The battle continues, my lovelies! As April plods on and we move down the bracket, the matches are starting to get a bit more competitive!
Last night, for example, Killer Kiwi reigned supreme over the Pummeled Pomegranate- but there were definitely some Pom fans out there! The final score was 12-8.
But hey, Pom fans- don’t be discouraged! You can avenge this loss by voting for your favorite tonight!
Back to the veggie side, tonight it is:
Carrots vs. Bell Peppers!
Which do you prefer? The rooty, orange, slightly sweet crunchers? Or the crisp, juicy, tri-colored pepps?
I like my carrots raw and crunchy and cold from the fridge, or baked and whipped with cinnamon and nutmeg.
I like peppers stir fried, on pizza, roasted and slurpy or raw and snappy.
Who do you vote for?
And now that that’s covered, I have a foodie topic very very Meri tonight:
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| Tomaters! |
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| Pluots! |
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| Figgies! |
Yep! Dried fruit!
Those of you who know me know that I could make a whole food group out of dried fruit. Trail mix is fine, but I often just eat the dried fruit and forget about the nuts and seeds. When I visit my parents I often completely deplete their cupboard full of gourmet dried fruits (Hello, TJ’s jumbo raisins… pleased to meet eat you!)
I know dried fruit is sort of “love it or hate it,” as I know as many people who are disgusted by it’s utter existence as aficionados like myself. So if you hate it, bear with me. This is a post filled with love and adoration!
Here are my favorite dried fruits, and other food items I like to mix with them.
1. Dried dates/ dried figs: These two tie for being perhaps the sweetest of the bunch. Take an already sugar loaded fruit and then concentrate it by drying and shriveling? Sugar explosion! The seeds in dried figs are like sugar crystals. mommy likey. I just eat these plain usually.
2. Raisins! Best in cookies, plumped up in oatmeal, in bread, atop apple slaw or salads, or just by the fistful in your parents kitchen. My favorites are the golden, then the flame, then the traditional. I think we might all agree the bigger the better with raisins.
3. Dried papaya/ mango/ pineapple– Slightly chewier, often sugared (WHY???) I like these as a purse snack for when I need a quick sugar buzz.
4. Dried Pear/Plum/ Pluot/ Peach/ Apricot- When you dry out a stone fruit, they still retain an incredible amount of juiciness. These ones win for plumpness, and are pretty sweet as well.
5. Dried Strawberries/ Blueberries– Tasty, but regrettably more expensive than a lot of other dried fruit. Harder to find in bulk for some reason.
6. Dried Apple– The most curious of dried fruit textures. The most “acquired taste,” I think. Definitely the least sweet. Chewy, like jerky almost. I’ve grown to really love them! Not to be confused with freeze dried apple chips or the like.
7. Dried cranberries– Um, I find these boring. It’s hard to find them unsweetened (again, WHY? like there isn’t enough sugar already!) Sometimes I eat them when all of the other dried fruit is gone.
8.Sun-dried tomatoes- Definitely the “different” one in this group. I adore sun-dried tomatoes. I’ve started buying them in bulk completely dried, then reconstituting for use in pizza bagels, pasta dishes, salads, and more. Way way cheaper than jarred in oil or even bagged. You’ll thank me later when your wallet is fatter!
9. Dried Goji Berries- A newer kid on the block to me, I can’t get enough of these. At first I thought they gave me, (ahem) “digestive issues,” then I realized it was the sheer quantity I was eating. Whoops. I like them plumped up in hot water, dry as a snack with some pepitas, or stirred into oatmeal or oat bran. The juice left over if you steep them in hot water is really good too. Sometimes they need a rinse first though!
10. Dried Mulberries- Saved the weirdest for last. I tried these for the first time at the Caspian Bistro (in the market section). They sell these in bulk with the dried garbanzos and candied Almonds. A formidable trail mix, but kind of like eating delicious, tiny little bugs. Be careful of the stems- they hide! Not for the faint of heart, but one of my favorites!
So there you have it. I could rant and rave all day about dried fruits, but I’d rather hear what you think about dried fruits! Do you love all of them? Hate ’em? Only like a few? Total newb?
