A foodie friend of mine was in the hospital for leukemia treatments when his caregiver called me. Our buddy wasn’t having a great day, and it didn’t help that his doctors were saying he couldn’t have his favorite pick-me-up food, fruit. Now this is a guy who can eat a quart of strawberries at a sitting. In a sense the docs were right; raw fruit can contain bacteria, a problem for people with low white blood cell counts, which show they’re prone to infection. But I had a solution. I told his caregiver, “He can have fruit; you just have to cut it up and heat it thoroughly to kill off the germs.” The docs had no objections, the caregiver came in with a beautiful medley of stewed seasonal fruit, and my friend was thrilled. So if you’re concerned about raw fruits, this is the recipe for you. The heat, along with a little bit of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt, breaks down the fruit’s fiber, making it soft but not mushy. I used apricots and cherries here, but any fruit in season will do.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 1 1/4 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the apricots, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cherries, cover, and cook, stirring often, until all of the fruit has softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the agave nectar. Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled.
variation
Step 2
Make a yogurt parfait. Let cool the fruit to room temperature, then spoon 1/4 cup of plain organic yogurt into a glass, spoon in 1/4 cup of fruit, repeat with another layer of yogurt and then fruit. Serve topped with a sprinkle of Maple-Glazed Walnuts (page 141).
Step 3
Substitute 2 cups of any seasonal fruit that is available at your local farmers’ market or grocery store. Some of my favorite duets are: apples with pears, strawberries with rhubarb, and nectarines or peaches with blueberries. Cook firmer fruits first, and adjust the cooking time as needed.
rebecca’s notes
Step 4
This fruit is warm and comforting and is the perfect topping for hot cereal, like Best Oatmeal Ever (page 128), Creamiest Buckwheat (page 138), or Creamy Millet (page 136).
storage
Step 5
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
nutrition information
Step 6
(per serving)
Step 7
Calories: 30
Step 8
Total Fat: 0.2g (0g saturated, 0g monounsaturated)
Step 9
Carbohydrates: 7g
Step 10
Protein: 1g
Step 11
Fiber: 1g
Step 12
Sodium: 75mg
