Fresh Fruit/Food Archives

Avocado Recipe Tostada for a Low Fat Diet

02/10/202308/22/2020 by Chef Buck

A healthy way to start the day is with an avocado tostada for breakfast, but this easy avocado recipe is perfect anytime. A tostada is simply a corn tortilla baked or fried to crispy deliciousness. I’m trying to reduce saturated fats, so baking tortillas in an oven is a smart option for me, and avocados are one of the best sources of beneficial fats.

Ingredients for this Avocado Recipe

1 ripe AVOCADO
1 or 2 toasted CORN TORTILLAS
1 GREEN ONION chopped
1 Tbsp SUN DRIED TOMATO chopped
1 Tbsp EVERYTHING SEASONING for Bagels
1 Tbsp LEMON JUICE if not eating right away; this will help keep the avocado from discoloring.

This recipe makes 1 or 2 servings depending on how much avocado topping you desire on each tostada. CG and I usually make 2 servings, although in the video recipe I pile on the topping for one large serving.

You can buy premade tostadas, but often they are fried. If you already have corn tortillas at home, you can simply bake them in the oven and create your own tostadas. This will work with either yellow or white corn tortillas.

How to Toast Tortillas to Make Tostadas

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Spread tortillas on a baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn and bake for 5 more minutes. This time is approximate, so keep an eye on them. If you remove the tortillas too early, they will be more chewy than crisp, so simply return them to the oven and bake a few minutes more if needed.
When crisp, remove tostadas from the oven and allow to cool.

How to Make an Avocado Tostada

Buy a ripe avocado for this recipe, and choose avocados that still have the “nubbin” on the stem end. Often these ends are missing on avocados, and sometimes this can allow for an avocado to dry out, or to spoil more quickly, so keep this in mind when shopping.

For this recipe, I like to use a combination of regular and smoked sundried tomato, but use whatever you prefer.

In a bowl, combine the chopped green onion bottoms, Everything Seasoning, sundried tomato, and fruit of the avocado. Check current prices for Everything Seasoning Mix on Amazon.
Mix well to desired smoothness. Add Lemon juice if eating later.
Spoon the mixture evenly onto 1 or 2 crispy tostadas.
Top with the chopped green onion tops, and additional sundried tomato if desired.

And that’s it! Hope you enjoy this healthy avocado tostada. For another easy avocado dish, check out this Guacamole Recipe.

easy guacamole recipe — guacamole recipe

Here’s a little info about some of the health benefits of avocados. Thanks for checking out our avocado tostada recipe, and be sure and sign up for our mailing list so you’ll never miss a Chef Buck cooking video, and also click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. We appreciate all the kind comments and support, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!

Thanks for Watching our Recipe Videos!

We hope you enjoy this avocado recipe. Sign up for our mailing list so you’ll never miss a new recipe. Also click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. You can also follow Chef Buck on Youtube. We appreciate all the kind comments and support, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!

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We include affiliate links for products on our website. Making a purchase after clicking on our links and we may earn a commission which helps us produce more videos and drink more coffee :^) We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program. It provides a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, so we can make more videos.

Surinam Cherry – Edible Yard Plants

04/07/202403/28/2020 by Chef Buck

Do you have a Surinam cherry tree in your yard? Surinam cherry hedges and shrub trees are often planted as ornamentals, but the fruit is edible and quite tasty when ripe.

When is a Surinam Cherry Ripe?

In some areas, the Surinam cherry is a nuisance plant, but the tiny pumpkin shaped cherries are tangy and tasty when eaten at the right moment. You can find cherries on the tree ranging from pale green to rich orange to ruby red, all at the same time. Surinam cherries are ripest and most tasty when VERY red. Do not eat cherries that are green, and you’ll probably want to avoid orange and less red cherries as well, since they can be quite tart.

To enjoy ripe Surinam cherries, pick them only if they are a deep red or even darker. And do not tug the fruit off of the tree. The cherries pull away easily when ripe. The taste of ripe surinam cherry is tangy, sweet, and refreshing.

A Surinam cherry looks like a miniature pumpkin the size of a regular cherry. The skin and fruit are edible, but in the center is a roundish pit you do not eat. You can plant the pit and grow another Surinam tree. The trees bear fruit in the spring and fall seasons.

