Fruits are generally a pretty good bet as a food that both you and your dog can enjoy. However, these are the ones you can rely on more than others.

Blueberries

Blueberries are low in sugar and contain nothing that can harm dogs. In fact, their high antioxidant content is also helpful for boosting your pup’s immune system and keeping it healthy. They’ll love biting into these little blue beauties.

Bananas

One treat we love giving to our dogs on special occasions is a little bit of sliced banana. Don’t give them too much, as they do contain a good bit of sugar, but a few slices of banana every so often is a tasty treat they’ll love, while giving them a bit of fiber and potassium.

Seedless Watermelon

Looking for a treat your dog will love on a hot summer day? Watermelon is nearly 95% water and low in sugar, making it an ideal, refreshing treat for your canine companion. Just be sure to give it to them in a seedless form without the rind, as these two elements could cause intestinal system blockages if given to your dog.

The post These Fruits are Healthy for Both Humans and Dogs! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Eat Them By Themselves

While most of us aren’t used to eating them, fresh figs are a sweet and delicious treat. All of the fruit is edible except for its stem, which you should cut off. Other than that, just slice open, take small bites and enjoy its ultra-sweet flavor.

In Salads

Figs are a great topping for a salad as long as you don’t go over the top with them. They go great with ingredients like berries, spinach, and goat cheese. My favorite dressing to use on salads with figs is a balsamic vinaigrette.

On Toast

Have you ever tried fig toast before? Using a multi-grain, slightly sweet bread along with goat cheese or a relatively strong option can be the perfect combination between savory and sweet to start your morning!

The post 3 Great Ways to Use Fresh Figs appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

The freezer is a very effective tool for preserving fruit. Almost all fruits—from melon, banana, plum, peach, apple to strawberries and berries—cope well with freezing, with the exception of citrus fruit.

The home freezer works at a very low temperature. Low enough, to turn water to ice. Fruit that freeze and thaw will always be more soggy than their fresh counterparts. This is because of the process of freezing water in the fruit freeze in the form of crystals, which cause fluid loss during thawing.

So, freezing fruit means the most appropriate use of them should be chosen in advance. To get the most of frozen fruit, group pieces of fruit you like into several bags, with each bag containing enough fruit for one serving of smoothie.

Freeze the bags and just pull one out and grind in a blender every morning with water, orange juice, yogurt—or any liquid that will help you get a yummy start to your day.

The post The Best Way To Freeze Fruit appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

One of my favorite ways to do this is to add sliced fruit or berries to my cereals every morning. Here are three fruits that you can try!

Banana

Slicing a banana and putting in on my cereal is a tradition I have kept going since I was a young kid. Adding the delicious sweetness to a normal type of cereal makes for both a sweet and a nutritious breakfast choice.

Strawberries

A handful of strawberries sliced up and placed upon a bed of cereal and milk is another great way to kick off your morning. The sweet and tangy flavor of these berries work together perfectly with the flavors of milk and the grains that make up cereal.

Blueberries

Finally, if you want a super easy choice that you don’t even have to use a knife to slice up to put in your cereal, why not try blueberries? These tart and slightly sweet little berries are a great option, if you’re looking for a simple choice that isn’t as sweet as the two previous options.

The post Spice Up Your Cereal with These Fruit Toppings appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

When making your shopping list from September through December, make sure to add these tasty in-season fruits to your list and enjoy all of their fantastic possibilities.

Apples

Apples might be thought of as a year-round fruit, but these beauties actually come into season during the autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. While great as a simple snack, you can also try more adventurous recipes—like baked apples with brown sugar or apple cider—by using these little guys.

Cranberries

Cranberry sauce is a staple on Thanksgiving plates every November, so it comes as no surprise that this fruit is at its best during the fall. Tarts, pies, and cakes are some of the places where this “superfood” stands out, but the possibilities are really endless.

Pears

Pears are like apples—ubiquitous year-round—but at their peak during the fall. The summer heat turns these fruits sweet and juicy by the time they are ready for harvest in the fall, after which they can be used in salads, as a snack, or for any of a number of culinary uses.

