to optimum weight, longevity and abundant energy.
Fruit, used as part of your healthy lifestyle, has many nutritional qualities for your body.
As the temperature rises, eating raw fruit in the summer months is cooling for the body and is great for those who are overstressed or overheated from hot climates or excessive mental strain. Using fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth can help you begin to leave behind chemically processed and refined sugars.
Although fruit juice is very cleansing, the fiber content is lower then that in the whole fruit. Since fruit contains lots of natural sugar without the extra fiber, you should be cautious of energy or moods swings. In its whole form, fruit offers you more fiber which helps to balance the natural sugars that can cause dips in your blood sugar levels for some people.
Whether you have fresh fruit for a light breakfast, a midday snack or evening treat, enjoy nature’s sweetness instead of refined sugars and buy seasonal organic whenever possible.
Here are a few summer fruits and their health benefits — we didn’t know this!
 Apricots: Great for lung conditions and asthma, used to help treat anemia due to their high copper and cobalt content.
California Apricot-Oatmeal Breakfast Cake
Sserves 15; one 9x13 cake
Sweet and nutritious with Vitamin A-rich apricots and heart-healthy oats, this California Apricot-Oatmeal Breakfast Cake is a tempting snack for kids and adults.
 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats, quick or old-fashioned, uncooked
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter,softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 (15.25 ounce) cans California apricots, drained well, chopped
(approximately 2 cups)
Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch cake pan or coat pan with cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Slowly add the white sugar and brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat until smooth.
Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in apricots; do not over-mix. Pour the cake batter into prepared pan. Bake the cake about 35-45 minutes, until done and golden brown on top. When cool, sprinkle the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition Facts (per 3.98 oz. serving): Calories 296.45, Calories from Fat 117.75, Fat 13.08 g, Protein 3.72 g, Carbohydrates 41.55 g, Cholesterol 61.60 mg, Dietary Fiber 1.28 g, Calcium 52.05 mg, Iron 1.34 mg, Sodium
181.80 mg
 Download this recipe.
 Bananas: Help to lubricate the intestines, treat ulcers, detoxify the body, and manage sugar cravings; are rich in potassium (which helps hypertension).
 Cherries: Slightly warming in nature; increase overall body energy, remedy arthritis and rheumatism, and are rich in iron, which improves the blood.
Baked Sweet Cherry Pudding (Clafouti)
Serves 4
 1/3 cup sugar, PLUS…
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Bing cherries, halved and pitted
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits
vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment if desired
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a blender blend together 1/3 cup of the sugar, the flour, the eggs, the milk, the vanilla, the zest, the almond extract, and the salt until the custard is just smooth.
Arrange the cherries in one layer in a buttered 3-cup gratin dish or flameproof shallow baking dish, pour the custard over them, and bake the clafouti in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is puffed and springy to the touch.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, dot it with the butter, and broil the clafouti under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from the heat for 1 minute, or until it is browned. Serve the clafouti with the ice cream.
Download this recipe.
 Grapefruit: Treat poor digestion, increase appetite during pregnancy, alleviate intestinal gas and reduce mucus conditions of the lungs.
 Papaya: Tone the stomach, act as digestive aid, moisten the lungs and alleviate coughing; contain carpaine, an anti-tumor compound.
Papaya Passion Smoothie
Serves 6
 2 cups papaya - peeled, seeded and cubed
2 cups milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons cream cheese
2 cups ice
Place papaya, milk, sugar, condensed milk, yogurt, cream cheese, and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Download this recipe.
 Raspberries: Benefit the liver and kidneys, cleanse blood of toxins, regulate menstrual cycles, treat anemia and can promote labor at childbirth.
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Trifle
Serves 12-14
 1 box white cake mix, prepared in advance as directed or 1 purchased angel food cake or poundcake or sponge cake
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 cups fresh raspberries
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated coarsely or 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cut cooled cake into 1 inch cubes. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping. In a trifle bowl or other clear bowl, layer half of the cake pieces, 1 cup of raspberries, half of the cream cheese mixture and half of the chocolate. Repeat layers and top with remaining cup of raspberries. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
Download this recipe.
Mixed Berry Muffins
Serves 12
 2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups fresh berries (such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, huckleberries or sliced strawberries, or a combination)
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Lightly butter twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or place paper muffin cups in the muffin tin. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine and make a well in the center. In another medium bowl, whisk the milk, oil and eggs. Mix well and pour into the well. Stir just until blended. Fold in the berries. Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and serve warm or cool on a wire rack.
Download this recipe.
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