Mother’s Day usually means a day off for mom when it comes to housework and cleaning.  Many families take mom out to brunch.  It’s a great way to make the day special.  With family budgets tightening, making mom brunch at home is another great way to celebrate the day.  The following recipe is easy and can involve the kids.  Most of the work is done the night before and is quickly whipped up the next morning in just a short period of time.  Make this delicious French toast recipe as is and save any leftovers for the next day.  This will be an added treat for your favorite mother.

Baked Blueberry French Toast with Blueberry Syrup Recipe

Ingredients:
Toast:
1     baguette
5     large eggs
2-3/4     cups milk (can substitute skim milk)
1/2     tsp cinnamon
1     tsp vanilla
1     cup brown sugar, divided
1     cup pecans
1/2    stick + 1 tsp butter
2-1/2     cups fresh blueberries, divided

Directions:
The night before serving, cut baguette into 1″ rounds (approx 18-20 pieces) and place in buttered 13 X 9 pan.  In large bowl whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and 3 /4 cup brown sugar.  Pour over sliced baguette, cover, and chill at least 8 hrs.

In the morning toast pecans on cookie sheet in 350* oven — about 6 minutes then toss in pan with 1 tsp butter.  While pecans are toasting cut 1/2 stick butter into pieces in small saucepan and heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar till butter is melted.   Increase oven to 400* – sprinkle 2 cups blueberries and pecans over bread mixture, drizzle butter and brown sugar mixture over blueberries and bake 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients:
Syrup:
1/2     cup fresh blueberries
1/4     cup maple syrup
1    Tbsp FruitFast MixedBerry Liquid Fruit Supplement
1     tsp lemon juice

Directions:
While toast is cooking place blueberries and syrup into small saucepan and cook about 5 minutes or until berries have burst (help them along by mashing them with a fork!). Press the berries through a sieve into small pitcher, pressing on solids, and add lemon juice and MixedBerry Liquid, stir to combine.  Pour over French toast.

Yield:  6-8 servings

Spring is slowly creeping into view here in Northern Michigan.  Walking down our country road last week, I noticed numerous trees with the telltale signs of maple syrup in the making.  The maple trees lining our road were “tapped” allowing the sap to flow into large buckets placed at the base of the tree.  When enough sap is captured, the process of boiling it down to syrup will begin.  It takes approximately 10 gallons of sap to produce 1 quart of maple syrup.  A long process, but nothing beats the taste of pure maple syrup on pancakes, waffles and French toast.

There are other ways to utilize maple syrup. The syrup can be baked in candies, cookies and desserts.  Check out these other uses for maple syrup previously posted in my recipe blog:  Carrots with Character and Cherry Almond Oatmeal.  Here are three more recipes that incorporate your fresh, homemade maple syrup.

Hot Cherry Drink
This fun beverage adapted from a recipe found in the Winter 2009 edition of “edible Grand Traverse” magazine combines the best of Northern Michigan— maple syrup and cherries.

Ingredients:
2    cups boiling water
4    tsp FruitFast Montmorency Cherry Juice Concentrate, or
4    tsp FruitFast CherryFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement
2    tsp pure maple syrup (or to taste)
6    drops almond extract (add last as extract evaporates quickly)
2    oz cherry brandy or other brandy (optional)

Directions:
Pour the boiling water into two mugs.  Add cherry concentrate or CherryFlex Liquid, and remaining ingredients.  Serve and enjoy!

Yield:  2 servings

Cherry Maple Syrup Recipe

For a super tasty breakfast syrup (over pancakes, waffles, or French toast) try this chunky treat adapted from a recipe found on homecooking.about.com.

Ingredients:
2    oranges
2    lemons
1-1/2    cups pure maple syrup
1    cup packed brown sugar
1/2    cup honey
1     cup Brownwood Acres Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries, chopped
2     Tbsp butter
1/2    tsp ground cinnamon
1/4     tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
Zest 1 tsp from one of the oranges and 1 tsp from one of the lemons and set aside.  Juice both the oranges and lemons and set aside.  In a medium saucepan, combine the juices, zest, maple syrup, brown sugar and honey.  Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil stirring often.  Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.  Stir in the dried cherries, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg and simmer an additional 2 minutes.  Optional:  Strain mixture for a smoother, less chunky syrup.

Serve over the following pancake recipe.

