Apricot

Pick it!

• Choose plump, firm apricots with uniform yellow/orange color and no green or mush spots.
• Apricots will ripen at room temperature, but placing apricots in a paper bag will speed ripening.
• Ripe apricots will be slightly soft and can be eaten at any time.
• If not eaten right away, ripe apricots can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Try it!

• Ripe apricots are great sliced and eaten raw
• Substitute in any recipe that calls for peaches
• Slice apricots in salads to add sweetness
• Broil or bake, halve fruit, remove pit, bake until tender when pierced with fork, top with cinnamon-sugar or low-fat yogurt
• For a sweet treat, sauté in a nonstick skillet with butter and cinnamon

Ingredients

• 1 piece of pita bread, preferably whole wheat
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese, preferably low-fat or nonfat
• 2 apricots, with seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 4 thin slices of cucumber
• 4 thin slices of red or green sweet bell peppers

Directions

1. Cut pita bread in half. Open the “pocket.”
2. Fill each pita half with 1/4 cup cottage cheese.
3. Top cottage cheese with slices of apricots, cucumber and sweet bell pepper.
4. Serve immediately as a snack or as a cold side dish.