Use Surinam cherries the same as your favorite berries, in pies, jams, jellies, sauces, syrups, and ice cream, or just pluck them from the tree and enjoy. The fruit contains healthy antioxidants, and is a good source of vitamins C and A.

Where Do You Find Surinam Cherries?

Surinam cherry plants grow readily, are hardy, and require little care. Mature trees can reach to over 20’ tall. They are grown into hedges and used as a decoration or as a natural privacy border. The plants grow so easily, that in some areas they are classified as a nuisance plant. Plants popped up in Florida around the 1930’s and over the decades became a popular yard feature, but by the 1980’s they lost favor, seen as out-of-control, and viewed as an invasive species. Many plants were eradicated in Florida, but many survive. I’m glad there’s one in my Mother-in-Law’s yard, because it’s a nice treat to plop in my mouth when I stroll out to the back porch.

The Surinam cherry tree is native to South America and named after the country of Suriname. They are also called a Brazilian, Cayenne, or Florida cherry, depending on where you ask. You can find the cherries in the Caribbean islands, as well as Florida, Bermuda, and many tropical areas around the globe. If you live in a tropical climate, maybe there’s a tree near you. Surinam cherries are not often available commercially, so being in an area where the trees grow naturally might be your best chance of sampling this fruit.

It’s a hardy plant that loves a tropical climate, so if you live in a place that doesn’t get too cold, you might plant your own tree in a pot or a patch in the yard. You can look at current prices for Surinam Cherry Plants on Amazon.

Look here if you want more sciencey info about Surinam cherry trees.

Another fruit we enjoy eating during our travels is fresh tropical papaya.

Thanks for checking out our Surinam cherry video, and all of our recipe and food blogs. Sign up for our mailing list to never miss a new Chef Buck cooking video, and click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. We appreciate all the kind comments and support, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!
–Chef Buck

Thanks watching our food videos!

We include affiliate links for products on our website, so if you make a purchase after clicking on our links, we might earn a commission which helps us produce more videos and drink more coffee :^) We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, so we can make more videos.

Mamey Fruit – How to Eat Mamey Sapote

04/26/202103/21/2020 by Chef Buck

What is mamey fruit? Mamey sapote is a tasty tropical fruit we often see at local markets here in Mexico. The fruit is native to South and Central America, but it is also grown in south Florida, so you might be able to find it at a grocery in the USA. It is much like an avocado in the way you slice and eat it.

Ripe mamey is creamy and delicious, with a texture similar to avocado. It is sweet, but not overly so. At it’s best, I think mamey tastes like a creamier version of a baked sweet potato. The taste may vary, with hints of apricot, peach, and pumpkin.

How to tell When Mamey Fruit is Ripe

Mamey fruit varieties are shaped from round to football-shaped sizes with dull, sandpapery skins. The mamey we find here at markets in Mexico range from “hard as a rock” to “so soft it looks like a flat tire”. If eating mamey soon, you want to buy fruit somewhere in between these two stages. The mamey should give slightly when pressed.

Mamey fruit grows on trees and is cut away when harvested, so pick a mamey that still has a nub of stem where it was taken from the tree. If the crown of stem is missing, the fruit can dry out, and may spoil prematurely.

If you buy firm mamey, just let it sit unrefrigerated until it softens. Firm, raw mamey is not edible. It’s hard to cut, semi-starchy, and bitter.

Cut ripe mamey just as you would an avocado. Run a sharp knife through the skin and around the pit to divide the mamey into two halves. There will likely be only a single pit at the center, but there may be up to four pits. The pits are slightly toxic, so do not consume them in any way, and the skin is inedible, as well.

The meat of the fruit ranges from a light salmon color, to orange, to a deeper reddish hue. Any membrane you find in the fruit from around the pit can easily be scraped away with a spoon.

How to Use Mamey Sapote

Fresh, ripe, raw mamey is delicious. It’s a creamy, desserty fruit you can spoon right into your mouth like a pudding.

We really enjoy mamey ice cream, and we also love “paletas” made from mamey. A paleta is like a creamsicle or frozen fruit bar on a stick. Because it’s creamy, mamey is perfect for a smoothie. But whatever kind of smoothie you like, if you’re a smoothie person, you can check out current prices for a Personal Smoothie Maker on Amazon.

