Welcome to my backyard city homestead

Apricots – those gorgeous small orange fruits may look a lot like small peaches, but they sure don’t taste like peaches.  There’s nothing quite like them, a little sweet and a little tart at the same time, and not nearly as juicy as a peach.  When perfectly ripe, they have a texture that is all their own too.  Hard to describe.  ‘Smooth’?  But don’t let all of that fool you.  Those little orange fruits pack a whallop of a nutritional punch!

Years ago, we planted two apricot trees in our backyard.  We had no expectation of them producing fruit (we live in Edmonton after all) but we heard they were a beautiful shade tree and we were looking for two trees between which to hang a hammock.  Every year the apricot trees blossomed profusely and we truly knew what it was like to have “Popcorn popping on our apricot trees“, but it was usually too early and a late spring frost or big wind or something else we couldn’t control would eliminate any serious promise of the blossoms fruiting out.  Until one year.  The stars all lined up I guess.  Beautiful blossoms.  No late frost.  No big wind.  We were surprised to see cute little green apricots form.  Still we had no expectations out of them.  No sense putting our hope in unrealistic places. …. But they continued to grow, and they ripened into that beautiful apricot-orange we’re so familiar with.  Being the eternal skeptics, we figured they’d be lousy because … well, EDMONTON!  Hello!  You don’t grow apricots in Edmonton.

But we did!  And we harvested them.  Truth be told their texture by the time we picked them wasn’t very  inviting to eat fresh.  But their taste was amazing!  We picked several gallons.  And I made the best apricot jam in the history of the world.  We also made apricot pies.  First year ever for either of those two.  I love apricot pie to this day.  Sadly, one day the jam was all eaten up, and we never had another harvest.  And then we moved.  However, I am reading lately about new varieties that may be hardy in the Edmonton area.  You can bet I’ll be looking into them.

In the meantime, apricots have always been one of my favourite fruits – for two main reasons.  They are so full of nutrition and I absolutely love their flavour.  Dried apricots are especially delicious.

Good Food is Good Medicine

Apricots are rich in potent antioxidants, and an excellent source of Vitamin A (from beta-carotene).  When my kids were little, dried apricots were a real treat, and apricot nectar (though pricey) was the fruit juice that I bought for whoever happened to be sick at any given time.  The sick person got to drink a whole container apricot nectar all to themselves.  It was their special food-medicine because it is so rich in infection fighting and immune enhancing vitamins A and C as well as minerals and so many antioxidants that are known to fight free radicals in the body, and protect us from disease.  When appetite is minimal anyway, it never made any sense wasting it on anything that wasn’t going to help heal.

Apricots and Eyesight

Apricots are packed with Vitamin A, (also known as retinol) which helps with our vision.  Retinol, Beta Carotene and other related nutrients  (carotenoids and xanthophylls) reduce the chances of developing the serious eye-related disorder called Neovascular ARMD – an age-related macular degeneration that causes loss of vision in the elderly.

Research has linked regular intake of fruit in general (not just apricots)  with less risk of age related vision loss.  By simply increasing the amount of fruit you’re currently eating by three or four more servings a day you will increase your long term health in every way, not just vision related.

Apricot Protection Against infection and Inflammation

Apricots are a strong dietary source of phytonutrients.  A single apricot will provide you with 4-5 grams from catechins which are potent anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.  Multiple studies have shown that catechin-rich foods can protect blood vessels from inflammation-related damage, leading to better over all blood pressure control.

The richness of vitamin A makes apricots one of the most valuable immunity enhancing fruits.  The gorgeous orange colour isn’t simply cosmetic you know.  It indicates beta-carotene.  Why is that important?  The human body converts beta carotene into vitamin A.  We need vitamin A for healthy skin and mucus membranes, our immune system, and good eye health and vision.

Other fruits and vegetables that are particularly rich in Vitamin A via beta carotene are:  carrots. sweet potatoes. peppers, broccoli, mangoes, papaya, winter squash. cantaloupe. spinach, kale, and collard greens.  Look for deep orange and deep green.  Of course ‘freshness’ is very important.  There are also many non fruit or vegetable sources of Vitamin A.

Digestive Health – Apricots are a good source of dietary fibre which is helpful in supporting digestive health.  Soluble fibre also helps control blood cholesterol levels.  Since the retinol in apricot is fat soluble, the fruit dissolves in the body easily, and the important nutrients are easily absorbed by the system.  It breaks down fatty acids quickly, which keeps your digestion running smoothly.  Cleaning out the intestines regularly protects you from gastrointestinal concerns.  This helps increases metabolism and energy level which makes apricots a great midday snack when you need a little pick-up.

Blood Health – The type of iron in apricots (as in most plant based foods) takes time to be absorbed by the body and the longer it stays in the system, the better your chances in preventing anemia.  Vitamin C taken with iron ensures better absorption of this type of iron.  How wonderful that nature has them both present in apricots.  So it goes without saying that in iron rich foods like spinach, kale and apricots etc, you’d want that Vitamin C to be in good supply when you eat it.  This is important as Vitamin C is volatile and doesn’t stick around for a long time.  Did you know for example, that spinach (which is known as a good vegetable iron source) loses 100% of its Vitamin C within four days of harvest?  Well I dunno about your local grocery journey, but I can pretty much guarantee that the spinach I buy has not been picked within the last two or three days.  Not only does that mean you’re missing out on the Vitamin C, but because its not there, you’re also not getting full advantage out of the iron in spinach.  🙁  I hate to sound like a bad-news-Betty, but that kinda takes the magic outta ‘fresh’ store bought spinach for me.  There’s gotta be a better way right?  Well, . . . . another conversation for another day.  Stay tuned.  Lets get back to apricots.  