The post Be Sure to Enjoy These Fall Fruits While You Can! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

These adorable bite-sized fruits are just a miniature version of a regular kiwi. About the size of a grape, these little fruits are even more portable and convenient to eat than regular kiwis, and they offer up all kinds of possibilities in the kitchen.

Also known as kiwi berries, these small fruits can be eaten whole, skin and all. Described as being even more tender and sweeter than regular kiwis, their flavor is nonetheless very similar to the normal-sized fruit’s, as they are both cultivars of the same plant.

Native to China but now grown in New Zealand, California, and Chile, baby kiwis are becoming more and more popular as people around the world discover their advantages.

Baby kiwis can be served in salads, on fruit skewers, or even as a yogurt topping. Their small size means that you don’t have to cut them up or anything to use them as a component or topping in any recipe that might appeal to you.

If you see baby kiwis at your local supermarket, be sure to give them a try!

The post Baby Kiwis are a Pint-Sized Treasure appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

What about a cane apple, though? Have you ever heard of this lesser-known fruit?

Cane apples come from a bush known as the “strawberry tree” (it’s confusing, we know) which is located throughout the Mediterranean region as well as the British Isles. These bushes produce small, vibrant red colored-fruits that have a spiky outside and are approximately the size of a large grape.

While cane apples are not commonly eaten by themselves due to their poor ability to hold up in transport to stores, when opened up, they contain an edible portion which is sweet and tart. This is commonly used for several culinary items such as marmalades, jams, and liquors.

One of Portugal’s most beloved spirits, called Medronho, is a brandy which is made with and flavored by cane apples. 

Other uses for the cane apple include in pastries and cakes, in yogurt, and as a pollination source for a special variety of honey.

Have you ever tried a product made with the cane apple before? What did you think of it?

The post Ever Heard of a Cane Apple Before? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Fiber is extremely important for dietary health and is a crucial component of any healthy diet, so why not work these fruits into your routine?

Kiwis

Kiwis are a fantastically versatile fruit, as they can be enjoyed with or without their peel, in yogurts and desserts, or by themselves! Not only is this fruit tasty, but it also packs a healthy punch of 3 grams of fiber per 100 grams.

Pears

Pears are available in tons of different colors, varieties, and flavors, but what they all have in common is their generous fiber content. In fact, one medium-sized pear tends to contain around 5.5 grams of dietary fiber, nearly 25% of what you should consume per day of this nutrient!

Bananas

Bananas are a wonderful fruit that helps with dietary health, muscle cramps, and energy levels, and its levels of fibers are nothing to sneeze at either. A banana usually contains between 3 and 4 grams of dietary fiber, a great start to getting towards your daily needs of this nutrient.

The post Add These Fruits to Your Diet For a Fiber Boost appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Be sure to add these fruits to your shopping list and add the best of summer to the kitchen.

Watermelon

Watermelon’s name is apt, as this fruit’s content is more than 90% H2O! That makes it a perfect and refreshing treat for the warm months of summer, as it gives you a sweet hydration boost that is perfect for days at the pool or the beach.

Peaches

Peaches also come into their peak during the summer. This classic fruit oozes juiciness and sweet flavor that makes it a perfect snack on its own or a great option in desserts like peach cobbler and peach ice cream.

Strawberries

Nothing quite says summer like a container full of strawberries on a picnic in a sunny park. These juicy and delicious red berries are at their peak in early summer, and you should run to the store now to snatch some up.

The post Summer Fruits That You Must Put on Your Shopping List appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Peaches are fuzzier and softer than nectarines. There are also several varieties of them and each taste just a bit different. The yellow-fleshed ones are ideal for canning and the white-fleshed ones are sweeter. Peaches work well in pies and in savory meals like salads and soups.

Nectarines are actually a type of peach. The way to tell the difference between peaches and nectarines is by the skin. Nectarines are smoother and slightly firmer than peaches. This makes them great for grilling and they pair well with cheese. They are also delicious in salads or over ice cream.

If you’re having trouble choosing which fruit to buy, get the one that’s fresher and smells more fragrant. You can ripen them up by placing them in a brown paper bag on your kitchen counter. As soon as they ripen, enjoy them right away or store them in the fridge for a few days.