Creamy mamey fruit can also be whipped into a batter and used for baking cakes, muffins, or used as a pastry filling.

Is Mamey Fruit Good for You?

Is there a fruit that’s not good for you? Like with many natural fruits, you’ll find a bounty of health benefits. Similar to bananas, Mamey is a good source of potassium. It is high in dietary fiber, vitamins B6, C, and E. Plus other B vitamins, and even manganese.

Mamey fruit also contains carotenoids, which gives the ripe fruit its rich color similar to pumpkin and carrot. Carotenoids may help to protect the body from certain cancers.

And did I mention it’s delicious? If you’re an egghead and wish to read more, here’s some detailed, sciency info about pouteria sapota a.k.a. Mamey fruit.

Another fruit we’ve enjoyed eating during our travels is fresh tropical papaya.

We’ve found so many things to love south of the border, and you can see them over at our video travels in Mexico.

We appreciate you checking out our mamey fruit video, and all of our recipe and food blogs. Be sure and sign up for our mailing list and never miss a new Chef Buck cooking video, and also click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. We appreciate all the kind comments and support, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!
–Chef Buck

Thanks for watching our recipe videos!

We include affiliate links for products on our website, so if you make a purchase after clicking on our links, we may earn a commission which helps us produce more videos and drink more coffee :^) We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, so we can make more videos.

How To Eat Papaya – Ripe Papaya 101

04/07/202412/07/2019 by Chef Buck

Here is all you need to know to choose a ripe papaya and how to eat papaya. Cutting and eating a papaya is super simple because you can eat the entire tropical fruit including the skin, seeds, and flesh. This makes it an ideal ingredient in smoothies, especially if the papaya is a little on the over-ripe side. Papaya is packed with nutrients and great for digestive health. I found the papaya seeds really tasty, and the seeds added a nice texture, too.

Two Major Papaya Varieties We’ve Tried

There are many varieties of papaya available. Before arriving in Mexico we were most familiar with the smaller Solo variety of papaya grown in Hawaii. We are currently in central Mexico and have had yummy maradol papaya at local restaurants. The street vendors here sell gorgeous fruit cups of papaya, watermelon, jicama and pineapple – YUM!

In Central Mexico, the maradol papaya is popularly grown. Both the Maradol and the Solo varieties are easy to peel and the fruit has a mild sweet flavor. The Maradol papaya can get up to 20 inches long and weigh several pounds. It is generally not as sweet as the Solo, but still has a great taste and, when ripe, has a texture similar to a soft honeydew or cantaloupe. Its mild flavor profile means it’s a great compliment for a variety of foods.

If you can’t find fresh papaya where you live, you can try dried papaya. Dried papaya is easy to find in most big box groceries, or you can check Amazon for current prices on dried papaya.

Papaya Is Packed With Nutrition

Papaya is nutrition-rich. This tropical fruit is high in vitamin C and a great source of vitamin A and folate. You also get plenty of fiber, magnesium, and potassium when you eat a serving of papaya. The digestive health benefits papaya are considerable because of an enzyme called papain that helps with the digestion of proteins. Papain is extracted from papaya and used as a main ingredient in powdered meat tenderizers.

How To Pick A Ripe Papaya

To pick a ripe papaya, look for mostly yellow to orange skin. You want the papaya to give a bit when you press it, but it should still be hard at the stem-end. As with any produce, you do not want a lot of soft or moldy spots.

IF you have a few days to wait for the sweet taste, you can pick a papaya that has just started to turn yellow. Just leave it on your kitchen counter to ripen OR put it in a paper bag with a banana and set it in the fridge.

One more thing, a good papaya can have a slightly musky aroma. Wait! Don’t run away…try it first. One of Buck’s favorite ways to eat raw papaya is with a generous amount of fresh lime juice. If the smell turns you off, that’s one of many ways you can overcome the musky aroma.

How To Eat Papaya

When you’re ready to use your papaya, as with any fruit, wash the skin with soap and water before cutting. Cut off the stem end, then cut it lengthwise. For this type of papaya, the fruit will be a yellow/orange color. Generally folks scoop out and discard the seeds and membrane…but see our related thoughts at the end of this post. The texture will be similar to a ripe cantaloupe or honeydew melon.