For Healthy Skin, make sure you eat apricots every day.  The combination of Vitamins A and C and also the phytonutrients present ensure good skin.  For years our teens took extra Vitamin A supplements to get them over those difficult teen-skin years.  I am convinced it made all the difference for them and prevented some of the teenage woes I went through.

Overall Health – Ripe apricots are a rich natural sources of antioxidants.  When eaten daily, they help the body to get rid of toxins that we tend to collect over time.  Antioxidants also kill free radicals that damage our cells.  They help to reduce the bad cholesterol content in the body while increasing the good cholesterol.  The potassium content in apricots balances the electrolyte levels in our system.  All of this spells good heart health.

Potassium also helps our bodies absorb calcium and assimilate it uniformly.  Better absorption of calcium is critical in developing and strengthening bones.

Where do Apricots come from? 

I’ve always associated apricots with coming from Turkey for some reason, and in actual fact, they arrived in Europe via the middle east.  They are mentioned in the Old Testament.  Apricots have been cultivated for about 5,000 years and their origin has been traced to China.  Apricot trees were first planted in North America beginning on the east coast (Virginia) in the early 1700’s century, and expanding as far west as California by the end of that century.  The climate there is perfectly suited to apricots, and most apricots grown in the United States are grown in the California sun.  Turkey, Italy, Russia, Spain, Greece, and France are also the world’s leading producers of apricots.  In western Canada, some of our seasonal apricots may be coming from southern BC in the Okanagan Valley, where as in eastern Canada, they are likely coming from Ontario.

When are they in Season?

Apricot season in North America runs from mid spring through mid summer at best.   Look for fruits with a rich orange colour and they should be slightly soft.  Tree-ripened fruits always taste the best, so the closer you are to the source, the more likely that’s gonna happen.  For maximum nutritional value, always choose fruit that was fully ripened on the tree and was harvested as close to your purchase time as possible.  No easy task if you live in Edmonton.

Apricots can also be purchased fresh, canned, dried or freeze dried.  They’re also popular in preserves of all kinds.  The taste of all are these variations is so uniquely ‘apricotty‘ and I love them all.

How to Eat Apricots

FRESH – Like most fresh fruits, apricots can be eaten in multiple ways.  Eating as a snack is always the easiest, but they are so much more versatile than that.  Nutritionally speaking, Fresh is always best!  But it has been my experience that it is difficult to get ‘good’ apricots in season, at least in my little corner of the world.  At best, I might be able to buy them once or twice in a season.  Sometimes not even that.  And its often disappointing.  Too frequently, you buy fruit that is ‘mushy’.  I hate it when that happens.  They are way too expensive for that.  This makes apricots more elusive in Alberta than mangoes!  What’s with that?

Unfortunately, one never really knows how ‘fresh’ fresh is.  How long ago were they picked?  Did they have time to ripen on the tree?  I realize that tree ripened fruit is more difficult to transport, and a lot more volatile, …. and living in Alberta, one cannot be too picky about that sort of thing.  I completely understand that there are so many variables that factor into getting ‘fresh’ produce out to the masses.  I don’t mean to sound unreasonable.  But one does need to consider the various options and choose the best for their circumstances.

Canned – Canning is still an easy and convenient way to home preserve excess fruits from the garden.  And canned apricots are still available to buy from the supermarket.  The process of canning  fruits of course, involves high heat for a prolonged period of time and usually the use of sugar.  Whether home canned or commercially canned, the process is the same although you can control the use of added ingredients when you do it yourself.  Generally speaking the resulting nutritional value of canned fruits is about 40% of whatever it was when it went into the canner.  While that is disappointing, we know a quart of fruit is boiled for 40+ minutes so it shouldn’t be surprising.  Still, canned apricots in February are better than no apricots in February, so canning remains a viable method of preserving excess summer produce.

Dehydrated Apricots are delicious and a convenient healthy snack food.  For years, this was my preferred way to eat them, primarily for convenience sake.   But commercially grown and dried apricots are often treated with sulfur-containing compounds during processing to extend their shelf life.  There is much concern about this additive.

Freeze Dried Apricots are delicious and another convenient and healthy snack.  They have recently become a viable option on the market that has all but replaced my romance with dried apricots.  For eleven months of the year, I choose to eat FREEZE DRIED Apricots.  After tree-ripened ‘FRESH’ – which lets face it, doesn’t happen too often in Alberta, freeze dried is the MOST nutritious source of apricots.  Of course nutrition is optimised when care and attention are given to the ‘quickness’ of the process, ensuring fruit was tree-ripened and that time between harvest and flash freezing is measured in hours rather than days.  Although the method of freeze drying is standard, the care of beginning with the best possible fruit varies from company to company.  There are many different brands of Freeze Dried fruits.  Do your investigation and find the one that guarantees best nutrition.  A good source of freeze dried apricots could yield up to 95% of the original food value.  And bonus: if packed properly in an oxygen free can, the shelf life could exceed twenty five years. This is a pretty impressive and stable way to keep apricots on hand for everyday use all year long.

using everyday

* Whether using fresh, dried or freeze dried, apricots can be chopped up and added to your morning cereal, granola or porridge.  Add them to your yogurt.
* Use them in baking.  Apricot tarts, pies, crumbles and cakes are amazing.
* My husband makes a delicious Persian Chicken baked with a fruit sauce made of freeze dried apricots.  We’ve also baked them with prunes in the same pot as a pork roast.  Adding them to meats dishes or vegetable stews adds a wonderful middle eastern flavour.
* We add them to greens with feta and almonds for a wonderful salad.  Just sprinkle a little balsamic vinegarette to finish it off.

* I make a wonderful apricot couscous with raisins, orange juice and a little bit of cayenne for punch.   Click here to see the recipe.

