Spring Fruits

Spring is just around the corner so I wanted to share some of the best spring fruits.

Pineapple

• 1 cup- calories 82 calories, fat 0g, carbs 22g, fiber 2g, protein 1g
• Good source of Vitamin B6 and C, thiamine, manganese
• Try it: peeled and cut into chunks for a fruit salad, or grilled in thick rings for two minutes per side with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.

Avocados

• 1 cup (sliced) - calories 234, fat 21g, carbs 12.5g, fiber 10g, protein 3g
• Good source of Vitamin B6, C, E &K, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, potassium, manganese
• Try it peeled raw in a smoothie, or add half of a peeled pitted avocado to two cups of raw baby spinach and half an apple and process in a blender for a raw soup.
• Avocados are nutrient superstars. An individual serving of this fruit or vegetable provides more than 15% of your total recommended daily allowance (RDA) for four or more different vitamins and minerals.

Apricots

• 1 cup (halved) calories 74, fat .6g, carbs 17g, fiber 3g, protein 2g
• Good Source of vitamin A and C, potassium
• Try it pitted and eaten whole as a snack or halved and baked with chicken.
• Just two little apricots boast two grams of fiber and 1,348 IU of vitamin A. They're also famous for being packed with carotenoids and antioxidants which are said to reduce the risk of many types of cancer.

Strawberries

• 1 cup (whole) calories 46, fat 0g, carbs 11g, fiber 3g, protein 1g
• Good source of Vitamin C, folate, manganese
• Try them in an energy drink using one and a half cups berries blended with 1/3 cup pasteurized raw egg whites and a drop of raw honey or agave syrup, or two cups of berries blended with two cups cold water, 1/3 cup dry white wine, 1/4 cup of raw honey and a half a cup plain yogurt for a cold dessert soup.
• Strawberries are antioxidant superstars.

Mangos

• 1 cup (sliced) calories 107, fat .5g, carbs 28g, fiber 3g, protein 1g
• Good source Vitamins A, B6 & C
• Try it peeled and cubed (two cups) with 1/3 cup chopped green onion, a 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, two tablespoons lime juice, one teaspoon agave nectar or raw honey, and one tablespoon minced fresh ginger for a seafood salsa

The Best of Clean Eating page 140-141