Once a papaya is ripe, you want to store it in the fridge and use it within a day or two. Skinned papaya chunks can be frozen for later use. But like any fruit with a high water content, you don’t want to leave it frozen for too long.

Ripe papaya is soft enough that you can easily scoop our spoonfuls and eat it right out of the skin. Or, just squeeze a generous amount of lime juice over it just before you eat it. That simple combination is fantastic! Feeling adventurous but lazy? Add a bit of chipotle chili or cayenne to your papaya/lime mixture. What about some grated ginger, mint and a scoop of yogurt? Raw papaya is especially friendly with citrus and creamy accompaniments.

More Things To Do With Papaya

You can make all kinds of salsas and cold salads with papaya. Just remember one thing when you make any cold dishes: the same enzyme that allows papayas to help you digest proteins, softens other fruits was well. That means that you want to eat your cold papaya creations within a day of mixing.

Use papaya to make a nutrient-packed beverage. Make a papaya smoothie mixing fruit chunks with some coconut milk, honey and a pinch of cinnamon. Try blending in a few seeds and a piece of skin for added nutrition.

What about using papaya in a cake topping? Puree papaya with seeds and mix into lemon curd and use as a topping on a cake. Just pour on the top and drizzle down the sides over a whipped cream frosting.

The possibilities for including ripe papaya in your diet are endless, and your body will appreciate it.

How To Use Green Papaya

Got a totally green, unripe papaya? Don’t despair! Folks purposely choose a TOTALLY green papaya (usually smaller than the ripe one) for some scrumptious meals. Shred it up and make a tart cold salad. A Vietnamese friend has served us a green papaya salad – OMG! Green papaya has a firmer texture than a ripe one, and can be added to hot dishes. Add it to soup, stews, and curries.

Don’t forget, a green papaya has a bit less of the papain enzyme than a ripe one. But still, you want to use it within a couple of days of cutting it.

You Can Eat ALL The Papaya

Yep, you can eat the seeds, central membrane and the skin.

You can eat the black seeds raw with the papaya. The seeds have a peppery and oh-so slightly bitter taste. You can also wash and dry the seeds, then use them as you would peppercorns. Try grinding up a few fresh or dried seeds and add to a salad dressing or a cocktail. Some studies suggest papaya seeds help keep intestinal parasites out the body or as a treatment for heartburn.

See that light-colored membrane under the seeds? That can be the sweetest part of the papaya. In terms of texture, that may not be your thing but, like other fruit membranes, it packs some nutrition.

Eat the skin? Your choice. It doesn’t have much flavor but a little can add some additional fiber to your smoothie. Don’t knock it until you try it!

And that’s about all you need to know to eat and enjoy a papaya. We hope this info has been helpful, and for another tropical fruit treat, check out All You Need To Know About Mango!

Be sure and sign up for our mailing list and never miss a new Chef Buck cooking video, and also click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. If you enjoyed this How To Eat Papaya video, check out my Cool Fruit Playlist on Youtube. We appreciate all the kind comments and support, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!
–Chef Buck

We appreciate you watching our videos…Thanks!

We include affiliate links for products on our website, so if you make a purchase after clicking on our links, we may earn a commission which helps us produce more videos and drink more coffee :^) We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, so we can make more videos.

Mango Smoothie and How to Cut a Mango

04/07/202408/10/2019 by Chef Buck

Ripe mango is great for making a refreshing mango smoothie and unripe mango can be used to make a tasty mango pie, kinda like an apple pie, but with mango. Read on for how to choose a ripe mango and the best way to cut a mango for eating, plus two very tasty mango recipes for both ripe and unripe mangoes.

How to Choose a Ripe Mango

How a mango feels to the touch is the best indicator of its ripeness, so hold the mango and give it a squeeze.
Firm = Unripe
Gives Slightly = Ripe
Feels Soft = Unripe

A mango with black spots on it might be going bad. Give it a squeeze, and if the mango feels squishy, then it is overripe. A mango that smells especially mango-ee might be ready to eat, too, but give it a squeeze because that is always the best way to tell when a mango is ripe for the eating.