Apricot jam is the best jams ever!  Even better if you make it up as you need it from freeze dried apricots and little to no sugar.
I take about a cup of freeze dried apricots
add about 1/2 a cup of water and a pinch of sugar to taste (if any).
I refresh the apricots in a small sauce pan, heating over low heat and stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.  It takes about 20 minutes to thicken up to make an absolutely incredible spread.  I hesitate to call it ‘jam’ because there’s hardly any sugar in it.  But I use it as jam, so if the shoe fits wear it I guess.  Except there’s no guilt.

It may seem odd to read a blog post about Pineapple in a self reliance blog from a Canadian city homestead, but I would never for a single minute pretend we in this house eat only those things we produce. Heavens no!  What would we eat for the other nine months of the year?  There are many wonderful fruits and vegetables that are available to us that can enliven our days and enrich our bodies.  I am so glad to live in a country where variety can be part of my life.  However, it is still as important to me as ever to eat “in the season” – even though that season may be five thousand miles away.  There are ways of ensuring we get the very best nutrition – even out of tropical fruits, and yes, even while living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Pineapples –  those wonderful tropical fruits that are so gorgeously delicious – are even more nutritious than you may have believed.  I live in Canada, so the pineapple I grew up on was the same as what my parents had available –  canned.  Dole or Del Monte.  We thought that was delicious enough – imagine my delight when I discovered “fresh” pineapple in the produce department when I was all grown up and buying my own groceries!   Oh My!

There really is nothing like a ‘fresh’ pineapple.  But sadly, the pineapples we buy in most North American grocery stores are nothing like ‘fresh’.  That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who lives here; they have to travel many thousands of miles to reach us after all.  For that reason, pineapples are picked green.  Most of the time they’re still green when we buy them.  Sigh …. I know.  One of the hazards of shipping so far.  We all know that fruits and vegetables are at their peak of perfection in every way – including nutritionally when they are picked fully ripe – having ripened ON the plant.  Harvesting before ripe means of course that the nutrients have not had a chance to fully develop, and so are sadly lacking right from the beginning.  Since fruits like pineapples and bananas have to travel half way across the world to reach us, taking two to three weeks minimally before we see them on the grocery store shelf we cannot hope to have them picked ripe.  But wait a minute, must they always be less than they should be for those of us who don’t live in tropical countries?

Well, hold that thought.  Let’s first talk about all the wonderful goodness that a fully plant-ripened pineapple has to offer.  Pineapples are super rich in vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants.  They help boost the immune system, build strong bones, aid digestion, reduce inflammation and improve circulation.   And, even though they are deliciously sweet, they are surprisingly low in calories.

Immune system, respiratory health and healing:
Pineapple contains a huge amount of Vitamin C and other important antioxidants, along with Vitamin A, beta-carotene and other flavonoid compounds. Did you know that one cup contains 121% of our recommended amount of Vitamin C for the day? I KNOW right!
Since vitamin C is a primary water soluble antioxidant that stimulates your white blood cells to defend your body, it a major player in the fight against many diseases, as well as heart problems and joint pain.  Vitamin C and bromelain (the digestive enzyme pineapples are famous for – see below) are both known to reduce mucus in the throat and sinuses, thus they help prevent and treat respiratory illnesses like colds and flu. Heck, pineapple is a regular Super Hero in the whole-food world.  If you already have symptoms like excess mucus and phlegm, eat some pineapple! If you feel a cold coming on, feast on some pineapple. Prevent the mucus and phlegm from building up.

Vitamin C helps create collagen, a protein base that is essential for healthy organs, bones, skin and blood vessel walls. Increasing your consumption of pineapple will speed up your wound recovery time and help you fight off infection that may follow an injury.

Bone strength and oral health:
A one cup serving of pineapple contains nearly 75% of the daily recommended amount of MANGANESE (I know right!) which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissues. Studies suggest that manganese is helpful in preventing osteoporosis in post menopausal women. Teeth are bone, so that same quality of manganese and bromelain is helpful in strengthening teeth. And the high vitamin C content as well as the astringent qualities of many of the natural enzymes tighten tissues in the body from skin to muscles, including your gums. So pineapple is great for good oral health.

Eye health:
Due to its high amount of Vitamin C and other important antioxidants as well as beta-carotene, pineapple is important in helping maintain healthy vision.  Additionally, studies show that eating pineapple can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration and other age related eye diseases.

Digestion:
Most fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of dietary fibre, and pineapple is particularly fibrous – which is essential in keeping our intestines clean and healthy.  But pineapple is also known as a wonderful source of digestive enzymes, perhaps the most important one being BROMELAIN, an enzyme that breaks down protein, being particularly beneficial in aiding in digestion.

Inflammation and improved blood circulation:
The ability that the proteolytic enzyme bromelain has to break down complex proteins, gives pineapple helpful anti-inflammatory properties. This is especially important when dealing with joint or muscle pain associated with arthritis.  A variety of studies associate bromelain with reducing tumor growth and other excessive inflammation often associated with cancer, as well as being helpful in treating osteoarthritis.

Besides being a valuable source of manganese, pineapple is rich in other minerals such as potassium and copper.  Potassium can help increase blood flow throughout they body by relaxing blood vessels to allow circulation in a less restricted manner.  For this reason, eating pineapple can help prevent blood clots, reducing the risk of artherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack. Copper is essential for red blood cell formation which increases our cognitive abilities and ensures optimum organ function which lowers our chance of neural disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

In short.  Eat more Pineapple. 

