EASY Kiwi Peeling and Great Ideas for Eating!

A kiwi (also known as the Chinese Gooseberry) is one of the healthiest fruits we can eat. Yet many people don’t. The common excuse for this is that “they’re a pain in the rump to peel.” Well, no more—we can cross that hang-up off our list. Here’s an easy way to peel a kiwi:


ONE: With a knife, cut the top stem area off.

TWO: Using a kitchen spoon, wedge it into the opening you’ve just created (between the skin and flesh of the kiwi).

THREE: Slowly rotate the kiwi and lift the skin away from the flesh.

FOUR: Press the spoon up toward the flesh as you rotate the kiwi. You should be able to peel the entire kiwi in one easy rotation.


FIVE: When done, just cut the kiwi in half and slice away.

We ought to be eating kiwi several times a week. They’re fairly inexpensive, convenient, and super healthy. Nutrition-wise, they contain about as much potassium as bananas, and two fresh kiwi fruit supply more than an entire day’s worth of vitamin C. We’ll also get as much fiber as is found in two slices of 100% whole-wheat bread, as well as a good dose of folate, magnesium, vitamin K, and copper.

And a series of studies published by the Archives of Ophthalmology have proven that consuming 3 or more servings of fruit per day (especially KIWI) can reduce by 36% the risk of developing an eye-related disease called ARMD (the primary cause of vision impairment in adults).


But overall, consuming kiwi is clearly a healthy choice, and is particularly useful in:

  • Preventing Asthma
  • Preventing wheezing and coughing, especially in children
  • Protecting our DNA from mutations
  • Providing a healthy amount of antioxidants and vitamins
  • Helping prevent colon cancer (thanks to the high fiber content)
I buy bag-fuls when they’re on sale and puree the fruit. It freezes well—it makes wonderful popsicles. I also pour the puree into ice cube trays and when the fruit is frozen, I pop it out and store it in plastic zip-lock bags. These cubes make the BEST flavored mineral water—I call it “legal” soda pop! I also toss them into my green smoothies (skin and all). And when pureed with fresh strawberries, it makes the most delicious fruit leather. Here’s a favorite recipe for this that I found on the great site, www.tasty.co:


Kiwi and Strawberry Fruit Leather

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh strawberries halved
1 cup peeled and quartered kiwifruit
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 170?F (70?C).
2. In a food processor or blender, puree strawberries, kiwi, sugar, and lemon juice.
3. Over a bowl or jug, pour the puree into a strainer and stir to remove most of the seeds.
4. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pour the puree and spread evenly over the paper, being careful not to let it spill over the edges.
5. Bake for 5 hours, or until it is mostly dehydrated and is no longer sticky. (This may take up to 6 hours depending on the oven.) It is done when it has a bendable, leathery texture.
6. Cool completely and cut into strips, leaving the parchment paper attached.
7. Roll each strip up and tie with a ribbon or twine.


Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.



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Kiwi is also delicious when diced and folded into vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt. And it’s becoming a common ingredient in fruit salsa, as well. Kiwi also makes an elegant garnish. Just peel and grill slices on both sides and layer on top of cooked chicken breast for an elegant presentation.

Finally, Aunt Annie used to make the best kiwi jam. She’d blend kiwis, lemon juice, pineapple juice, apples, and just a smidge of sugar. This was so good that we’d even top our vanilla ice cream with it.

Sources:
  •   www.amazon.com
  •   www.homecookbasics.com
  •   www.insider.com
  •   www.tasty.co

    Alice Osborne
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com


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