How to cut a Mango

Mango fruit has a large flat seed through its center. The seed is shaped like a disk and makes the fruit complicated to cut, but knowing where the seed is makes the task slightly easier. Firstly, wash the mango. The mango shape is more oval than round, with slightly wider cheeks on each side. Using the mango stem as the center, take a knife and cut away the cheeks of mango on either side of the stem, leaving about a ¼ inch thickness in the center. You might feel the seed as you cut through the fruit, but just angle the knife blade around the seed, cutting as close as you can.

Take the seed and cut away the outer edges of mango, then cut the mango cheeks into roughly one 1 slices, and then pass the knife blade between the skin and the fruit, slicing the skin away as closely as possible.

I’ve never tried a mango peeler before, and I think it looks ridiculous. Does this contraption work? If someone knows, let me know. Here is the price of a mango peeler on Amazon.

Once mango fruit begins to ripen, it has a very short shelf life, but it freezes very well, so eat all you wish, and freeze the rest for later. One of our favorite dishes to make with frozen mango is a refreshing mango lassi, which is basically a mango smoothie.

Ingredients for a Mango Smoothie

2 cups frozen MANGO
1 cup plain YOGURT
MILK as needed
and sprinkle of ground CARDAMOM

How to Make a Mango Smoothie

Do you call it a mango smoothie or mango lassi? Is there a difference? You can use fresh chopped mango, but frozen mango makes a lassi more like a chilly milkshake. Add the chopped mango and yogurt into a blender, then add ½ cup of milk and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, then just add more milk, if it is too thin, add more mango.

If the mango smoothie isn’t sweet enough, then add a little honey, or other sweet fruit. Frozen banana also makes a nice sweet additive. If the smoothie is too sweet, you can balance it out with a squeeze of lemon juice.

A traditional mango lassi is topped with ground cardamom, and a sprinkling on top is all you need. Sweet ripe mango is perfect for a smoothie, so give this mango smoothie recipe a try, but if you’ve got unripe mango hanging around, then a mango pie might be in your future.

How to make a Mango Pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 frozen deep dish PIE CRUST

Pie Filling:
3 ½ cups UNRIPE* MANGO sliced
1 Tbsp LIME JUICE
1 ¼ cup SUGAR
½ tsp GROUND NUTMEG 1 tsp CINNAMON
1 tsp fresh GINGER grated
2 Tbsp FLOUR

Crumble Topping:
½ cup chilled BUTTER
⅔ cup SUGAR
1 cup ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

DIRECTIONS:
To make the pie filling, cut the unripe mango into slices and then toss with the lime juice in a bowl. Mix together the other filling ingredients and then combine with the mango/lime and toss everything together well.
Place this mixture into the pre-thawed pie shell.

To make the crumble topping, grate the chilled butter into a bowl and then add in the sugar and flour. Use your fingers, a fork, or a pastry blender to mix and cut the ingredients together into crumbly pea-sized shapes, and then sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the pie filling.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-55 minutes or until the crumb topping and crust are golden brown. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a rack and allow time to cool before slicing.

Give these mango recipes a try and let us know what you think. And for another fantastic fruit recipe, try this very French take on a Baked Pears Recipe.

Thanks for checking out our mango recipes, and be sure and sign up for our mailing list so you’ll never miss a Chef Buck cooking video, and also click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. We appreciate all the kind comments and support, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!
–Chef Buck

We appreciate you watching our videos…Thanks!

We include affiliate links for products on our website, so if you make a purchase after clicking on our links, we may earn a commission which helps us produce more videos and drink more coffee :^) We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Fig Jam Recipe Easy Homemade Jam

03/05/202007/20/2019 by Chef Buck

If you like homemade jam, then you’ll love this easy fig jam recipe. Whether you buy fresh figs at the store or have access to a fig tree in your neighborhood, this jam recipe is the perfect way to use up a bunch of figs. Fig jam is particularly good on biscuits and toast, and even as a warm topping on ice cream.

Easy Fig Jam with Just 3 Ingredients

About 40 medium-sized FRESH FIGS
½ cup SUGAR
¼ cup HONEY

How to make Quick Fig Jam

This recipe will work with all kinds of fruit (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.), but Mama Redbuck has a fig tree in her backyard, so she mostly uses figs when making this quick jam. If you don’t have fresh fruit handy in the neighborhood, just buy fresh fruit at the market.