Caution:
The wonderful active enzymes in pineapple make it a great meat tenderizer, but eating too much can result in tenderness of the mouth, including the lips, tongue and cheeks.  This is not a long lasting effect and will normally resolve itself within a few hours, but in some unfortunate individuals – a legitimate allergy may exist.  You have my deepest sympathy.

Eating unripe pineapple, is not only tasteless and sometimes bitter, but dangerous as it is toxic to humans and can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting.  Hint: if it tastes bad, it is bad.  Pineapple should be sweet and deliciously refreshing.

Where Pineapple grows and how we get it:
Pineapple can only be grown in tropical regions, but since its discovery in the 15th century by Europeans on the Caribbean Island of Guadalupe it has been introduced to many other tropical regions in Asia, Africa and the south Pacific where it has flourished.  Since it is so perishable, it was not only a rarity in the early days, but many attempts have been made over the centuries to preserve it so that those of us not living in tropical climates can enjoy it.  For centuries it was glazed in a sugar coating and dried as a luxurious treat for those who could afford it.

Pineapple was brought to Hawaii in the 18th century and became a major Hawaiian industry in the early 1900’s with the enterprising efforts of James Dole.  Nowadays however, Hawaii produces little more than to keep up with island demand and is no longer a world producer.  Other countries that grow commercially include Thailand, the Philippines, China, Brazil and Mexico.   Recently California and Florida have begun growing pineapple, but so far, not for export.

Best way to get the BEST pineapple with the MOST natural food value is to pick it ripe of course.  How is that possible for you and me?  Freeze Dried.  The science of freeze drying is bringing the most nutritious food to us all.  Wherever we live.  While there is nothing that can beat the wonderful juicy deliciousness of that perfect pineapple you occasionally find in the produce department of good grocery stores, for the sake of nutrition – go for freeze dried.

Freeze Dried Pineapple

Although the process of freeze drying is the same no matter who does it, the attention to details like plant ripening, and the urgency of flash freezing within hours of harvest are not the same.  Yet these are important, even critical factors in the fruit being at its peak nutrition by the time we eat it.  Do your homework.  And pay attention to the country of origin to begin with.  That is critical information.

Enjoy your pineapple.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

Many people are familiar with the term “cruciferous vegetables” and may even be able to identify a vegetable in the cabbage family – like broccoli as belonging to this group.  But there are many more vegetables in this family than you might have realized.  And do you know why Nutritionists recommend we choose at least at least one serving of this vegetable family every single day?

Cruciferous Vegetables

• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Chinese cabbage
• Collard greens
• Daikon radish
• Horseradish
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Land cress
• Mustard greens
• Radish
• Rutabaga
• Shepherd’s purse
• Turnip
• Watercress

High in Vitamins C & A, fiber and loaded with other nutrients that scientists are finding to have anti-cancer properties, there is much, much more.  Vitamin K helps to regulate our inflammatory response, and that is where the Cruciferous family literally become Super Stars in decreasing our risk to many types of cancer.  Its cancer-preventive properties are in a constant state of investigation, and increasing acclaim.

“The astonishing concentration of vitamin A in cruciferous vegetables and their unusually high content of vitamin C and manganese are clearly key components in their growing reputation as an antioxidant vegetable group.” [The George Mateljan Foundation]

We may not think about broccoli or kale as the type of vegetable to improve digestive disorders but we should.  Eating a hearty amount of broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage or any of the other common cruciferous vegetables is a power house of healthy (low calorie) fibre.  “When consumed in fresh, uncooked form, nutrients from the cruciferous vegetables that we eat are also more likely to be absorbed in the upper digestive tract, transported to the liver, and made available to other tissues in the body that might benefit from their presence.” [The George Mateljan Foundation]

Add a handful of kale to your favourite smoothie in the morning for a great jump on your day, or anytime throughout your day for a nutritious pick-me-up.  RECIPE for Kale Smoothie.

When it comes to cooking cruciferous vegetables, LESS IS MORE.  Lightly steaming for 3-7 minutes (just when the colour is most gorgeous) is much preferable to long term cooking, like in a soup, or any time in the microwave.  Does that mean you shouldn’t have cream of broccoli soup?  Absolutely not.  But keep the temperature low and add the broccoli toward the end of the cooking process.  This helps preserve nutritional integrity.  You can steam, roast, grill, or saute them.

“By commonly consuming all parts of plants from this group, including flowers, leaves, stems, stalks, roots and seeds, we allow this cruciferous vegetable group to integrate together an unusually wide range of nutrients that is broader than any other single food group subdivision in the average U.S. diet. For all of these reasons, and based on the latest research evidence, we cannot say enough about the healthiness of this food group for most every individual diet plan.” [The George Mateljan Foundation]

Here are some of the three better known, and more readily available cruciferous vegetables.  Hopefully you’re already in love with them.  But be creative and try those you haven’t yet fallen in love with too.

KALE

This tough, leafy green is loaded with vitamins A, C and K as well as immune-system booster beta carotene and bone-building calcium. It is a virtual powerhouse of antioxidants as well as having anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. We all know ‘raw and fresh’ is best, so add it into a coleslaw. But don’t stop there. Lightly saute it with olive oil and red wine vinegar, just till the colour is that gorgeous bright green and it becomes tender to the fork. Add Kale to stir fries, omelettes and many other vegetable-friendly dishes toward the end of the cooking process. Think outside the box. Be creative.

Sprouted in nature and packed with nutrients, Freeze Dried Kale is simply kale!  Stir into pasta, stuff inside mushrooms, add to any dinner recipe, or blend in a smoothie.  My niece even adds it to ‘brownies’.  LOL
It’s fantastic however and wherever you serve it!

CAULIFLOWER

Cauliflower is a cancer fighting vegetable as well. It’s also a good fibre source and contains healthy doses of vitamin C and folate (an important nutrient which a shortage of has been connected to defects in unborn children).

