Boabab - The new African 'superfruit'

At Fruit for the Office, we’re always on the look out for that new superfruit that’s hitting the shelves. Early this month, the baobab fruit saw its sales rise by 1600 percent in the UK which makes us ask – what is it and why has it become so popular?

It might not look like the most appetising fruit in the world but baobab has triple the amount of vitamin C found in an orange and is bursting with antioxidants. No wonder eager fruit-lovers are snapping it up because it’s also said to improve your energy levels and skin.

You’ll also find plenty of other nutrients in this superfruit including thiamine, potassium, vitamin B6 and calcium, so you can count on consuming more than enough of the good stuff in one serving.

Potassium can play a key role in lowering blood pressure, calcium is good for the bones and digestive system, and the polyphenols are said to help combat diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Yet, with all these nutrients and health benefits, you might not expect baobab to taste that great. However, the taste has been described as a combination of pineapple and melon, which doesn’t sound too bad at all to us!

So, where is it from? How does it grow? The baobab fruit is grown in over thirty countries in Africa and carries a sentimental meaning as well as all that goodness because the baobab tree has been seen as a source of natural well being by local communities, acknowledged to benefit general health.

The fruit is unique in how it grows too because it dries on the branch before being harvested where then the seeds are taken out and made into a powder which is very popular as a substitute for sugar and in juices or smoothies.

Given all this fruits healthy benefits, we might just be seeing more of it in the future.

#FitFruitFriday - VOTE! What's your Favourite Jelly Flavour?

There's nothing more nostalgic than a wibbly wobbly jelly just ready and waiting to be devoured. Jelly is a guilt free dessert as well as being sweet and refreshing - perfect for summer!

But, which - dear readers - are your favourite flavours?!

We here at your jelly crazy London office fruit supplier could rattle off hundreds of our favourite jelly recipes but why would we give out recipes you'd never use?

Vote below for your favourite jelly flavours and we'll tally them up and give you our best jelly recipes that can be used with your favourite flavour - all voted by you!

What's Your Favourite Jelly Flavour?
	Strawberry
	Raspberry
	Orange
	Lemon
	Lime
	Blackcurrant
	Pineapple
pollcode.com free polls

In the mean time, let us know in the comments if you believe in the old wives tale that eating raw jelly makes your nails and hair grow faster?!




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#FitFruitFriday - Best Fruit to Grill on the Barbecue

We here at Fruit for the Office HQ still have all of our fingers and toes crossed that this lovely weather will continue until the weekend so we're already getting the charcoal in and firing up those barbecues. But, "It's all meat, meat, meat at our family barbecues!", we hear you cry! Well, you clearly haven't sampled the grilling prowess of this London office fruit supplier. Luscious, charcoal caramelised fruit ready and waiting for any naughty toppings you want to add, be they alcoholic or chocoholic...


Grilled Pineapple

Spring for the fresh stuff - not the canned - slice it up into long, thick wedges and either dust with pepper, lemon/orange juice, honey, brown sugar (or all of the above!) for a variety of different tastes. Grill them up over piping hot coals and we guarantee each combination is as delicious as the last.


Grilled Apples

Treat these babies right by chopping up some firm Granny Smiths, dousing them in cinnamon and brown sugar and then just wait for the crowd to gather around the grill once they smell them.


Grilled Bananas

Perfect either thrown straight on a well-oiled grill either in or out of it's skin or wrapped in tin foil. Dip in brown sugar, slice open and fill with chocolate or peanut butter or just serve straight up as a banana split!


Grilled Peaches

Split in half and stones removed, peaches have a natural crevice just perfect for holding, say, whiskey-spiked whipped cream? Or maybe even rich, vanilla ice cream? Just dust with brown sugar, slap them on the grill and we won't tell anyone what you did to them...



Grilled Fruit Kebabs

As easy as it sounds and perfect for kids, take some skewers - either metal or bamboo - and place any variety of fruit on them (the colourful the better) then sprinkle a little brown sugar over them and grill up. The perfect party pleaser!




Let us know in the comments what your perfect barbecue dish is and maybe we'll feature it in a later blog! Also, make sure you've got your fingers and toes crossed too for a warm weekend (we'll know if you haven't...)




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#FitFruitFriday - Fruit Sorbet Recipes

The sun is finally starting to rear it's beautiful head - albeit sporadically - and for those warmer days, you deserve a sweet, frozen treat! However, if you're still sticking with us and working towards a fitter self, try skipping the dairy-laden ice cream and use the remains London office fruit supplier box to indulge in a fresh and healthy frozen fruit sorbet. Read on for our favourite recipes that'll keep you healthy whilst also keeping that sweet tooth satisfied!

Classic Strawberry

• 250g caster sugar
• 500g strawberries (a few extra to garnish)
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 egg white

1. Simmer the sugar in a saucepan with 250ml water for 2 minutes. Leave to cool.
2. Blend the strawberries in a food processor and sieve the mix (it may need a good push!)
3. Stir in the sugar and water mixture and vinegar.
4. Ice cream machine method: Softly whisk the egg white and add to the mixture before churning into the machine according the manufacturer's instructions. Once done, store in the freezer until frozen.
5. Freezer method: Whisk the egg white and add to the mixture. Place the mixture in a freezer-safe container and freeze until the mix is almost set - check after 2-3 hours. Mash and break up with a fork then place it into the food processor with the egg white then blend it to a slush consistency. Put this mixture back into the container then freeze.
6. Once frozen, serve up garnished with a few extra strawberries.