Buy figs that are a little soft, color can be a good indication, but not always, sometimes even the greener figs can be soft enough, so give figs a squeeze to test for squishiness. Once picked, figs don’t last very long, maybe 2 days when ripe.

You can keep fresh figs in the fridge, but even refrigerated they won’t keep for very long after becoming soft, only a couple of days, so making a jam is an easy way to extend their life another 7-10 days. My mom seals extra fig jam in bags and freezes it for future use.

Want to seal foods for freezing? My mom bakes and freezes a lot of breads and also freezes extra fig jam. My mom is happy using a Foodsaver model 2100 and you can check the current price on Amazon for this food sealing system.

Wash figs and remove the stem.
Quarter and then chop the figs as desired. We like a rustic, chunky jam.
Heat a medium-sized saucepan on low heat.
Add figs, sugar, and honey and bring the pot to a simmer, stirring regularly.
As the pot bubbles away, the figs will release water.
Let the pot simmer until the mixture reaches your desired “jamminess”, this might take 10 to 20 minutes depending on how wet the figs are and how thick you like your jam.
The jam will thicken even more off of the heat, so don’t overcook the fruit; you want a spreadable jam, not a clunky fig paste.
If the jam becomes overly thick, you can always add a wee little bit of water back into the pot.
Remove the Jam from the heat and allow to cool before adding into a container.
The jam will keep in the fridge for about a week to 10 days, although a pint of jam
disappears fairly quickly around our home, especially if we make some biscuits.

Give this easy fig jam recipe a try and let me and Mama Redbuck know what you think. Fig jam makes a perfect pairing with biscuits, so take a look at My Favorite Biscuit Recipe.

Thanks for checking out Mama Redbuck’s jam recipe, and be sure and sign up for our mailing list so you’ll never miss a Chef Buck cooking video, and also click a button below and share the dishes with your friends. We appreciate all the kind comments, and we’ll see you next time in the kitchen!
–Chef Buck

We appreciate you watching our videos…Thanks!

We include affiliate links for products on our website, so if you make a purchase after clicking on our links, we may earn a commission which helps us produce more videos and drink more coffee :^) We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Chayote Squash Facts and Low-Fat Recipe

04/07/202406/30/2018 by Chef Buck

What is chayote? Chayote squash is a fruit, but in the same way that squash and cucumber are fruit, it’ll never win a fruit contest. Chayote, aka choko or mirliton, is completely edible cooked or raw, from the skin to the flesh to the seed in the center. Chayote squash has a neutral flavor, so this “fruit” needs a lot of seasoning. It’s an ideal ingredient for it’s texture more than it’s flavor, like jicama and young green jackfruit. Chayote squash is an easy ingredient to work with and a healthy dining choice, so definitely give it a try if you find it in your local market.

Chayote Fun Facts

“Fun” might be too strong a word.
Chayote is an excellent source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
It is a member of the “gourd family” along with pumpkin, squash, and cucumber.
Known as chayote, sayote, mirliton, choko, chocho, vegetable pear, and is eaten all around the world.
When buying, choose chayote that are smooth and firm. Pick medium sized chayote. Older, larger fruit will sprout sooner.
Peeling chayote exposes you to the juice, which can feel “weird” on your skin, but you don’t have to peel it; the skin, inner seed, and flesh are all edible.

What you need to Cook a Spicy Chayote Recipe

1 CHAYOTE thinly sliced
1 ONION chopped
2-3 GARLIC cloves
1 tsp CUMIN SEEDS
HOT PEPPER as desired
1-2 Tbsp CURRY SEASONING
SALT to taste
OIL for sauteing

How Cook Chayote Squash in a Skillet

Slice the chayote thinly. Chayote has a dense apple like texture that holds up very well under heat, so it takes a bit to soften up when cooked, so slice very thinly
if you like your chayote less crispy crunchy.
Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat and add cumin seeds.
Add onion and garlic.
Add fresh hot pepper if desired.
Saute for several minutes.
Add seasoning and cook about 2 minutes more.
Add sliced chayote, mix well, and saute for a minute.
Add a small amount of water, cover, and simmer to desired tenderness. Add more water as needed, but never too much.