The post Do You Know the Difference Between Peaches and Nectarines? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Fruits are generally a pretty good bet as a food that both you and your dog can enjoy. However, these are the ones you can rely on more than others.

Blueberries

Blueberries are low in sugar and contain nothing that can harm dogs. In fact, their high antioxidant content is also helpful for boosting your pup’s immune system and keeping it healthy. They’ll love biting into these little blue beauties.

Bananas

One treat we love giving to our dogs on special occasions is a little bit of sliced banana. Don’t give them too much, as they do contain a good bit of sugar, but a few slices of banana every so often is a tasty treat they’ll love, while giving them a bit of fiber and potassium.

Seedless Watermelon

Looking for a treat your dog will love on a hot summer day? Watermelon is nearly 95% water and low in sugar, making it an ideal, refreshing treat for your canine companion. Just be sure to give it to them in a seedless form without the rind, as these two elements could cause intestinal system blockages if given to your dog.

The post These Fruits are Healthy for Both Humans and Dogs! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Eat Them By Themselves

While most of us aren’t used to eating them, fresh figs are a sweet and delicious treat. All of the fruit is edible except for its stem, which you should cut off. Other than that, just slice open, take small bites and enjoy its ultra-sweet flavor.

In Salads

Figs are a great topping for a salad as long as you don’t go over the top with them. They go great with ingredients like berries, spinach, and goat cheese. My favorite dressing to use on salads with figs is a balsamic vinaigrette.

On Toast

Have you ever tried fig toast before? Using a multi-grain, slightly sweet bread along with goat cheese or a relatively strong option can be the perfect combination between savory and sweet to start your morning!

The post 3 Great Ways to Use Fresh Figs appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

The freezer is a very effective tool for preserving fruit. Almost all fruits—from melon, banana, plum, peach, apple to strawberries and berries—cope well with freezing, with the exception of citrus fruit.

The home freezer works at a very low temperature. Low enough, to turn water to ice. Fruit that freeze and thaw will always be more soggy than their fresh counterparts. This is because of the process of freezing water in the fruit freeze in the form of crystals, which cause fluid loss during thawing.

So, freezing fruit means the most appropriate use of them should be chosen in advance. To get the most of frozen fruit, group pieces of fruit you like into several bags, with each bag containing enough fruit for one serving of smoothie.

Freeze the bags and just pull one out and grind in a blender every morning with water, orange juice, yogurt—or any liquid that will help you get a yummy start to your day.

The post The Best Way To Freeze Fruit appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

One of my favorite ways to do this is to add sliced fruit or berries to my cereals every morning. Here are three fruits that you can try!

Banana

Slicing a banana and putting in on my cereal is a tradition I have kept going since I was a young kid. Adding the delicious sweetness to a normal type of cereal makes for both a sweet and a nutritious breakfast choice.

Strawberries

A handful of strawberries sliced up and placed upon a bed of cereal and milk is another great way to kick off your morning. The sweet and tangy flavor of these berries work together perfectly with the flavors of milk and the grains that make up cereal.

Blueberries

Finally, if you want a super easy choice that you don’t even have to use a knife to slice up to put in your cereal, why not try blueberries? These tart and slightly sweet little berries are a great option, if you’re looking for a simple choice that isn’t as sweet as the two previous options.

The post Spice Up Your Cereal with These Fruit Toppings appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

When making your shopping list from September through December, make sure to add these tasty in-season fruits to your list and enjoy all of their fantastic possibilities.

Apples

Apples might be thought of as a year-round fruit, but these beauties actually come into season during the autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. While great as a simple snack, you can also try more adventurous recipes—like baked apples with brown sugar or apple cider—by using these little guys.

Cranberries

Cranberry sauce is a staple on Thanksgiving plates every November, so it comes as no surprise that this fruit is at its best during the fall. Tarts, pies, and cakes are some of the places where this “superfood” stands out, but the possibilities are really endless.

Pears

Pears are like apples—ubiquitous year-round—but at their peak during the fall. The summer heat turns these fruits sweet and juicy by the time they are ready for harvest in the fall, after which they can be used in salads, as a snack, or for any of a number of culinary uses.