Lightly steamed your cauliflower and then drizzle with your favourite salad dressing. Top with some dry crumbled feta. Or saute with garlic and ginger, and serve with rice. Add it to your stir fried combo. Steam and mash like potatoes.

The advantage to freeze dried as opposed to ‘grocery store fresh‘ – is always nutrition.  Not all freeze dried companies have the same commitment ot high quality so be picky when looking for a brand you can trust.  The key is produce that is picked at the peak of perfection and flash frozen usually within hours of harvest.  All freeze dried food is transferred in the frozen state to a facility where the remaining moisture is removed through a vacuum process called ‘sublimation’.  One doesn’t get a better percentage of original food value in food that we don’t grow in our own organic gardens AND that we don’t use within a few hours of picking, than with freeze dried vegetables.

Freeze-dried cauliflower is absolutely delicious when used in creamy soups, casseroles, and even garden salads. This unique vegetable reduces toxins in the body and provides you with essential vitamins.

Have you tried using crumbled cauliflower as a pizza crust?  I know!  It sounds too weird to be good, but it shocked me.  Delicious.  I’ll post a recipe in this spot later.

BROCCOLI 

Broccoli is probably the best known and most commonly used cruciferous vegetable in Canada and the United States, but make no mistake broccoli is not to be underestimated. There is nothing ‘common’ about it.

* Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli stands out as the most concentrated source of vitamin C, plus the flavonoids necessary for vitamin C to recycle effectively. Also concentrated in broccoli are many powerful antioxidants.
* Broccoli contains high levels of both calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone growth, health and prevention of osteoporosis.
* Broccoli is a smart carb and is high in fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating. .
* Broccoli shares cancer fighting, immune boosting properties with other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

It is recommended that we eat several servings of assorted cruciferous vegetables every week, one of the biggest reasons is that they have been found to lower our risk of getting cancer.  They are literally the Super Heroes of the vegetable world.  But they can’t help us by sitting on our counter or in our fridge.  Get to know them, and learn to love them.  Find new recipes to make them exciting members of your regular meal plan.  You have everything to gain, and nothing to lose.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

I have always been interested in good health and nutrition, and like all moms  wanting to ensure my kids received the very best I knew how (and had the ability to provide), I had to rely on information that came from a variety of sources.  The problems arose when informational sources contradicted themselves.   I am sure you’ve found that happens – not infrequently.

Like the whole butter vs margarine debate of the 80’s –  which apparently we’re still debating ….. and of course the fat vs no-fat debate.  etc.

One can really get wrapped up in knots trying to decipher, give credibility where it’s due and be suspicious without being cynical.   Like others I swayed from time to time between fads and science, being in a specific camp only to find out that my sources of information were either wrong, or became suspect because they had hidden agendas or something to sell.   Argh …

I decided long ago that when in question about what to feed my family, there was one guideline I can rely on completely to remove all doubt.   It is brief and simple but profound in its straightforwardness, and upon investigation one can see incredible wisdom.   What is it?
Counsel given long enough ago as to remove all modern conspiracy theories (😉) and yet still be relevant to the world I currently live in.

“All wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature and use of man.   Every herb in the season thereof and every fruit in the season thereof, all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.”
(D&C 89:10,11)

This portion of a larger code of health called “the WORD OF WISDOM” was recorded in February of 1833, and whether you believe it was from the personal writings of an individual, or that it was given as heavenly revelation, I’ll leave it up to you.   But it deserves a close look in light of today’s understanding.

I want to refer to the phrase “in the season thereof”.
I find that increasingly significant in this day when the typical North American can eat watermelon and apples twelve months a year.   Firstly, what is referred to by the word herb?  as in “every herb in the season thereof“.    In the mid nineteenth century the word herb was often synonymous with our word ‘vegetable’, and the meaning quite literally is – any edible plant in or on the ground, that dies back to soil level at the end of the growing season.   So modernizing the line – “Every [vegetable] in the season thereof and every fruit in the season thereof” – simplifies our discussion.

It is easy to understand that in 1833 eating fruits and vegetables in the season they grew would be the most beneficial.   At the time, the only accessible ways for the average home to preserve would have been temporary cold storage, ferment or pickle, or in some climates to sun dry, but clearly each method was only suitable for a narrow range of foods, and all were completely weather dependent.   And frankly, only for the extension of a few months at best.   But still, one does the best one knows how to do right?   It was pretty obvious you would get more nutrition from a ‘fresh’ apple eaten in its season, than one stored in the root cellar for several months or dehydrated.   But still in the middle of winter, a dehydrated apple is a welcome variation.   Although fresh cabbage is preferable, sauerkraut would be a close a second in the middle of January. . . . .  you get the point.

So here we are, almost two centuries later – and we can have ‘fresh’ tomatoes in our salads all year round.   We see watermelon, oranges, bananas and even blueberries and raspberries on the supermarket shelves in every month of the year.   Many fruits we buy from the produce department don’t grow during any season in the country I live in.  Bananas, pineapple, mangoes, kiwi, …..  and my personal favourite, citrus fruits.   Most of us wouldn’t know if those fruits even had seasons, let alone what they are.   Well, let me put your mind at ease.   They do.   The question is, should we really eat everything all the time, just because we can?   I’m gonna save you some time because I am not interested in the debate.   I say – “no.  We shouldn’t.”   If we really want the fruits and vegetables to be of optimum value to us, we should eat them “in the season thereof”.   So the next questions would naturally be ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ and ‘what even IS the season?’

Lets get 7 important and applicable facts on the table to begin with:

#1 – fruits and vegetables begin to deteriorate in the hour they are harvested.  Nutritionally and in every other way.   This implies that ideally, we’d want the journey from “field to fork” to be as short as possible.