That’s it!
Give Chayote squash a try and let me know what you think!

Have you ever tried Rutabaga? It’s another interesting ingredient you might want to give a try.
And for more tasty vegetarian dishes, explore my Vegetarian Recipe Playlist

Thanks for checking out the recipe and video, if you liked the dish, click a button or two below and share it with your friends.
I appreciate it, thanks!
–Chef Buck

Kiwano Melon – How to eat a Horned Melon

10/23/202402/24/2017 by Chef Buck

What is kiwano melon? ….it’s a fruit, also known as a horned melon and an African horned cucumber; it originated in Africa, but is becoming popular around the globe, mostly because of it’s interesting appearance. Check out the video to see how to eat a kiwano and, if today is payday, go ahead and pick one up at the market …it’s a pricey piece of fruit.

How to Eat Kiwano Melon

Kiwano Melon will last several months when stored at room temperature.
Kiwano is also called a horned melon, and an African horned cucumber.
Its taste is mild to slightly citrus with comparisons to lemon, kiwi, and cucumber.
Kiwano is a variety of melon, and grows on the ground from a vine.
Buy a kiwano melon that is orange in color, the more orange the better.
Unripe kiwano is hard and green, but as it ripens, it colors to yellow and then to orange.
It is edible at any stage as it ripens. When overripe, it will burst.
Kiwano can be sliced open and eaten raw.
The inner pulp and seeds are edible. Kiwano has a high water content, and lots of seeds.
Eat the fruit directly from the gourd or remove the pulp to use in a recipe.
The decorative kiwano gourd can be incorporated in kiwano dishes.

Kiwano Melon Fun Facts

Kiwano was used as a prop in an episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine, staring as a “Golana Melon” from planet Golana.
Kiwano is sometimes called “blowfish fruit” because it looks like …a blowfish.
Because of its high water content, kiwano is prized in African desert regions.
Some varieties of kiwano have smooth skin (also known as “boring kiwano”).
Kiwano can be tied to the end of a stick and used to kill your enemies.

In the Northwest USA where I currently live, kiwano melon is found quite readily in local markets, but it is expensive.
At the local grocery in my neighborhood, this horned melon sells for $7.99 each. Yikes!
It’s a bit pricey, but if you have expensive tastes and like a piece of fruit that looks cool, give kiwano a try.

Or try Dragon Fruit …an equally cool and potentially overpriced piece of produce.

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If you’re new to home cooking, get a bunch of spices, pots and pans, and start experimenting with different recipes. It’s a healthy hobby that can save a lot of money in the long run. Check out current prices for Complete Kitchenware Sets on Amazon as well as Complete Starter Spice Kits. Or try a thrift store! I’ve found some of my favorite kitchen gear at second-hand stores.

How to Eat Pomegranate Fruit — great nutrition!

06/13/201901/02/2015 by Chef Buck

How to eat pomegranate. First off, Pomegranate is a weird, messy fruit.

When selecting a pomegranate, choose a fruit that is heavy for its size; like with most fruits, this signifies that it is fresh and juicy. The skin should be firm.

How to Eat Pomegranate

Pomegranate juice can be quite messy, and will easily stain clothing. It is a good idea to slice and prepare pomegranate in a large bowl or kitchen sink where the juice splatter can be contained.

The edible part of the pomegranate are the red “seeds” within the fruit. These seeds are called arils. Inside the arils you’ll find an inner seed that is a little gritty, but it is edible and contributes to the overall texture of the pomegranate, which is…interesting. Pomegranate is a food folks tend to love or hate, but whichever camp you fall into, pomegranate will provide an attractive and nutritious experience. Pomegranate is high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins C, and potassium.

To remove the arils, slice the pomegranate in half, and then into wedges. The arils are held firm by a membranous inside that is bitter and not to be eaten. The arils can be easily pulled away from the membrane. There are quite a lot of arils in a pomegranate, so this can take a little time…playing some cool jazz will help.

Some folks like to remove the seeds while holding the pomegranate beneath a bowl of water…this will cut down on the splatter, but it will also dilute any of the juice within the fruit.

How to eat pomegranate? Pomegranate can be eaten raw, juiced, or cooked.

Pomegranates keep for a week at room temperature, or up to 3 weeks if refrigerated.

