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 mike

 

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What Is Guava?

Whenever I have the good fortune to visit Maui, I often partake in the regional produce.  Across the street from the condo where my wife and I stay, a farmer’s market, loaded with local fruits, veggies, and other homemade products, conducts a brisk and relaxed, aloha-spirited exchange of goods and smiles bartering for our hard-earned mainland cash.



Each time I visit Hawaii I make it a point to try something different, something healthy, while learning as much about it from the friendly island folk as I can, helpful souls who take the time to explain, no doubt for the hundredth time, what it is they are vending.

Over the past few years I have been lucky enough to discover:

* Papaya 
 
* Passion fruit
 
* Star fruit
 
* poi

Recently, I grabbed a handful of green and yellow orbs, asked my friend across the table what they were, and happily discovered guava, adding that tasty and healthy fruit to my growing repertoire of nutritional delights.

What is guava?

So glad you asked.

Guava grows on trees (in fact, my local amigo at the market informed me that in his backyard grew a prolific guava tree that produced the very fruit in my hands, but he was constantly battling his Vietnamese potbellied pig for them; yes, pigs, and most animals, love guava!) in tropical climes like Hawaii - also Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and even Florida.

Guava has both a sweet and sour taste, depending on ripeness (you gotta try it yourself to fully understand), with little edible seeds one has to navigate as you munch your way through one.


But taste alone is not what makes guava a worthwhile venture to discover.  Guava is also considered a super food -  and that’s a good thing!

Why, you ask?

* loaded with dietary fiber
* four times the vitamin C as an orange
* low in calories
* no fat or cholesterol
* good source of folic acid, potassium, copper, and manganese
* antioxidants! (high in carotenoids and polyphenols)
* vital part of POG

Huh?  Um, what the heck is POG?

Oh, POG is an Hawaiian fruit drink made from Passion fruit, Orange juice, and, you guessed it, Guava.  (stay tuned for a couple of videos from my recently concluded trip to Maui about POG in the coming weeks)

Guava can be enjoyed in many different ways:

- smoothies
- juices (like POG)
- ice cream
- with fish
- or right off the tree (watch out for pigs, though)

You need not travel all the way to Maui to taste guava (though that’s not a bad idea, is it now?), just search your local produce aisles and ask around.  I wish you luck, because besides tasting amazing, guava is a super food worth discovering.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

What Is a Mango?

Shaped like an avocado, with hues that rival the papaya, and a taste that is sweet and sometimes sour, kind of like kiwi or a plum .  What tropical delicacy am I describing?  Why, mango, that’s what.

What is a mango?

·        one of the largest produced tropical fruits in the world

·        an antioxidant powerhouse

·        tasty as a soup, juice, smoothie, dessert, ice cream

·        or fresh off the tree

·        member of the drupe family, like apricots and nectarines

·        grown predominantly in India and other warm weather climates like China, Mexico, Thailand, and Pakistan

·        delicious

Ready to try one?  First you have to open one up—here’s how:

One of my favorite vacation spots in the world is Maui and while relaxing on the island, I also enjoy visiting the farmer’s market where I get to sample fresh and often exotic fruits and veggies.  It was on Maui where I discovered passion fruit, star fruit, papaya, and, the star of today’s post, mango.  Besides needing to recharge my batteries and basking in the sun and fun, trying new things, especially healthy, new things, is what it’s all about.  Living life 365.

The good news is you don’t have to jet to Maui to taste a mango (though it’s not a bad idea); just head out to your grocery store or natural food place, or, better yet, your hometown farmer’s market, and look around.  You’d be surprised what you may discover.

Speaking of all those discoveries…

 

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

The Passion of the Fruit

What is passion fruit? First off, it is one amazing, tasty fruit, but also one of the oddest looking. It also has one of the strangest names. Why is it called passion fruit? Spanish missionaries is South America thought the fruit resembled different religious symbols depicting the crucifixion and named it after the passion of the Christ: Passion fruit.

When did I first encounter this interesting fruit? It was at a farmer's market on Maui. I noticed these shriveled-looking orbs, kind of like a lime or lemon that was left out in the sun too long. The guy working behind the table grabbed one, sliced it open, scooped out its innards, and offered me a spoonful. I immediately recoiled at the sight of the gooey, slimy, seedy glob...and then he suggested I close my eyes and take a swallow. Man, was I glad I did.

Here is what it looked and tasted like:

HOW TO...EAT PASSION FRUIT



If you have never tried this amazing fruit, you are missing out on one awesome taste sensation. A little tart, with some sweet mixed in; citrus and peach, pineapple...you just have to try it (and get over the seeds and slime) to really appreciate it.

But why else should you embrace this freaky fruit? Passion fruit are high in vitamin A, Potassium, and have a decent amount of fiber. They are also a good source of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). They even have some protein and iron, making them a pretty decent super food.

Enjoy them in smoothies, juices and desserts, alongside savory dishes and in salads. But I like passion fruit right out of the shell, like this guy is enjoying it:

WHAT IS PASSION FRUIT?



Grown in most tropical regions, like Hawaii, passion fruit is a delicious treat, loaded with nutritional benefits, and versatile as a dessert, enhancing a beverage, or adding some zing to your favorite seafood or vegetarian dish.

One of the things I love to do while on vacation in exotic places is visit the local farmer's markets. This is one of the best ways to taste the homegrown fruits and vegetables you may not have the opportunity to try elsewhere. While relaxing on the island of Maui, soaking in the sun and wandering through a farmer's market, I discovered passion fruit and still smile as I remember how amazing that slimy, seedy fruit tasted.

Ugly? Perhaps. Delicious? Undoubtedly. Good for you? Most certainly.

If you get the change, try passion fruit. And always support your local farmer's markets, you'll be glad you did.

Until next time...

peace,

Mike
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