Originating from China, kiwis are now grown mainly in areas such as New Zealand, California and Italy. Packed with vitamins and minerals, they are a very tasty and healthy snack that you can enjoy on their own or as a base for a smoothie. If you are feeling particularly greedy, you can also make a pavlova, a traditional New Zealand dessert with a meringue base, in which kiwis are used to add an extra touch of acidity.
Ingrediants
Shakes
- 2 kiwis
- 60 g of leafy vegetables
- 120 ml of water
- Other fruit or vegetables (such as banana, avocado, apple, and carrot)
- 4 mint leaves
(for a portion)
Pavlova
- 4 egg whites
- 250 g of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
- 500 ml of cream
- 6 kiwis
(for eight servings)
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Eat a Kiwi
Step 1. Trim the ends
Before biting into the pulp, check the outside of the kiwi. Note that most of the peel is hairy and brown, with a raised petiole at the top where it grew from the plant. This is the only inedible part of the fruit, so remove it or avoid it while eating it.
Step 2. Check that it is ripe
To do this, gently squeeze the kiwi with your hands. If the pulp gives way under the fingers, it is ready to be eaten. If it's still hard, let it sit at room temperature until it softens. Unripe kiwis are usually too sour and not very palatable.
Step 3. Eat the fruit with all the peel
Take the simpler approach and bite into the kiwi, like you would an apple or a peach. Appreciate the contrast between the harder texture of the skin and the softer texture of the pulp inside. In this way, you will exploit the entire nutritional value of the fruit, considering that the peel contains a good part of the fibers, minerals and vitamins, as well as antioxidants and flavonoids. However:
- As with all fresh produce, bear in mind that the outside of the fruit may have traces of pesticides used during cultivation. Wash the kiwifruit under cold water, rubbing it with your fingers to remove the chemicals.
- With organically grown kiwifruit the risk of ingesting pesticides is lower, but you should still wash them to remove all dirt and other substances that may have accidentally come into contact with the peel.
Step 4. Use a teaspoon
If you don't like the peel, just cut the kiwi in half. Treat each part as a sort of bowl from which you can take bites of pulp with a spoon. Alternatively:
- Cut off both ends where the kiwi was attached to the plant and hold it with one hand.
- With the other, insert the tip of the spoon between the pulp and the peel, along the cut section.
- Push the teaspoon deeper into the pulp and turn the kiwi in your hand.
- Separate the pulp from the peel and cut it into slices.
Step 5. Use a peeler
Peel the kiwi like you would a potato. Once finished, eat the pulp as it is, or slice it into smaller bites. However, consider that:
You should still wash the fruit before peeling it. Even if you won't eat the peel, the peeler may still transfer dirt and chemicals to the pulp as you use it
Method 2 of 3: Try Various Kiwi-Based Smoothies
Step 1. Remember to cut the ends
You can decide whether to peel the kiwis. In both cases, don't forget to remove the ends where they were attached to the plant, because this is an inedible part; throw it away before using the fruit.
Step 2. Pair the kiwis with strawberries
Cut two kiwis and put them in the blender. Add 150g of strawberries and 60g of leafy greens, such as spinach. Pour in 120 ml of water and blend until a velvety consistency is obtained.
Step 3. Try the kiwifruit with banana and avocado
Slice two kiwis and a banana, then put them in the blender. Cut a quarter of an avocado and add it to the other fruits. Complete the smoothie with 60 g of leafy vegetables and 120 ml of water, then operate the device until you get a velvety consistency.
Step 4. Choose the apple-carrot combination
Slice two kiwis, an apple and a carrot. Put everything in the blender along with 60 g of leafy vegetables and 120 ml of water, operating the device until you get a velvety consistency.
Step 5. Add the mint
Slice two kiwis and a banana and put them in the blender. Add 60 g of leafy greens and 4 mint leaves. Blend the ingredients together with 120 ml of water until you get a velvety consistency.
Method 3 of 3: Garnish a Pavlova with Kiwis
Step 1. Prepare the oven and pan
To start, bring the oven to 150 ° C and, while it heats, line the baking sheet you will use with parchment paper. On the latter, draw a circle about 23 cm in diameter.
Step 2. Make the meringue
Break the eggs and remove the yolks. Pour the egg whites into a large bowl and beat them. Add a tablespoon of sugar and continue beating the eggs, then repeat until all the sugar indicated in the recipe has been added. When the whites have puffed up to firm peaks and are shiny, add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
Step 3. Fill the circle on the pan, then put it in the oven
With a spoon, transfer the meringue into the circle you traced on the parchment paper. Start from the center and once all the mixture is poured, spread it with a spoon towards the outside of the circumference. Continue until the edges become higher than the center. Finally, put the pan in the oven and let the dessert cook for 1 hour.
Step 4. Garnish the meringue
After cooking, transfer the cake to a wire rack so it can cool down. Meanwhile, whip the cream into a small bowl until stiff peaks. When the meringue has cooled, place it on a tray, fill the center of the cake with the whipped cream, garnish with the kiwi slices and serve the cake.