#2 – taste and natural colour are excellent indicators of nutritional value.   They are intrinsically connected.   You can count on it, and trust your taste.

#3 – many fruits and even vegetables we buy in grocery stores are harvested before they have ripened.  This gives producers the ability to pick, ship and market them with reduced risk of spoilage.    Consider bananas.   Does anyone in North America question that bananas are picked green?   How often have you bought summer peaches, only to have them be ‘not quite ready’ to eat?  Still a little too green or firm.  Pears.  Obviously picked green.  Mangoes.  I often joke that I used to buy them when they were green, throw them out when they were brown, and only occasionally eat them when they were orange.  …  Don’t get me wrong. I am not complaining.   Clearly, if we want to eat ‘fresh’ bananas in Edmonton, they must be picked before they’re ripe.  I totally understand they couldn’t possibly make the trip if it were otherwise.   However …. there is always a price to be paid right?

#4 – When a fruit ripens on the tree, it is complete.   Fully developed.   With all the vitamins and minerals and other nutrients that nature intended.   If we could eat that mango right off the tree, then wow!   Wouldn’t we expect to taste the difference?   Phytonutrients are the very important antioxidant nutrients contained in fruits and vegetables.  They are among the last to develop in the ripening process.   Wait!   That implies that by picking a peach before its ripe, its nutrition is incomplete?   Or at the very least – compromised?

Yeah, it does.   In fact, vitamin C is one of those very important antioxidants, and don’t we expect a fresh peach to be loaded with vitamin C?   Well yes.   Of course.   And fairly so.   But  another fact is ….

#5 – most produce travels thousands of miles to reach its destination markets.   We aren’t all fortunate enough to live in a climate where peaches and apricots and blackberries grow in abundance.   And even if we did live in Hawaii where pineapple and mangoes grow just down the way, that means we don’t live in a place that grows raspberries and blueberries.   Hold that thought.

#6 – the apples we buy in the grocery store are never ‘fresh’.   In fact almost without exception, they were picked last year and kept in cold storage all these months.   It is the only way to ensure apples stay on the grocery store shelf twelve months a year.   Lets face it, when we eat an apple in May – we KNOW it had to have been picked eight or nine months ago.   At the very least.   Lets think about that ‘fresh’ apple.  Is it reasonable to expect it to be as nutritious as it was in the days after it was harvested?   No!   That is completely not reasonable.   So if you want to eat an apple for your lunch in June, then reduce your nutritional expectation out of it.

How are apples kept so good looking all those months?   They’re put into what’s known as Controlled Atmosphere storage where they sit in a sort of stasis.   The temperature is very low, and oxygen levels are reduced to 2% which prevents them from ripening; some growers call it “putting them to sleep.”   I am not complaining.   It’s a part of modern food science that keeps the world eating.   And it is necessary with the sense of entitlement that North American consumers have, that tells us we should be able to eat apples whenever we want.   It’s a habit we’ve become accustomed to.   Personally, I love apples in the fall – when they’re crisp and juicy and at their best.   I don’t like them as much when they’re not at their best, and I don’t feel the need to eat them 12 months a year.   I will admit however, that I will eat freeze dried apples in those off months – because they are always at their best.   But more about that later.

#7 – going back to fact #1 “fruits and vegetables begin to deteriorate within the hour they are harvested”, when would it be best to eat a fruit or vegetable?   As soon after harvest as possible obviously.

#8 – in the area that I live, there are no fruits or vegetables ‘in season’ for almost 8 months of the year.   So clearly, those of us in the northern areas must be creative to eat a variety of food with the best possible preservation of nutrients.

So, does that mean that we shouldn’t eat apples in the spring?   Or watermelons in the fall or winter?   I don’t believe it does.   Do whatever you want.   Eat whatever you want.   But be reasonable in your expectations of the food you’re eating.   Don’t expect them to be what they cannot be.   So how does one eat a good variety of fruits and vegetables all year round?   And make no mistake, variety is important when we’re nourishing our bodies.

Going back to the counsel I quoted above:
“All wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature and use of man.  Every herb in the season thereof and every fruit in the season thereof.”   (Word of Wisdom)
It is so simple.   I am a purist when it comes to the source of this type of counsel.   I am convinced that my Heavenly Father quite literally is not only interested in my health and well being, but that He is invested in it.  To the point that He is telling me what is best for me.  (not by constraint, but by loving counsel).   He is telling me to eat fruits and vegetables when they are the most nutritious and beneficial to my health and well being.   Did He anticipate that one day we wouldn’t be bound to what we could reap from the earth ourselves? or buy from local farmers?   Oh I believe He anticipated everything in my world today.   And yet still, He counsels me that ALL wholesome fruits and vegetables He ordained for my use.   “For the constitution, nature and use of man.”  Not only that, but He tells me we should eat them with “prudence and with thanksgiving“. (D&C 89:10,11)

How could we obey the spirit of the counsel to eat fruits and vegetables “in the season” while still partaking of the wonderful variety our present circumstances provide?   To be ‘prudent’ is to be wise and practical especially when considering the future.   It implies care and attention to the details of one’s best interests.   To use ‘thanksgiving’ is to give grateful acknowledgement of “benefits and favours” especially to God.   I think we can agree that thanksgiving is a personal state of mind, completely between oneself and God, but to be clear, it is important to God that we are grateful and express that gratitude.   I’ll leave that up to you.

One of the things I am very grateful to modern food science for is the science of freeze drying.  Developed and used by ancient people (the Incas in the Andes) to the extent they had the ability to harness the elements of sun and cold temperature, it became a serious science during the Second World War to send stable blood components to hospitals overseas.   It really took off during the years of developing space travel.   In need of highly nutritious food that didn’t require water and with a long shelf life, it became the subject of very important study.   Thank-you space industry. 