Yield:  2 cups

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients:
3/4    cups bread flour
3/4    cups whole-wheat flour
3     Tbsp sugar
1/4     Tbsp salt
2-1/2     tsp baking powder
1     tsp baking soda
1     Tbsp pure maple syrup
1     large egg
1     cup buttermilk
3/4     cup low-fat milk
2-1/2     Tbsp canola oil

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, egg, buttermilk and milk; mix well.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix until smooth.

Coat a griddle or large sauté pan, lightly, with oil and heat over medium heat.  Ladle batter on griddle or in the sauté pan and cook until bubbles form.  Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown.

Yield:  6 servings

We are always very thrilled when we hear from our customers with their recipe ideas using our products.  We recently received an email from a very nice couple, Lucille and Ben of Petoskey, Michigan, with a recipe for a breakfast cookie. Your children will think you are “the best” for letting them eat cookies for breakfast.  Not only fun, but you can make ahead on the weekend, then keep in the refrigerator; serve with boxed milk or juice for an on-the-go morning treat.  It will be your (and our) secret — these are tasty and good for them, too!!

We thank Lucille and Ben for this great contribution to our recipe blog.

Ingredients:

1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter
or regular chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup regular rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup Brownwood Acres Dried Montmorency Tart Cherries

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside.  In a large bowl stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.  In a small bowl combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.  Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined.  Stir in dried cherries.

Using a 1 /4 cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2-3 /4 inch round about 1 /2 inch thick.

Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned.  Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container or re-sealable plastic bag for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to two months.  Thaw before serving.

Yield: 12 servings

Smoothies are so quick and easy to make.  You do not need a lot of items—whatever you have in the refrigerator or freezer will work.  Here are a few ideas for delicious smoothies, but feel free to mix and match.  I find smoothies are a great way to use fruit that is about to reach its expiration date.  If I can’t make the smoothie that moment, I put the fruit in a freezer bag to use in smoothies later.  A helpful hint:  Put the fruit in freezer bags in one cup servings, just the right amount for one smoothie.

Banana Split Smoothie

This tastes so much like a banana split.  Adding a little crushed ice makes it super cold and you it tastes like a banana split.  I LOVE this one !!!

1 cup frozen sweet cherries
1 Tbsp FruitFast Montmorency Cherry Liquid Fruit Supplement
1 small banana
1 cup chocolate soy milk (or enough to just cover the ingredients)
Crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend well.  ENJOY!!!
Yield:  2 servings

Substitutes:

1 cup berries (your choice, strawberry, blueberries, raspberries, or any combo)
1 Tbsp FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement
1 cup non-fat chocolate milk

Pomegranate and Raspberry Smoothie

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice (Place 4 Tbsp concentrate in a measuring cup—fill with water to make 1 cup)
2 small bananas
Crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend well.  Add a Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Liquid Fruit Supplement or FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement to boost the health factor in these tasty treats.
Yield:  4 servings

Raspberry Smoothie

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 carton (6 oz) raspberry yogurt (regular or soy)
1-2 Tbsp FruitFast Red Raspberry Juice Concentrate (Place 1-2 Tbsp concentrate in a measuring cup—fill with water to make 1/2 cup)

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Blend until smooth.   Again, FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplements can be added for an additional healthy boost.
Yield:  2 servings

Variations:  substitute vanilla, lemon, lime or even peach yogurt.  Substitute FruitFast Wild Blueberry, Cranberry or Grape juice for the raspberry juice concentrate.

Cherry Smoothie

1-2 Tbsp FruitFast Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate (Place 1-2 Tbsp concentrate in a measuring cup—fill with water to make 1/2 cup)
1 carton (6 oz) non- or low-fat frozen vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup frozen pitted cherries
Ice cubes

Combine in a blend in a blender.
Yield: 2 servings

Variations:  Add 1 Tbsp FruitFast CherryFlex Liquid Fruit Supplement for an added healthy boost.   Use cherry yogurt for a triple cherry blast.

Pomegranate Strawberry Smoothie

1-2 Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (Place 1-2 Tbsp concentrate in a measuring cup—fill with water to make 1/2 cup)
1 carton (6 oz) non-fat yogurt
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
Crushed ice cubes

Combine ingredients in a blender.
Yield:  2 servings

Variations:  Add Wonderful Pomegranate Liquid Fruit Supplement or FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement for an extra healthy boost.   Substitute strawberry non-fat yogurt for extra berry flavor.