The post Be Sure to Enjoy These Fall Fruits While You Can! appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

These adorable bite-sized fruits are just a miniature version of a regular kiwi. About the size of a grape, these little fruits are even more portable and convenient to eat than regular kiwis, and they offer up all kinds of possibilities in the kitchen.

Also known as kiwi berries, these small fruits can be eaten whole, skin and all. Described as being even more tender and sweeter than regular kiwis, their flavor is nonetheless very similar to the normal-sized fruit’s, as they are both cultivars of the same plant.

Native to China but now grown in New Zealand, California, and Chile, baby kiwis are becoming more and more popular as people around the world discover their advantages.

Baby kiwis can be served in salads, on fruit skewers, or even as a yogurt topping. Their small size means that you don’t have to cut them up or anything to use them as a component or topping in any recipe that might appeal to you.

If you see baby kiwis at your local supermarket, be sure to give them a try!

The post Baby Kiwis are a Pint-Sized Treasure appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

What about a cane apple, though? Have you ever heard of this lesser-known fruit?

Cane apples come from a bush known as the “strawberry tree” (it’s confusing, we know) which is located throughout the Mediterranean region as well as the British Isles. These bushes produce small, vibrant red colored-fruits that have a spiky outside and are approximately the size of a large grape.

While cane apples are not commonly eaten by themselves due to their poor ability to hold up in transport to stores, when opened up, they contain an edible portion which is sweet and tart. This is commonly used for several culinary items such as marmalades, jams, and liquors.

One of Portugal’s most beloved spirits, called Medronho, is a brandy which is made with and flavored by cane apples. 

Other uses for the cane apple include in pastries and cakes, in yogurt, and as a pollination source for a special variety of honey.

Have you ever tried a product made with the cane apple before? What did you think of it?

The post Ever Heard of a Cane Apple Before? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Fiber is extremely important for dietary health and is a crucial component of any healthy diet, so why not work these fruits into your routine?

Kiwis

Kiwis are a fantastically versatile fruit, as they can be enjoyed with or without their peel, in yogurts and desserts, or by themselves! Not only is this fruit tasty, but it also packs a healthy punch of 3 grams of fiber per 100 grams.

Pears

Pears are available in tons of different colors, varieties, and flavors, but what they all have in common is their generous fiber content. In fact, one medium-sized pear tends to contain around 5.5 grams of dietary fiber, nearly 25% of what you should consume per day of this nutrient!

Bananas

Bananas are a wonderful fruit that helps with dietary health, muscle cramps, and energy levels, and its levels of fibers are nothing to sneeze at either. A banana usually contains between 3 and 4 grams of dietary fiber, a great start to getting towards your daily needs of this nutrient.

The post Add These Fruits to Your Diet For a Fiber Boost appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Be sure to add these fruits to your shopping list and add the best of summer to the kitchen.

Watermelon

Watermelon’s name is apt, as this fruit’s content is more than 90% H2O! That makes it a perfect and refreshing treat for the warm months of summer, as it gives you a sweet hydration boost that is perfect for days at the pool or the beach.

Peaches

Peaches also come into their peak during the summer. This classic fruit oozes juiciness and sweet flavor that makes it a perfect snack on its own or a great option in desserts like peach cobbler and peach ice cream.

Strawberries

Nothing quite says summer like a container full of strawberries on a picnic in a sunny park. These juicy and delicious red berries are at their peak in early summer, and you should run to the store now to snatch some up.

The post Summer Fruits That You Must Put on Your Shopping List appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Peaches are fuzzier and softer than nectarines. There are also several varieties of them and each taste just a bit different. The yellow-fleshed ones are ideal for canning and the white-fleshed ones are sweeter. Peaches work well in pies and in savory meals like salads and soups.

Nectarines are actually a type of peach. The way to tell the difference between peaches and nectarines is by the skin. Nectarines are smoother and slightly firmer than peaches. This makes them great for grilling and they pair well with cheese. They are also delicious in salads or over ice cream.

If you’re having trouble choosing which fruit to buy, get the one that’s fresher and smells more fragrant. You can ripen them up by placing them in a brown paper bag on your kitchen counter. As soon as they ripen, enjoy them right away or store them in the fridge for a few days.

The post Do You Know the Difference Between Peaches and Nectarines? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.