Fruits of the Summer Make Great Dishes (Chickspeak.com)

May 5, 2009 by Kristin Larmore, photo property of Chickspeak.com

Not only are the flowers blooming in abundance beneath the warmth of the sun, but the rays are working their magic on the fruit trees, as well. It’s May again: a time when we can once again really enjoy fresh fruit after the canned limitations of dark, dry winter.

A collection of three easy, delicious recipes featuring May fruits put an excellent Spring lunch on the table, provided you enjoy fruit enough. Try the refreshing fruit shake to wash down the fruity, nutty salad and flavorful foccasia bread.

Think about a hot Fourth of July picnic with fireworks and sips of sweet lemonade in the middle of a huge field. It just wouldn’t be complete without that pale red juice dripping down your yellow sun dress, would it?

Light-tasting watermelon greatly contributes to hydration because it’s largely composed of water, so it serves as a thirst-replenishing agent.

One serving of watermelon provides 89 percent carbohydrate, four percent fat, seven percent protein, and can help in weight loss, according to nutritiondata.com. It contains 18 percent daily vitamin A, 21 percent daily vitamin C and five percent daily potassium.

Let this recipe from Southern Living cool you down after a hot day before or while you move on to the main course.

Watermelon-Lemonade Cooler

15 cups seeded and cubed watermelon

2 (12-ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

2 mint sprigs

Ice

Garnishes: watermelon wedges, mint springs

Preparation

Process watermelon, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth.Combine concentrate and two mint sprigs, and cook in a saucepan over medium-high heat 10 minutes. Stir together watermelon puree and lemonade mixture; cover and chill 8 hours. Remove and discard mint. Stir and serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.

Furry foods don’t exactly sound appetizing, but some really are. Kiwi attests that you can’t judge a fruit by its peel. The outside may be dull and lifeless, but the inside provides a smooth, tropical green brightness unlike any other. One cup of kiwi packs high counts of fiber, vitamin E, potassium, copper, vitamin C and vitamin K, according to nutritiondata.com. Just eight ounces give you 273 percent daily vitamin C needs, 89 percent daily vitamin K and 13 percent vitamin E.

This unique salad from foodnetwork.com is a brilliant alternative to the typical lettuce salad.

Banana-Kiwi Salad

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste

4 kiwis, peeled and diced

2 firm ripe bananas, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped cashews, toasted

Preparation

Whisk lime juice, oil, shallot, vinegar, honey, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add kiwis, bananas, bell pepper and mint; toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with cashews. To toast nuts & seeds on the stovetop: Toast in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Carbohydrates, too, seem to be a huge weakness for some women, and who doesn’t love bread? It can be the perfect compliment to a salad in the afternoon, but women out there should know carbohydrates are important to health. Though they have a bad reputation for causing weight gain, they are a direct source of energy in the diet and are crucial for optimal body strength, especially for those in high activity levels, nutrition instructor at Appalachian State University Lisa McAnulty said.

This recipe for fig focaccia bread from myrecipies.com is a bit more complicated than the other two parts of the meal, but few things can compare to a batch of fresh-made baked dough emanating scents from the oven.

Figs, though not as popular as some fruit, don’t really contain high amounts of anything. However, nutritiondata.com reports one large fig contains seven percent daily fiber needs, a significant nutrient in preventing chronic disease. They combine many textures with chewy flesh, smooth skin and crunchy seeds. Whfoods.org reports figs are best in season in June, but are often dried for all-year enjoyment, just like a cherry or raisin.

Fresh Fig Focaccia

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Cooking spray

9 fresh figs (about 10 ounces), each cut into eighths (about 2 cups), divided

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon aniseed

Preparation

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, honey, rind, and salt. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover dough and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch the dough down, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Arrange 2/3 cup figs over dough; gently knead 4 to 5 times or just until the figs are incorporated into dough. Press into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle. Place on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 400°.

Uncover dough. Make indentations in top of dough using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips. Gently brush dough with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle surface of dough with remaining figs, gently pressing figs into dough. Sprinkle with sugar and aniseed. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until golden.

Good-bye to sweet cravings! When you get the urge to inhale a brownie, fruit can provide a satisfying substitute, though it’s not chocolate. All three fruits, in addition to most fruits, are low in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol and full of essential vitamins and minerals, according to nutritiondata.com.

Let’s face it. Covering a piece of fruit in sugar is still much better for us than a piece of cheesecake or pie.

And what about quenching our thirst when we lose so much more water in the heat? Think about how many times you’ve needed a glass of water with your fruit compared to the number of times you needed water with that decadent after-dinner treat.

Kristin Larmore is a senior journalism major at Appalachian State University and hopes to write for a food publication, along with becoming a food critic and running her own winery in the future.