Leftover fruits can be a nightmare. Usually, these fruits are too bruised and too overripe to be eaten. Eventually, they end up being thrown away because we have no clue what to do with them.
Hold on though as we have an idea. In fact, we have seven! With our seven leftover fruit ideas you no longer have to fear the moment you find squashed fruits in your fridge. Now you can enjoy your favourite fruits even when it is too ripe to be eaten on its own.
Malaysia is blessed with an all-year round supply of fruits, thanks to it strategic geographical location. As a tropical country we have bountiful fruits of every kind for us to enjoy. However, this has its own setbacks. An abundance of fruit can lead to us just getting tired of them quickly! In the end, the fruits are left to rot or, even worse, burn (like the tragic harum manis incident).
Nonetheless, there is always a better way to combat this problem and Butterkicap has found 7!
1. Baked Goods
We know that over-ripe fruits are just nasty to eat by themselves but what many do not realise is that the rich taste of these fruits is excellent as an enhancement to food and pastries. For example, there is no banana bread or cake or cekodok that tastes better than the ones made using overripe or almost rotten bananas. So, the next time you see any fruits lying around at the bottom shelf of the fridge, heat the oven up and make some finger-licking pies, cakes and breads for tea!
2. Fruit Drinks
Overripe and bruised fruits are mushy and just sloppy to eat. Most of us find it unappetising to eat fruits so soft. Who says the only way to eat fruit is by eating it straight? Get your blender and start blending away!
Making smoothies, fresh juice, or fruit milk is a great way to fulfil your daily fruit requirements and use up a lot of fruit. There are many smoothie recipes out there, or you can invent your own.
3. Fruit Jams
If you are tired of fruit drinks all the time, try making the formula a little more concentrated and less wet so you can spread it on bread or pastries. Don’t understand? One word, three letters; jam. Making jam is a tedious process and nobody has time for that. Therefore, make jam when you feel like eating jam. Choose a fruit, add some sugar and water and stir it in a pot until you get a concentrated filling. Simple, delicious and cheap!
4. Ice Pops
Ice pops are simply divine to eat on a hot and dry day. For those who love your sweets but wish to keep your tummy trim, this is the recipe for you. Skip the calories of ice cream, and save your brown bananas to make homemade fudge pops. If chocolate pops aren’t your thing, try adding any leftover berries, melon, or pineapple to a pop mold with Greek yogurt, honey, and fresh mint. Homemade ice pops are so easy to make and taste better than the store-bought ones.
5. Fruity Ice Cream
Another alternative to keeping it cool in the heat with refreshing flavours of various fruits is by making ice-cream. Fruit-based ice-creams are one of the most creamiest and delicious kinds of ice-cream you can ever have. As sorbets or full-on creamy iced treats, the taste of these fruits will be enhanced due to the rich ripeness of their flesh.
6. Fruit Salsa
Not much beats a pairing of grilled meat and fish with some salsa. If you happen to have leftover fruits in the fridge, make some fresh fruit salsas that will add a tropical twist to your grilled meats. By repurposing fruits such as pineapple, mango, or strawberries with chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, minced red onion, and a little salt and pepper, any meal of yours will become unique and different. The best thing about fruit salsas are that they get better each day, so make extra to add to salad or other leftovers.
7. Fruit-Infused Water
Flavoured water is a trend in healthy diets today. Not only you are able to stay hydrated and feel revitalised, fruit-infused water is pleasing to taste and keeps you fresh all day. Add slices of leftover fruits (the good parts of the fruit) and some fresh herbs like rosemary and mint into a glass of water. Fruit-infused water taste good with all fruits. Experiment and have fun finding your very own flavour. You can even add a little fizz in your drink by using sparkling water instead.
With our 7 leftover fruit ideas, you no longer have to feel guilty throwing away fruits and waste more money buying fresh ones. All you need is some imagination and effort to make something ordinary become extraordinary. If you have more leftover fruit ideas, do share with us here at Butterkicap.
