Backyard Orchard News
An Uncommon Bee
Sometimes you get lucky.While watching floral visitors foraging last week in our rock purslane...
Female leafcutting bee, Megachile gemula, on rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Female leafcutting bee, Megachile gemula, exiting rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Katydid, Katy Didn't
My late father, who called me "Katydid," loved poetry.Decades after he passed, a cousin gave me a...
Katydid on salvia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Pomegranate Kind of Day
It was a pomegranate kind of day. Red, bright and wonderful.The papery-thin reddish blossoms in our...
Honey bee nearly collides with a ladybug, aka ladybeetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A pest, a spotted cucumber beetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bee foraging in pomegranate blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Amazing Awesome Apricots!
When you think of apricots you imagine a juicy, soft fruit resembling a small peach. Think
again! They’re also little power houses of some “notable nutrients!”
Apricot Advantages
- Rich in Vitamin A (beta-carotene) and C. A boon for eye health, plus a boost for the body’s immune system. Just 2-3 apricots can provide nearly 50% of your daily value of Vitamin A
- Apricots provide Vitamin E, an antioxidant beneficial for skin health; may also help reduce the risk of certain cancers
- A good source of iron, needed to provide oxygen to red blood cells; and potassium needed for multiple body functions.
- Great source of dietary fiber to help reduce risks for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and weight management (2 grams dietary fiber in 3 apricots)
- Low in calories, about 50 calories in 3 apricots. They’re fat-free and low carbohydrate (12 grams in 3 apricots)
Serving Tips
- Add to cakes, pies, with ice cream or sorbets, and yogurt
- Use apricots as a jam or jelly; puree as a fruit topping for salads, cereal, pancakes, and other foods
- Dried apricots are a healthy snack on the go
Handling and Storage
- Fresh, ripe apricots keep1-3 days at room temperature
- Refrigerated apricots keep 4-5 days
- Frozen apricots keep up to 3 months
- Dried apricots, sealed, can be stored for 1 month at room temperature; 6 months refrigerated
Preparation
- To freeze: Slice in half; remove pits. Dip in ascorbic acid solution (citric acid or lemon juice 10 minutes), to prevent color change. Drain, rinse; place in zip-lock freezer bags; freeze. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator.
- To dry: Slice in half, remove pits. Dip in ascorbic acid solution 10 minutes. Arrange pit side up on trays in single layers. Dry until soft, pliable, and leathery; no moist area in center when cut. Drying time in dehydrators-- between18-24 hours; oven drying--between 24-36 hours.
Try These Amazing Apricot Recipes!
Ingredients:
½ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon fructose
Directions:
- Put apricots, water and fructose into small saucepan; bring to boil.
- Boil rapidly for a few minutes, make sure not to let it boil dry.
- Remove from heat; cool; store in refrigerator. Use within 1 month.
Makes 6 servings (2 tbsp)
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Nutrition Information:
Per serving: 10 calories, 0 grams protein, 2.5 grams carbohydrates, 0 fat
Apricot Nut Bread
Applesauce, instead of oil, gives this bread its moist texture, without extra calories from fat.
1 (15 ounce) can apricot halves
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/ 4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
- Drain apricots; save syrup. Puree in food processor, adding syrup if necessary to make 1 cup.
- Whisk together flours, baking powder and soda.
- In large bowl, blend applesauce and sugar. Add eggs one at a time; beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with apricot puree; stir in nuts. Spread batter into 9x5 loaf pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and lightly floured.
- Bake at 350 degrees 50 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on rack.
Makes 12 servings
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Nutrition Information:
Per serving : 171 calories, 4 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fat, 0 saturated fat
/span>Shirley Luckhart: Outstanding Mentor
The honor is so well deserved. UC Davis molecular biologist Shirley Luckhart, professor of...
Anopheles gambiae, also known as the malaria mosquito. (Photo by medical entomologist Anthony Cornel, UC Davis associate professor)