Do tell! And place your veggie votes too!
Meri
Ha! I will not partake this round because I'm not a fan of dried fruit anything. =D
Bell Peppers!!!! She says loudly while running down the hall (I don't know why she's running down a hall, but just go with it)
Bell peppers!
I looooove dried fruit. I pick it out of trail mix, too. Luckily Tyler likes nuts a bunch so we do well with trail mix!
Bell peppers.
I'm a fan of dried fruit…but I LIKE the cranberries.
Carrots!
Bell peppers take a lead so far! Anyone have a dried fruit I forgot or haven't heard of? Or a favorite way to use them?
This is so hard. I guess I'll pick carrots just because I eat them more often, but I do love peppers too!
And dried fruit…ha, I am in love with all kinds!
CARROTS!!!!!!!! They're the only veggie I like!
I'm not a big fan of dried fruit. Never tried it, but it's never appealed to me. I probably should try – it's probably good (not to mention healthy). Any recommendations for a picky eater who likes apples, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, and grapes?
I vote for bell peppers! They are amazing! And I do like dried fruit. My favorites are pineapple, raisins, and apricots. Yum!
Bell Peppers!
I remember making dried fruit on the food dehydrator as a kiddy with my little sisters. A novelty to make me eat fruits I wouldn't eat otherwise maybe. Do people still buy them anymore?
First off, I got no respect for dried bananas. And second, even though is isn't a fruit per se dried applesauce makes basically a fruit roll-up.
Bell peppers absolutely! I used to love carrots and I still love them cooked more than raw. I love dried fruits thus you find them in my cupboard to snack on when you visit. Those jumbo raisins were THE BEST. I love dried cherries too and I agree, why sweeten already sweet fruit?
Myche- a food dehydrator is one of those things I think would be really cool to have… eeeeevery once in awhile. But where do you keep it most of the time? And where do you find the money?
And I've had banana chips/ made plantain chips in the kitchen, but not straight up dried banana- sounds kind of gross!
Momma- maybe I'll buy you a replacement bag next time I hit Trader Joes?
Meri, I know you left them off your list (maybe because you agree with me on how horrible they are), but I want to clear the air a little more about the dried banana issue (it's been a tough day).
Why do we see them showing up in the odd GORP or trail mix melange every once in a while? Why are we being force feed these hard glazed woodchip-tasting, crown-breaking mini fruit pucks? It's like manufacturers are trying to sneak them in to get them off of their hands. Because they know nobody eats them. Think of the last time you've seen someone loading up on the bulk dehydrated bananas. It has never happened. Nobody has any use for them. You can't even soften them in cereal because of that damn coating. Seriously, are they dipped in Sears Weatherbeater?
The only thing I can think of is maybe people use them for baking? I have know idea.
Wow, you've hit a nerve with this post. Screedsville, population Myche.
Sorry, I meant banana chips. I think you can imagine how I'd feel about full on dried bananas, i.e., clear a bed for me on the pysch ward.
You forgot about dried bananas. Yum! As for carrots vs. peppers, I'll have to vote for peppers. They're just so much yummier raw than carrots are.
Mmmmm I loooove raisins. In cookies, muffins, covered in chocolate, or by themselves. Just plain deliciousness. 🙂
And today's pick was an easy one: carrots. My favorite veggie EVER.
As my mother noted, I also forgot dried cherries. Which is too bad, because I love them! I also had dried melon of some kind (canteloupe I think?) one time and it was super tasty. which is weird, because I thought they were mostly water.
Bell peppers! Or any kind of peppers; poblanos are my favorite. Planting 'chocolate peppers' this years which will be a new one for me.
Hmmmm, not sure which one I like better. I think I might have to go with carrots!
As for the dried fruit, so good! I love me some sun dried tomatoes. Delish!
And if you like dried dates, you should try to get your hands on some really fresh, plump ones. I had never had truly fresh dates until we went to Egypt last year. It was like honey in fruit form, to die for! They had huge bowls of them at the buffet lines, and I had to limit myself so I didn't gorge everyday! lol
lovely blog 😀
X
http://monicakosasih.blogspot.com/
Looks GREAT!!
