Tips and Tricks: How to Peel Peaches Quickly

A few weeks ago I bought a half peck of peaches at the Farmer's Market. I had great plans for these peaches!  Then I got home and realized how many peaches I had purchased...way too many for one person to eat!  I needed to do something with them so they wouldn't go bad.  I decided to peel them all up and then slice them.  I stored some in the fridge for immediate eating, made a peach cobbler with some, and then put the rest in a freezer bag and froze them for future uses like smoothies.

Here are the steps I used to easily peel my peaches:

Avocados: Tips and Tricks

An avocado is a superfood, full of healthy fats, high in potassium, and incredibly versatile in its uses.

Last summer I did a series of tips and tricks about various fruits.  Since I was recently introduced to avocados, I thought I would add a post about them!

I haven't always been a fan of avocados, but lately I have been purchasing them more often and incorporating them into our diet.  In fact, avocados were recommended as a first food for Summer.  Part of the reason for my post today is because I'll be talking about avocados in an upcoming Homemade Baby Food post and this will make a good reference!  Also, I have a delicious recipe coming up that uses avocado!

When choosing an avocado, you'll want to choose a fruit that is soft when pressed.  Side note here:  did you know avocados are actually fruit?  I always thought they were vegetables!  The flesh of an avocado turns brown when exposed to air (like bananas) and that can be prevented by serving it immediately or sprinkling it with lemon juice.  Avocados are typically served raw.

Once you have selected a perfectly ripe avocado, you'll want to cut it in half lengthwise.

You can discard the pit.  (I have heard you can plant it and grow your own avocado tree.  Has anyone ever tried it?)

You can cut your avocado in a few different ways.  These are the two I do most often.  You can score the flesh of the avocado while in the skin.  Then flip the skin "inside out"  and the flesh will fall off.

Alternatively, you can scoop the flesh of the avocado out of the skin with a large spoon.

Place the avocado on a cutting board and slice as desired.  I typically dice mine so it is easier to mash.  If you're serving the avocado on a salad or burger, you could cut it into wedges.

Remember that avocados brown quickly, so you'll want to use the avocado shortly after you cut it.

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Watermelon
Strawberries
Blueberries
Mangoes
Pineapple

Pineapple: Tips and Tricks

I almost didn't included a pineapple in my Tips and Tricks series.  But then I saw one at the store the other day and decided it would be a great addition to the other fruits I've featured.  This is my last fruit post for a while, but please let me know if there are any other fruits you would like me to write about!

Have you ever had the chance to eat a pineapple in the country it was grown in?  Let me tell you, there's nothing like enjoying a fresh pineapple in Hawaii or Jamaica!  But, since I don't live on either of those islands, I have to settle for what I can buy at the grocery store.  My friend, who loves pineapple and eats it often when she is in Uganda, suggests letting your pineapple sit outside in the sun before cutting it.  That brings the natural juices out and you have a delicious snack.  If you prefer, you can also refrigerate the pineapple for a cold treat!

Place your pineapple on a cutting board. Carefully twist the green crown off from the fruit.

Using a large sharp knife slice the pineapple in half vertically.

Place the two halves, cut side down, on your cutting board and cut them in half again.

Slice the hard core out of the center or each quarter of the pineapple.

Switch to a smaller paring knife if you'd like and slice the ends off of each piece of pineapple.

Holding the pineapple vertically, cut the pineapple between the fruit and the skin.  I cut through half the fruit and then turn the pineapple and cut the other half, rather than trying to cut the entire piece at once.  See how my knife is only cutting to about the halfway point? (I hope that description and the picture make sense!)

Cut the "peeled" pineapple into three long sections.

Cube the long sections into bite-sized pieces.

Place cut pineapple in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.  Fruit can be served cold or at room temperature.

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Watermelon
Strawberries
Blueberries
Mangoes
Avocados

Mangoes: Tips and Tricks

By now, it should come as no surprise to you that I love fruit.  I could eat it all day, every day, and not get tired of it.  In fact, there is only one fruit that I've ever had and didn't care for.  Starfruit.  I found that it didn't have any taste and was like eating a watery pineapple.  I'll pass...thanks!  Have you ever had starfruit and did you like it?

Mangoes are another one of my favorite fruits.  They happen to be one of my grandma's as well.  When I was younger, my brother and I would spend a week with my grandparents every summer.  Grandma always made sure that she had mangoes in the house for us to enjoy together!



When I was in high school, one of my friend's families had an exchange student from Mexico staying with them.  He became friends with my brother and at one point he taught us the proper way to cut a mango. Prior to learning this method, I would peel the mango (like peeling an apple) and then slice off pieces of the flesh.  I usually ended up with a sticky mess, and this way is so much easier!

When you are purchasing a mango, you want to look for a fruit that is firm, but gives slightly when you press on it.  Color is not an indicator of ripeness. Mangoes continue to ripen as they sit, so you'll want to eat it before it becomes completely soft.

To start, you'll need a cutting board and a sharp knife.

Hold the mango vertically and slice along the pit, right next to the stem.

Turn the mango around and slice next to the pit on the other side.

Cut the peel off around the pit and carefully slice off and flesh from the pit.  Don't worry about making nice slices!

Slice vertical lines in each mango half, being careful not to slice all the way through the peel.

Then cut horizontal lines creating a "grid" in the mango flesh.

Turn the fruit inside-out and slice off the fruit chunks.

Enjoy a bowl of freshly cut fruit!  Ripe mangoes can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week before cutting.  Cut mango should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within 2 or 3 day of cutting.

