The idea of wasting good fruits and vegetables feels like a sin to me. Some times we are on the go and just don’t have time to use up all of the items in our CSA box. Or we might find something in the fridge that seemed like a great idea at the market, but we just haven’t gotten around to using it yet. Well here are two ways to use fruit that you can make today to enjoy later!
This time it was my blackberries that I had and didn’t know what to do with. Instead of popping them in my mouth one by one or throwing them in the blender in a smoothie, I decided to get creative. I made Blackberry Butter and Blackberry Fruit Roll-Ups! The butter was a no-brainer as it is something I often make with a variety of berries and freeze ahead. I like to serve it on scones, toast or crackers to enjoy while sipping a nice cup of hot tea or coffee. It’s a great item to pull out when company is visiting to impress your guests! Just a few quick steps creates a luscious, creamy butter that stores wonderfully in the freezer for several months.
Fruit Roll-Ups was something I had never thought of doing. Knowing I’d be on the road for a while I thought it would be a perfect snack to take along that wouldn’t spoil and would give me a healthy item to enjoy. It does take quite a long hands-off process to cook slowly, but the rest is a snap. I stored my roll ups in baggies and they’ve stayed nice and fresh for over a week now!
So don’t fret if you haven’t used up all of your fruits and veggies yet. There are oodles of ideas for making and storing ahead that will keep you from tossing those wonderful items! Stay tuned for more great ideas from me and remember, you can always search an ingredient in my blog search box making it easy to find great ways to use your produce.
Blackberry Butter
Yield: 1/2 lb.
- 1/2 lb. butter, (if you want it to be amazingly good – use a gourmet butter like Kerrygold or Plugra)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup blackberries
- In a food processor, whip the butter and honey together until light and fluffy. Add the blackberries and pulse until chopped and mixed through. Use your own discretion on how much to chop depending on how small you want the fruit pieces to be.
- Make into two logs and roll inside a piece of plastic wrap, twisting the ends to enclose. Freeze until firm and then store in freezer zip top bags for up to 3 months.
- You can cut off slices of butter and use as much as you need, storing the rest back in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also choose to store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
(click here) for printable recipe
Blackberry Fruit Roll-Ups
Yield: 12 Roll-Ups
- 1 pint blackberries
- 6 mint leaves
- 1/4 cup honey
- Dash of lime juice
- Preheat the oven to 170°. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour half of the ingredients on each prepared sheet pan and use a spatula to evenly spread them. It should be thin, but avoid creating any holes or open spots. Bake for 5-6 hours, or until completely dried out but still sticky.
- Remove the pans from the oven and allow to cool at least 30 minutes. Cut into 3 lengthwise strips and then cut those strips in half. (I cut the outside edges off just to even them out and get rid of any crispy edges) Carefully peel the strips off of the paper and roll them up.
- Store several strips together in baggies to keep them fresh and easily available for individual servings.
(click here) for printable recipe