Mixed Berry

• 500g mixed berries e.g. blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries etc
• juice and grated rind of 1 large orange
• 2 - 3 tbsp orange liqueur
• 2 egg whites
• 100g caster sugar

1. Put the mixed berries, orange juice and rind, liquer and 175ml of water into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Using a sieve, push the mixture through to remove any seeds (unless you prefer them)
3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff whilst gradually adding the sugar until the mixture is slightly firm. Fold this mixture into the frozen fruit.
4. Ice cream machine method: Churn the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions, then store in a freezable container in the freezer.
5. Freezer method: Put the mixture into a freezable container and place into the freezer. Remove every half an hour to stir until the mixture feels and looks like a slush.
6. Freeze the mixture again until frozen then serve up with optional berries as garnish.

We hope you enjoy these great recipes for sorbets and if you want to tell us yours, let us know in the comments below! Hopefully the weather will stay nice long enough to enjoy at least one bowlful...

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#FitFruitFriday - How Good For You is Dried Fruit?

There's nothing better at work than convenience food. But we here at your London office fruit supplier aren't talking about unhealthy fast food - we're talking about delicious dried fruit. It lasts much longer than the fresh stuff, is readily available at most shops and is easy to snack on throughout the day. But is it good for you? We did the research...

• Watch out for added ingredients

Some dried fruits masquerade as healthy treats but check the pack and you might be shocked to find oils, sugars and even the fact they've been deep fried! The most common perpetrators are pineapple, banana and cranberries so ALWAYS check the label before thinking you're tucking in guilt-free. 

• High in Fibre

Dried fruit tends to carry more fibre than its fresh variation, helping to keep your digestive system healthy and running perfectly - keeping your day at work running more like clockwork!

• Lots of nutrients in one little package

With all the water removed, you're just getting all the nutrients of your favourite fruit in a bitesize, dehydrated treat. 

• Great for staving off sweets

With so many of you trying to lose weight, we know that the problem that holds most people back is a severe sweet tooth. However, packs of delicious dried fruits - I definitely recommend mangoes! - can be a fantastic and healthy substitute for gummy sweets.

• 5-a-day!

As if it even needs to be mentioned here at Fruit For The Office but we really do promote 5-a-day! And eating dried fruits can be an easy and tasty way to achieve it.

Let us know in the comments what your favourite dried fruits are to snack on!

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Terribly Funny Fruit Jokes

We are just over a week into April and just as we thought the weather couldn’t get any worse, the dreaded ‘April showers’ are upon us. That’s why at Fruit for the Office we like to laugh and keep each other in good spirits. So we thought we could share with you our ‘terribly funny’ quick and easily-remembered fruit jokes. Now, before you read these, remember that being funny isn’t our strong point, and we certainly aren’t comedians.

Yet, if there’s an awkward silence in the office and it’s all doom and gloom, you could always fire a quick fruit joke at one of your colleagues. Even if they reply with a half-hearted smile and a shake of the head, it might just lighten the mood. It did for us anyway!  

 

Why did the banana go to the doctors?

He wasn’t peeling well..





                   

                                                              Why did the tomato blush?

                                                 Because he saw the salad dressing!






 
 What happens when you step on a grape?
                   
 They wine





                                         
                                           
                                         

                                       Why did the orange go out with a prune?
 
                                                                 He couldn’t find a date





  


  
    Why did the orange stop rolling down the hill?
                                                      
    He ran out of juice





                                                  

                                         

                                           What’s the fruitiest subject at school?  
                  

                                                  History because it’s full of dates





                                                   
 

  Why were the strawberries late to work?


  They were stuck in a jam!






I think you’d agree these are some berry shocking fruit jokes. Feel free to comment and add some of your own.                                                   

#FitFruitFriday - Mood Lifting Fruits to Fight April Showers

It seems like the great British weather just won't let up, there's April showers but we think all this frost and snow is just taking the biscuit! However, as much as we do love nothing more than to moan about the weather, it's time to strike back! So we here at your favourite London office fruit supplier are leading the fight, with our best fruits to make your April happier and healthier.

Blueberries

Bursting with antioxidants, these little wonders have been shown to help alleviate aches and pains as well as fighting off bacteria - great for fighting off that cold or flu! Not only are they said (by 'gurus' we must add!) to contain anti-aging properties (?!) they're also extremely low in calories - win win win win!

Oranges

Being low on Vitamin C is linked to depression and low energy - so why aren't you munching down on these citrus babies right now?! Vitamin C also aids the absorption of iron (iron deficiency is also commonly associated with low energy) and no matter if it's whole fruit or juice - it's slightly sour taste will perk you up straight away!

Cherries

The sweet, tart deliciousness of a bunch of cherries is oh so much more satisfying when you know how happy they'll make you even after you've wolfed them down! Containing huge amounts of antioxidants, just like blueberries, they also contain melatonin which helps aid peaceful sleep as well as serotonin to make sure you wake up just as happy as you did before your head hit the pillow.

Bananas

Although the highest in calories and fat on our list, it's all for a great, carbohydrate-filled reason! The banana's natural sugars are released almost immediately into the bloodstream but continue to release them slowly afterwards - leading to a natural energy high that lasts for - hopefully - the duration of that boring meeting you have this afternoon!

Let us know in the comments if these fruits have helped perk up your Friday or leave us your mood boosting tips especially tailored for this terrible weather!

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