Strawberry Peach or Nectarine Smoothie

1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen peaches or nectarines
1 carton (6 oz) vanilla, or peach flavored yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement
1 Tbsp honey (optional) for a sweeter smoothie add an additional 1-2 Tbsp.
Crushed ice

Combine ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.
Yield:  1 serving

Breakfast Shakes;

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  No time, smoothies are a quick fix to this problem.  Helpful hint:  Measure ingredients the night before and keep them on the same shelf in the refrigerator so you can grab, blend and go!!!  Try these wonderful pomegranate morning shakes, or create your own.  Add protein powder or flax seed for additional benefits.   These make great morning breakfast for the little ones, as well.   What a delicious way to give them part of their five fruits a day.  The wonderful part about smoothies is you can add just about anything—carrots or spinach even.  Experiment with different flavors and soon smoothies will be your go-to on the go meal, or snack.

Pomegranate Morning On the Go Shake

1 Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (Place 1 Tbsp concentrate in a measuring cup—fill with water to make 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup low-fat milk, or regular or vanilla soy milk
1 large banana
2 Tbsp sliced or slivered almonds
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp Wonderful Pomegranate Liquid Fruit Supplement (optional)
Crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and put in a plastic cup; enjoy on your morning commute.
Yield:  1 serving

Pomegranate Blueberry Smoothie

1 Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (Place 1 Tbsp concentrate in a measuring cup—fill with water to make 1/2 cup)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 carton (6 oz) non-fat blueberry yogurt
1 Tbsp Wonderful Pomegranate Liquid Fruit Supplement or FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement for additional boost (optional)
Crushed ice

Combine ingredients in a blender;  blend until smooth.
Yield:  1 serving

Variations:  Use soy blueberry or vanilla yogurt.  Add a banana.

Pomegranates are eaten in many Middle Eastern countries at the New Year as a sign of luck.   In Greece, the families will smash a Pomegranate in front of their home.  The hope is to disperse many seeds across a wide area.  The more seeds that are scattered, the greater the fortune for the house that year.

Here is our good-luck, morning get-you-out-the-door smoothie.  It takes only minutes to prepare and can be put in a to-go cup for an on-the-go breakfast or snack.

Combine pomegranate juice with a little FruitFast Mixed  Berry Liquid for an extra healthy boost to your New Year.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup FruitFast Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (Place 1 to 2 Tbsp concentrate ina mearuing cup – fill with water to make 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt, or soy yogurt
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1 Tbsp FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Concentrate

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender, cover and blend until pureed.
Yield: 1 serving

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Whether you have managed to survive the holiday barrage of calories or arrived in 2009 a little heftier, most of us vow at this time of year to turn over a new leaf. Perhaps your goal for the New Year is to eat a little healthier or maybe to shed a few unwanted pounds—either way, I am here to offer you new and interesting recipe ideas to incorporate more fruit into your daily routine.

Everyone claims to be too busy to cook so finding recipes and incorporating more fruit into your diet can be challenging and time consuming. My goal for 2009 is to offer you flavorful recipes that do not take too much time to prepare and add the wonderful benefits of fruit. Remember, our motto at FruitFast is to give you your five fruits a day—FAST.

Some very simple ways to incorporate more fruit in your diet is to pour any of the FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplements over oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, or low-fat pound cake—add a teaspoon or two to smoothies, coffee, or tea. Spread a teaspoon on whole wheat toast, English muffins, or a bagel. And of course, you can always pour the liquid onto a spoon and pop it into your mouth—they are so-o-o very delicious on their own.

Add dried cherries or blueberries to any of your standard recipes; they are always a welcome addition. If you have found an interesting, delicious ways to incorporate dried fruit, the liquid fruit supplements, or any of our FruitFast Juice Concentrates to your recipes, we would love to hear from you and post them on our recipe page. Give us your feedback and let us know how we are doing.

From our house to yours—Have a Wonderful and Healthy New Year!!!

If you are like me, you buy bananas and before they are all eaten, they start to turn brown. I simply throw mine in the freezer for use in smoothies or quick breads. Today I was looking in my freezer and realized—it’s time to make something with all those bananas. I know several people on my gift list that could use some homemade holiday cheer. In my quest for keeping the holidays healthy, I searched for a banana bread recipe that reduced the fat content of the bread. I found two recipes on the EatingWell web page that I combined and then added some dried fruit to boost the health value. Both recipes greatly reduced the oil/butter content, but I liked the flavor content of the following recipe, plus the idea of using the brewed coffee for moisture. The dried fruit, nuts and chocolate really add a special flavor to this easy to make bread.