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Watermelon
Strawberries
Blueberries
Pineapple
Avocados

Blueberries: Tips and Tricks

Let's continue talking about fruit!  I simply can't get enough of blueberries this year!  Our local grocery store has had blueberries on sale for the past few weeks.  Every time I go, I have to pick up 2 or 3 containers.  Lucky for me, Mike doesn't like blueberries, so I get to enjoy them all myself!

As with strawberries, I grew up going blueberry picking with my mom every summer.  We found a place not too far from our house where the blueberry bushes weren't tended to but the prices were half of the other berry farms!  I've gone blueberry picking on my own for the past couple years.  I like to pick an abundance of berries so I can enjoy some fresh and also freeze some.  I use the same method to freeze my blueberries as I do for my strawberries (sometimes I rinse the blueberries before freezing, other times I give them a quick rinse to help them thaw.)

Here's how I store my fresh blueberries:

You can use store-bought blueberries, fresh picked blueberries, or berries from the farmer's market!  Oh, I can't wait until our farmer's market has big plump berries!

Pour the blueberries into an airtight container.  Again, if you have a chance to buy the green produce container, I'd definitely recommend it!

When you're ready to use the berries, rinse them with water, either by the handful or in a colander.  I choose to wash my berries just before using them because I've found that allowing blueberries to soak in water makes them water logged.

Have you ever gone blueberry picking?

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Watermelon
Strawberries
Mangoes
Pineapple
Avocados

Strawberries: Tips and Tricks

Nearly every year for as long as I can remember, I have picked strawberries.  Growing up, I remember going with my mom (and sometimes my grandparents) and spending a couple hours in the blazing sun and heat picking berries.  I have to admit, I probably did my fair share of complaining!  However, being able to enjoy strawberries for the rest of the year made the heat and sweat worth-while.


Since we've been married, I have been able to convince Mike to go strawberry picking with me.  Usually it comes with some stipulations, like that we only go for an hour and that he gets to play video games later in the day.  I can deal with that, and we both enjoy having strawberries in the freezer for year round strawberry smoothies!  This year was the first year in a long time that I haven't picked my own strawberries.  Something about squatting and picking berries in the heat while 8 months pregnant just doesn't sound so great to me.  I ended up buying a bunch of strawberries instead, but didn't buy enough to freeze this year, because they haven't been cheap enough!  What can I say?  I'm Dutch!

Here's the process I use to wash and store (and freeze) my strawberries:

Wash strawberries in a mix of water and vinegar.  I usually fill my sink about 1/3 of the way full and pour in approximately 1 cup of vinegar.  Allow the berries to soak for 5 minutes. 

Remove the berries from the vinegar water and rinse them with fresh water.  Remove the greens from the strawberries.  I find it easiest to just pull them off using my thumbnail, but you can also use a knife or a grapefruit spoon.

Place washed strawberries in an airtight container.  If you ever have a chance to purchase these green containers (for produce), I would recommend it as I really think they help extend the life of my fruits and vegetables!

If you would like to freeze your berries, after removing the greens, place them on a towel to air dry.  If you want to speed up the process, you can use a fan to dry the strawberries.  (I took these pictures last year after Mike and I picked strawberries.)

When the strawberries have completely dried, place them in a single layer in a freezer bag.  Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag.

Keeping the bags flat, place them in the freezer to store. 

Enjoy "fresh" strawberries year round!

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Watermelon
Blueberries
Mangoes
Pineapple
Avocados

Watermelon: Tips and Tricks

One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh fruits.  I love eating fruit year round, but it's even better to enjoy fruits that are in season.  I eat a big bowl of fruit every morning with my breakfast; it's a delicious, filling, and healthy way to start my day.

This week I'll be sharing some posts about fruit.  I have discovered some tricks to keeping fruit fresh longer, as well as some tips for cutting certain fruits.  If you love fruit as much as I do, I hope you'll find these tips and tricks helpful.

First up is watermelon.  I think I can credit my uncle for my love of watermelon!  I remember visiting him in Kentucky and sitting by his pool eating an enormous slice of watermelon.  I'm not exaggerating either--he cut a watermelon into quarters and my brother and I each had a quarter.  It was delicious!

I grew up cutting watermelon into slices, cutting through the rind, and ending up with some very uneven pieces.  I don't remember where I learned this trick for cutting up a watermelon, but it has become my go-to method.  This way results in a minimal amount of wasted flesh, as well as fairly even chunks.  I would recommend using this method for cutting if you are planning to use the watermelon in a fruit salad or planning to store cut up melon in the fridge.

When you purchase your watermelon, you'll want to look for a fruit that is dull green.  Look for a white-yellow circle on the bottom, this indicates that the melon was left in one spot to ripen, and that's a good thing.    Give the watermelon a slap; if it sounds hollow, you have a good melon!

I cut up this watermelon for our 4th of July lunch.  Special thanks to Mike and my mom for taking pictures of the process for me!

To begin, place your watermelon on a clean cutting board.  You'll need a good sharp knife.

Slice off both ends of the watermelon.

Stand the melon up on one of the sliced ends.  Following the curves of the watermelon, slice the rind off vertically.

Continue to slice off the rind until the whole fruit is bare.  If necessary, slice off any white pieces you may have missed.

When the flesh is completely exposed, lay the watermelon on one side and slice into rounds.

Slice each watermelon round into chunks.

Place chunks in a bowl and enjoy!

Cut watermelon can be served immediately, or stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to serve.  I find that when properly stored, cut watermelon lasts about 1 week in the fridge (though it's rare that it lasts that long in my house!)

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Strawberries
Blueberries
Mangoes