Figs with raw caramel sauce
We love fresh figs and there are starting to pop at the farmers markets and at Whole Foods. Dried figs are available year round but nothing bets the fresh taste of a fig. Fresh figs season usually runs from June till September, but this depends on where you live and where the figs are coming from.
Some benefits of fresh figs:
- good source of potassium, which helps control blood pressure
- promote a healthy bowel function
- alkaline which helps regulates PH levels of the body
- high in fiber, so can aid in weigh loss
- low in sugar, although dried figs have high in sugar
Figs range in color and texture depending on the variety you get. The two most popular kinds of figs that you probably see in the stores are Black Mission and Brown Turkey.Black mission are blackish in color with pink flesh. Here is a picture of black mission figs:
Brown Turkey have purple skin with red flesh. Some other ones you might come across are calimyrna (greenish-yellow skin with amber flesh), adriatic (light green skin with pink-tan flesh), and kadota ( green skin with purplish flesh). If you live in California you are lucky because more variety is available.
When choosing fresh figs look for ones that are plump and tender, have a deep rich color, free of bruises, and are not mushy. You can also smell the figs, you want a sweet fragrance not sour. They do not have a long shelf, so try to eat them 2-3 days of purchasing.
There are many things you can do with fresh figs. Last night we sliced up some fresh black mission and topped it with a simple raw caramel sauce. Okay, our version of caramel sauce. In a bowl mix :
- coconut oil (we use Artisana from Premier Organics)
- yacon syrup (we use Navitas Naturals)
- cinnamon (we just recently received samples from Singing Dog’s Red Ape Cinnamon)
Mix till well combined and the pour over figs. Enjoy!
Another ways of enjoying figs are eating them plain as a snack or throw into your smoothies. You can slice them up and put on salads, porridge, and oatmeal. If you eat goat cheese, they pair well. As add them to your quinoa dishes, they will add a bit of sweetness to your meal. For bakers, you can make bars, cakes, tarts, and muffins. This week at the farmers market we will be selling fig cupcakes…yum.
I hope you can start incorporating figs into your diet. Please share what creations, we would love to hear what you come up with.
Have a great day
The Twins
Lori and Michelle
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