Wednesday, October 24, 2007

An Apple a Day . . .



A recent study suggests that an Apple a Day Keeps the Calories at Bay. I usually only eat apples this time of year when they are fresh and I can go spend a day at the orchard picking my own. More often than not I get sick from eating too many. I don't consider it a binge because it only takes a couple to make me full and a few bites of a few more (you have to sample the different varieties) to make me feel sick. Not only that but I get all sorts of good exercise hiking all over the orchard, reaching for the juiciest, freshest and, of course, highest and hardest to reach apples. The apples at the supermarket just don't taste the same.

There is something so different and delicious about eating foods you have grown (or just picked). I'm not sure if it's because it's so much fresher with no preservatives or because it hasn't been touched by any other hands; it's hard to explain. My in-laws had a garden at their farm in VT and before that I didn't even like zucchini. I've picked fresh strawberries on a hot summer day. They tasted like someone had poured sugar on them - they were sooooo sweetest. Fresh corn is one of favorites (and the corn maze is a blast too). It doesn't even need the butter and salt I usually use on store bought corn. I once spent a day picking potatoes, wrapped one in foil and cooked it in a bonfire that night. It was the most amazing potato I ever tasted in my life. Too bad it was such back breaking work I'll never pick them again.

I absolutely love the winter (yeah, I know I'm in the minority) but I hate that all my fruits and vegetables have to come from the market or frozen in the winter months. I'm going to try to eat more apples and other fruits and veggies this winter even if they don't taste as good.

Do you notice the difference between fresh and store bought? What do you do when the snow falls, the farmers' markets are gone and you're stuck with supermarket or frozen varieties?

I'm going to cut up a fresh apple right now before it snows.

9 comments:

  1. I'm with you--there's something about fresh fruit that tastes better than anything you can get from a grocery store!

    Farmer's markets, where they've brought the stuff in that morning, are at least pretty close. I'm lucky they have one nearby where I live.

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  2. I discovered my local Farmer's Market this summer and I cannot BELIEVE I ever settled for store bought stuff! I had fresh locally grown fruits and veggies all summer and it helped me immensely in my weight loss. This weekend is the very last market of the season. I will be checking the stores for the most local produce. I will enjoy the winter citrus fruits, nuts, and squash. I also love baked sweet potatoes. I can't wait til spring when the market opens again!!

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  3. I miss the corn we would buy from road side stands in Pennsylvania. Now, living in Florida, we get the freshest strawberries in February, March and April and if I want an orange or lemon I need only walk to my back yard...grapefruits, avocados and limes require a bit of fence jumping into the neighbors yard...after dark LOL

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  4. Apples are one of my favorite snacks. I usually eat one every day. They're great paired up with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter, or a low-fat string cheese. Yum!

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  5. I have this thing about not liking fruit...I know, it's odd.

    But if I go to say Apple Hill or even just the farmer's market, where it grown organically, I am totally all over that like it's a sex organ ;).

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  6. Hey, MB,

    I'll have to email those pictures of the BoSox parade to you. I got video but its from my phone. :( I wonder how that will come out?

    Also I love fresh fruit but I wish I'd stop being lazy and eat more of it!

    Take Care.

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  7. Freshness in the hizzouse! And apples apparently have mgical fat brning powers! Check out http://www.theweighwewere.com/Read-Weight-Loss-Stories/apple-diet-fiber.html.

    When I can't get fresh, I use a lot more spices and make stir fries...somehow frozen veggies taste better with a bit of soy sauce and Splenda!

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  8. Thats so much for visiting my blog! I am glad that you could be insprired from what I am doing...but anyone can do it, Im not special!

    I loooove fresh fruits and veggies from farmers markets. Anything that hasnt been sprayed with pesticides and sitting at a grocery store always tastes a thousand times better. The corn maze looks so cool! I went to a really fun one about a month ago and it was awesome! I had never been in one. I like your post where you say youve been in one for years. I think its a great analogy..weight loss and a corn maze!

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  9. Apples aren't my fav, but I'll eat them mixed with other food. One thing I've started doing in the winter is grow bean sprouts in my kitchen from dried mung beans. In 3-5 days (depending on warmth and sunlight) I have fresh sprouts, which count as veggies to my mind. I saute them briefly and mix them with chopped up apples. (Yes, I was coming back to apples ;)

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