Dried fruit may not be the most glamorous food item, but what it lacks in appearance, it makes up for in nutrient content and convenience!
When choosing dried fruit, it's ideal to look for unsweetened fruit. The only ingredient should be: FRUIT.
During the dehydrating, or drying, process, the fruit loses water and therefore concentrates it's nutrients and calories. For this reason, dried fruit can be higher in nutrients and fiber than fresh fruit, although it depends on the type of fruit.
Dried apricots have always been one of my favorite snacks. They are flavorful and chewy, perfect for snacking with some almonds or mixed nuts. They are also high in iron, Vitamin A, and fiber!
Fruit paste is an easy and natural sweetener you can use when making smoothies, energy balls, desserts, etc. I love it on toast with almond butter or mixed in with some non-dairy yogurt! It also freezes well so it will last for months!
I chose to make this fruit paste using apricots, but feel free to use your favorite dried fruit or even mix a few!
Before and after soaking! See how plump that apricot on the left looks?!
Easy Homemade Fruit Paste
Makes: ~1/2 - 1 cup
Prep Time: 1-2 hours for soaking
Active Time: 5 minutes
Notes:
*If you plan to use this fruit paste in baking recipes, try to use as little water as possible. A runny paste may affect your results!
Nutrition:
Serving Size: 1/8 recipe (~1 TBSP) Total Calories: 32 Total Fat: 0 g
Sodium: 3 mg Potassium: 122 mg Carbohydrate: 8 g
Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 7 g Protein 1 g