The process locks in nutritional value better than any other way of preserving food – even cold storage.
The result:  a food with the highest nutritional value, second only to straight-out-of-the-garden.   That’s right!   Fruits and vegetables that remain the nutritional power houses they were on the day they were picked ripe from the tree or garden.

What is the science of freeze drying?
Well, its really very simple.   Its a two step process:
1) flash freeze
2) remove remaining moisture.
That combination = freeze dried.   Of course ‘simple’ means the process is pretty straight forward.   There is still a lot of science and technique involved in getting the very best result.

Many of us live in areas that have winter or non-growing seasons.  In the spirit of prudence, I cannot think of a better way for me to abide by the spirit of eating “in the season thereof” or to ensure the food we eat is the best possible nutrition – than FREEZE DRIED food.   Not only is it ‘fresher’ than some of the so-called ‘fresh’ foods in our grocery stores, retaining a higher and more stable level of nutritional value than grocery store produce, but protected in a sealed airtight container, it has an extended shelf life.   Quite literally, stored properly it remains ‘in-season‘ for a very long time – 25 years and more.

And in the spirit of thanksgiving, I thank God for the science of freeze drying which provides the best food on earth to the masses, in all climates, and in all seasons.   I am grateful for the counsel to eat fruits and vegetables when they can provide the most nourishment to our bodies, and I am grateful that inspired modern food science has provided a way for us to have food security and independence every season of the year.

The best way to eat fruits and vegetables?   Still straight out of our gardens.   No question.   If we have them.   Or as quickly as we can purchase them (from a local market garden, or farmer’s market), making that trip from-field-to-fork as short as possible.
The next best way?   Freeze dried.   Absolutely.

Having said all that – I do not own a freeze dryer.   I know right?   Seems contradictory.   Some friends tell me they’re surprised since I am all about self reliance. food storage, and home production and such.   I get it.   I can, I freeze, I ferment and I dehydrate – but I choose not to freeze dry myself.   Why not?   Because in all those other circumstances, I believe I can produce a better end product.   I know where my vegetables come from, where my berries, plums and apples come from, I know they’re organic, I know when they were picked, and I am in charge of all the things that I’m most particular about.   As a general rule of thumb I don’t preserve produce I didn’t grow myself.

On the other hand, I don’t believe I can produce a better end product if I freeze dry myself.  Why not?   First of all, I would have to buy the peaches, mangoes, blueberries, bananas, etc in order to freeze dry them.   I know the process of freeze drying and what would be required of me and my resources to produce a high quality end product, one that I could have confidence would still be the highest quality in 5-10-15+ years.   It is involved, precise and expensive.   Very expensive.   And then there is the storage of it.   The food can only be as good as how well I protect it.   That is another process with another expense.

After the expense of the unit (which is only part of the picture), I feel that if I’m going to have to buy the food to freeze dry, I might just as well buy it already freeze dried.
And while I acknowledge that not all freeze drying companies are equal in their dedication to the quality I desire, I know one that is.   I have had long experience with this company.   I know many of the behind-the-scene details of this company and their processes.   I have toured their facilities more than half a dozen times over the years, I have even participated in a few of the steps, and more than that – I have used their food for over a decade.   It meets my requirements for quality on every level, and I have confidence that they’ll be around for all my future needs.

For others, purchasing a freeze drier might be the right choice, but for me and my purposes – unless something unforeseen happens in my future – I prefer to purchase my freeze dried fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat from Thrive Life.   I highly recommend them.   So firm is my resolve in that choice, that years ago I became a consultant with Thrive Life, enabling me to not only benefit from my own purchases, but earn an income as well.   I like being able to represent a company that prioritizes quality and value the same way I do.   It is important to me on a very personal level.   So, while I love freeze dried food, I choose not to freeze dry myself.   I find that the quality of the freeze dried food I feed my family and store for future use, gives me the nearest quality to fresh from my backyard garden as I can possibly get.   And since I don’t grow bananas or pineapple in my own backyard garden, it opens the world to me – allowing my family to eat ‘in the season’, making that journey from field to fork in the nutritional equivalent of 2 – 4 hours.   I’m hard pressed to get things from my garden to my table within 2 – 4 hours.   It’s pretty hard to beat.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

So if you’re like me, September is synonymous with fresh, crisp and delicious apples.  When I was a little girl we waited for that first big early fall batch.  My mom always bought them in boxes.  I would shine them up with a damp cloth for the table. To this day there is nothing to compare with those deliciously crispy autumn apples. sigh ……

When I was young momming I wanted to provide the same experience for my kids.  Every year I bought a few cases of fresh apples, straight from the orchard.  We looked forward to it. It made fall worth it.  My kids are gone now and I am not buying cases of apples.  I am buying them by the bag at the grocery store, and I noted for several years that the fall apples I brought home were …. well, they were disappointing.  No matter what store, no matter what type of apple, they were repeatedly disappointing and I began to suspect that my memories had led me astray.  Why did I think apples were so wonderful this time of year anyway?  Or worse, perhaps I had simply lost my taste for them. ….

I discovered a few years back that in most cases the apples on our supermarket shelves can be up to a year old.  whaaaaat!!!   Sometimes over a year old.  In fact, the apples you’re buying this week are almost assuredly from the previous years’ harvest.  Why?  Well, think about it.  If you want to eat apples in March, where are they gonna come from?  You know that apples in North America generally ripen between August and October.  When you buy an apple in May, you know that it had to have been picked last fall.   Its a sign of our times that we want to have everything ALL the time.  Well, there’s a cost to that sense of entitlement we’ve gotten used to.