2 /3 cup packed brown sugar
1 /3 cup hot, strong brewed coffee
1- 1 /2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 4)
2 eggs
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1- 1 /2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 /2 tsp ground ginger
1 /2 tsp salt
1 /4 tsp baking soda
1 /2 cup chopped walnuts, extra for topping if desired
1 /2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 /2 cup diced Brownwood Dried Tart Cherries
Or
1 /2 cup chopped pecans, extra for topping if desired
1 /2 cup Brownwood Dried Wild Blueberries

Pan options:
1 large loaf (9 by 5-inch pan)
12 muffins (standard 12-cup, 2 1/2-inch muffin pan)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
For muffins Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil muffin tin, or if using paper baking cups, lightly spray with canola cooking spray.

Dissolve brown sugar in coffee in a bowl. Stir in bananas. Whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add the banana mixture. In a large bowl whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda. Mix in dried fruit and nuts. Add the banana mixture and stir just until combined. Avoid over-stirring.

Pour into the prepared loaf pan or over muffin tin. Sprinkle top with nuts, if desired. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes for loaf pan; or 20-25 minutes for muffins. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Invert the loaf onto a rack and let cool completely; or remove muffins from tin.

Wrap in decorative cellophane, tie with a ribbon. You can store these for up to 2 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to one month.

Yield: One loaf or 12 muffins

We have been told Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so begin with this nutty breakfast shake. It is simple to make and healthy for an on-the-go start to your day.

Ingredients:
1 – 2 Tbsp  FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (Place 1 to 2 Tbsp concentrate in a measuring cup – fill with water to make 1/2 cup) or
2 Tbsp FruitFast Wonderful Pomegranate Liquid Fruit Supplement
3/4 cup soymilk or regular low-fat milk
2 ice cubes
1 banana, peeled and broken into chunks
2 Tbsp slivered or sliced almonds
1 Tbsp Flaxseeds
1 teaspoon honey or to taste
Directions:
In a blender combine the pomegranate juice or Pomegranate Liquid Fruit Supplement with milk, ice cubes, banana, almonds, flaxseeds and honey to taste. Cover and blend on high speed for 30 seconds.
Pour into 2 tall glasses and serve immediately.

Stir dried cherries and blueberries into your favorite hot cereal. Even an on-the-go packet of instant oatmeal gets a big nutritional (and taste) boost from a handful of cherries, blueberries and strawberries.

Ingredients:
2 cups low-fat milk
1 /4 teaspoon salt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 /3 cup mixed dried blueberries, strawberries and cherries

(Check out Brownwood Acres dried red tart cherries, Brownwood Acres dried wild blueberries)
1 /8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 /2 cup low-fat milk
4 teaspoons chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)*

Directions:
Bring 2 cups milk and the salt to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in dried oats; then stir in dried berries and cherries and cinnamon. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. To serve, spoon oatmeal into bowls. Pour 2 tablespoons milk over each serving. Sprinkle with brown sugar and, if desired, nuts.

Makes 4 (1 /2-cup) servings.

*To toast nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread nuts in a single layer in a baking pan. Bake about 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool nuts before chopping.

This great fish recipe from Prevention magazine’s Flat Belly Diet, is beautifully paired with these Carrots with Character for a truly healthy meal.

FRITTATA WITH SMOKED SALMON and SCALLIONS

Ingredients:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
6 scallions (whites and 2” of green), trimmed and chopped
6 egg whites
4 eggs
1 /4 cup cold water
1 /2 tsp dried tarragon or finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1” wide pieces
3 /4 cup black olive tapenade

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a heavy 8” oven-proof sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add oil and heat 20 seconds. Add scallions and sauté, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes or until soft.

Combine egg whites, eggs, water, tarragon and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Season with fresh ground pepper. Pour mixture into the sauté pan and lay salmon on top. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes or until partially set. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until firm, golden, and puffed. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to release the frittata from the pan and slide onto serving platter. Serve with 2 Tbsp of the black olive tapenade.

Yield: 6 servings

For a great breakfast serve with 1 cup fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt with _ cup fresh or frozen (thawed) dark sweet cherries. Top yogurt with 1/2 cup toasted whole oats, or add this delicious carrot recipe.

This recipe becomes an elegant dinner when combined with these:

CARROTS WITH CHARACTER

Plain carrots become an elegant side dish with cherries, nutmeg and ginger.
Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced (or one l-lb package whole baby carrots)
1 /2 cup FruitFast dried tart cherries
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp margarine
1 /2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 /4 tsp ground ginger

Directions:
Cook carrots in water in a covered saucepan 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain well. Add dried cherries, maple syrup, butter, nutmeg and ginger to cooked carrots in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until the mixture is hot and bubbly.

Makes 6 (1/2 cup) portions.