Pomegranate is often referred to as “the food of the Gods”. Give ’em a go. You’ll either love it or hate it.

And for another interesting fruit experience, give DRAGON FRUIT a try.

Watermelon Salad Recipe –or how to save a sad melon

06/13/201909/18/2014 by Chef Buck

Watermelon Salad is simple to throw together and a tasty way to save a crappy melon. CG loves watermelon, but once in a while she brings home a dud that just doesn’t make the cut; so what does one do with an unsweet, flavorless melon? Turn it into a savory salad dish!

Watermelon Salad Recipe Ingredients:
6 cups crappy, unsweet, seedless WATERMELON
1-2 Tbsp fresh MINT (chopped)
¼ cup RED ONION (chopped)
¼ cup FETA CHEESE crumbles
½ cup toasted ALMOND SLIVERS

dressing:
¼ cup BALSAMIC VINEGAR
2 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
1 Tbsp DIJON MUSTARD
1 Tbsp MAPLE SYRUP (or substitute honey)
1 clove GARLIC (minced)
SALT and PEPPER to taste

Watermelon Salad Directions:
This salad works best with a seedless melon–’cause it’s a salad–and no one wants to dig seeds out of a salad.
Wash your melon and cut away the rind. Slice the red flesh into hearty, but mouth-sized pieces. If it’s sweet–then you’re set! Chow down, because that’s what a melon is for! –but if it’s not sweet, if it’s a flavorless lump that sits in your mouth like play-doh, then don’t despair…it’s salad time.
First thing, make the dressing.
In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, maple syrup (or substitue honey), garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix together and set aside.
In a larger bowl combine cut watermelon pieces, mint, red onion, feta cheese, and almond slivers. I’ve suggested some ingredient measurements–but that’s just a loose guildeline, man. It’s a salad…follow your heart (and taste buds).
Add salad dressing to taste and toss.
Boom.
That’s it, dude.
Your crappy melon has been transformed into a delicious salad.

Give this Watermelon Salad recipe a try and let me know what you think, and bon appétit!

And for another tasty salad recipe, try this Black-eyed Pea Salad Recipe.

How to Pick a Ripe Pineapple Every time

02/07/202405/14/2014 by Chef Buck

Here’s how to pick a ripe pineapple every time! We use a lot of fresh pineapple and buy them often. The first thing I look for is a pineapple with loose leaves at the top.

1) Just grab a top center leaf and pull–if the leaf comes out easily, then it’s looking good. (if you can’t find a pineapple with loose leaves…then pass ’em by and try again another day)
2) If the pineapple has a little bit of give when you push on it, that’s a good sign…not too mushy, but not hard as a brick!
3) if you put it to your nose, and it smells pineapple-y…that’s a good sign.
4) And I like a nice golden color too, especially around the bottom…but that doesn’t guarantee ripeness…so bank on steps 1 through 3 first, but especially step 1 –loose leaves! If the leaves are stuck and the whole pineapple wants to be picked up when you pull on the top sprouts…then it’s not a keeper.

A pineapple will not ripen and mature after it is picked, so buying an unripe pineapple at the store and bringing it home to ripen will not work–choosing the best pineapple when you buy it is key to pineapple success. A pineapple will get softer as it gets old, but old isn’t the same as ripe!

Fresh pineapple is great in fruit salads and as a refreshing snack, it’s super healthy and well worth bringing home every now and then. We still used canned pineapple –especially on pizzas! –but for freshness and flavor, a nice ripe pineapple from the produce section can’t be beat!

Hope those tips help you pick a ripe pineapple, and for some practical pineapple application, here’s a Pineapple Sandwich that is popular in Germany: Toast Hawaii

Fancy Toast Hawaii made with a bagel and Gruyere cheese

Thanks for Watching our Pineapple Video!

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Waldorf Salad Recipe

06/13/201902/21/2013 by Chef Buck

Chef Buck is back with a fancy, but easy waldorf salad recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup diced CELERY
1-2 cups diced APPLES
½ cup chopped WALNUTS or PECANS
¾ cup MAYONNAISE
Optional: PICKLE, for redneck version

Mix and serve on lettuce bed.

Hell…it doesn’t get any easier than that.

Bon appetite!

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