Within weeks from harvest the natural process of deterioration will continue to break down an apple.  According to the US Department of Agriculture, apples stored in temperature controlled, low humidity conditions with low levels of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide can be stored for months before being consumed.  To extend the fruit’s post-storage quality it is sprayed with an ethylene blocking colourless gaseous compound called 1-methylcyclopropene.  This same chemical is used to lessen the “de-greening of broccoli, browning of lettuce and bitterness of carrots” says USDA.
see source https://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2007/oct/apples

I don’t want to come across as one of those conspiracy theorists who believe everyone’s out to wreck my day.   And I find absolutely no fault in the concept of prolonging the life of produce.   After all, our great grandparents (grandparents in my case) had root cellars for this express purpose.   Heck, its why we have fridges.  And I appreciate having the produce variety I’ve become accustomed to.  Really I do.  And I’m not on a soap box claiming that there is something inherently wrong with the process science has determined is the optimal way to ensure the masses eat apples all year long.   But even if extending the life of apples is perfectly safe, a freshly picked apple is always going to be much better for you than one that was picked six or eight months ago.

So if you want to eat apples all year long, then you can be grateful to food science that makes it possible.  But as with everything else in life, there is always that ‘cost’ we mentioned above.  And that cost is nutrition.  Apples are nutritional powerhouses.  Remember the old adage we grew up with “an apple a day keeps the doctor away“.  Apples are particularly rich in a type of antioxidant called polyphenols.  But these antioxidants (as with most) are volatile and they dissipate over time.  A year old apple retains close to zero of its all of its original antioxidant properties.  That is something to take note of.

It is difficult to impossible to determine which supermarket apples are freshest until after they’re purchased and brought home.  The people working in the produce department won’t be able to tell you.  Often times the produce manager won’t be able to tell you either.  The apples all come from legitimate sources.  Those sources just happen to be the storage facility, not the orchard.

Sometimes even your farmer’s market vendor doesn’t know when the apples were picked.  Unless they picked them themselves, or saw them picked, they probably can’t guarantee that they didn’t come from a quonset.  So how can  you know?  Well, as with all fruits and vegetables – taste, colour, and texture are good indicators of nutritional integrity.  You know how a fresh home grown tomato has so much more flavour than a store bought tomato?  Same thing.  There is something to be said for that wonderful crispness and unmistakable taste of a fresh apple.  Trust your taste buds.  If you are disappointed in the apple you’re eating, there’s probably a good reason why you should be.    Problem is, we don’t taste the apples till we get home – purchase already made.  argh …. Inevitably it seems that if I take the cautious route and only buy a few, the apples are terrific.  If I take a chance and buy a big bag, they’re yucky. . . . .  Or maybe that just happens to me.

If you don’t want to play that guessing game, how do you make sure the apple you’re eating is the BEST with the MOST nutritional value possible?  Well, the answer is not very scientific.  Simply buy your apples in season and eat them in season, and where possible, buy locally – so you can be sure they are “in the season“.  If you have even a small yard (even in a townhouse), you can – in almost any zone, grow apples. There are some now that are known-hardy even in Alaska.   I have a gorgeous, hardy apple tree in my backyard.  Its been here longer than we’ve been here and its in the perfect spot.  Right beside the play-centre for our grandkids, providing shade for the swings.  The problem is that it has yucky apples.  We’ve been sorely tempted to get rid of it many times as the apples just fall to the ground and make a mess. They’re not good eating apples.  Don’t last very long.  They make good juice and sauce but you’ve got to get on them immediately or they’re so bruised you don’t want them anymore.  However, I recently learned, some pretty exciting news.  I can take cuttings from other apple trees which I like much better and graft them onto this proven-hardy tree!  I am super looking forward to next spring to do that exact thing. Which ones?  I plan to graft in these varieties that I have tasted and talked to several local growers about:  Norkent, Collette, Edmonton Borris, and September Ruby. These are all hardy in zone 3, and delicious and crisp, with various features that appeal to me. 

Whatever you decide to do about apples, don’t fall into that mindset that you should be able to get (and eat) apples all year round.  Why?  What grand eternal rule says that eating apples twelve months a year is a basic human right?  Most of us freely use the word “fresh” to describe the produce in the produce department of the grocery store.  More accurate adjectives we could be using to describe them are “perishable or raw” or maybe “cold storage“, because as we’re learning, store bought fruits and vegetables are not all exactly “fresh” are they?  Bottom line: if you choose to eat an apple in April, then simply adjust your expectations nutritionally. And for heavens sake don’t use that word “fresh” – because it simply isn’t so.  This is true of all fruits and vegetables: the less “fresh” they are, the less nutrients they contain.  Its okay.  We can live with that.  Its not gonna wreck our lives.  Adjust.

I decided a few years ago that I was tired of being disappointed in the food I eat.  I choose for the most part, to not buy apples past Christmas time.  I decided to eat oranges in the cold months because that is the season in which they are harvested in North America.  For the most part, I decided to eat only the tomatoes I grow. After all, “it’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato”. (lettering above the kitchen door leading out to my garden)  And in those off seasons, I choose to eat the next best thing to ‘fresh’ (REAL fresh I mean) which is freeze dried, because freeze drying retains the nutritional integrity and value of fruits and vegetables.  Of course, it all depends on how quickly the fruit can be freeze dried after harvest, and what the process and dedication to quality the producer has, but that’s a conversation for another time.  As for the produce department version of fresh, I say “for the most part” because I am lucky.  I live in the same society you do, and I know these foods are available to me almost daily.  There might be a moment I decide to go ahead and buy a few – out of season.  Simply because I can.  – smile –

Cindy Suelzle
September 2018