I like carrots over red peppers. Your suggestion of cooked carrots with nutmeg sounds delicious. I will have to do that soon. Maybe it is time I steam and puree some for the wee beasty!
Libs
MMM- I only like carrots grated over my salad. I don't mind peppers – fresh or roasted so yeah – i choose peppers. I like some dried fruit – mainly the usual though – raisins, currents, that kind of thing. What a fabulously random post!! ;D Shah. X
I abstained from last nights vote since kiwi and pomegranite are too close to my heart to make a clear headed decision. Today I find myself in a similar situation but I will not cower in the corner again. I'm going to take peppers with a slight edge over carrots for their versatility.
Carrots, for sure! I love dried mango and raisins but not much else when it comes to dried fruit.
I'm not a big fan of dried fruits, but I adore sundried tomatoes and cranberries. Sundried tomatoes add such a punch of flavor don't they?!
Bell peppers, but only because I'm not a huge fan of *cooked* carrots. You are making this so hard!
I like dried fruit, but I don't think quite as much as you do! I also find it frustrating to fin unsweetened dried fruit. I mean, I like my sugar, but I like my teeth too.
Hmmm, that's a hard one! I think raw peppers & cooked carrots!
bell peppers!!!!
Oh no, this is a tough one! I think I'd have to roll with bell peppers though. 🙂
Love dried strawberries! We have a dehydrator. I'll definitely be getting it back out after we move. I want some dried fruit and jerky!
I LOVEEEEEEE dried tomatoes espesically with pasta yumm 🙂 oh and dried cranberries on a salad with some tuna is amazing
Bell peppers, because they're pretty.
Okay, first, PEPPERS over carrots any day!
as for dried fruits, I actually like the ones that have an, err, "firmer" texture, like dried bananas and apples. dates and apricots are okay though.
I'm going to have to go with carrots, although bell peppers are close behind! I'm so-so on dried fruits, I'd rather have the real thing! 🙂
Lindsey- I get my fresh dates usually from the Persian market down the road, and they are so good that I'm only IMAGINING how good the ones in Egypt must have been- not traveling overseas first 🙂
Shah- nice call about the currants. Forgot about them too!
I eat carrots every day of my life.
That's why I see so well in the dark.
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Twitter: @GlamKitten88
I like them both, but I'll go with bell peppers.
And I can eat dried fruit all day long. Yum!
carrots please x
wow..this is great information!!! i love dried fruits but i love raw fruits a lot more…so it really depends on what im in the mood for that day
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aaah pluots! i first saw those bad boys at pike's place market in seattle. how adorable!
im going with bell peppers!! more variety 🙂
oh my gosh, these competitions are so awesome!! carrots and bell peppers {not green bell peppers, however} are two of the vegetables i really like to eat, so it's a tough call. but i'm going to vote for carrots, a slightly more desirable vegetable to me.
also, thank you for your comment today! it was so sweet, and very comforting!
definitely bell peppers!!! their flavor isn't too strong and they cook fast, so love using them! ooo cut up bell peppers are delicious too!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Out of all the dried fruits you listed, dates are my favorite. They are a dessert in themselves! And sundried tomatoes just make everything better. Anyways, happy to now know of your blogs existence~I'm a new follower 😉
Bell peppers! I especially like them stuffed with goat cheese!
As far as dried fruit i REALLLLY love apricot, peaches and mango. I also like raisins. But the others more.
Bell peppers edge out carrots for me (but it's close). I grew up on dried fruit. My mom had a dehydrator. I like Banana chips if she dried them until they were chewy, not crisp. Dried strawberries are also a favourite. I only discovered sun dried tomatoes recently and now I'm in love. Hmm, now I'm craving summer salads.
aww SO CUTE
thanks for the comment on my blog. you're so nice. btw i love dried mangoes. 🙂
Carrots! And I also love dried fruit. This post was really very informative…thanks!
i love dried mangoes!! and bell peppers! 😀
oh my! I've been missing on the battle. tonight my vote goes to carrots! 🙂
and dried fruits? love them – all. great post and awesome info.