How to take advantage of ripe fruit

Many are likely to throw out ripe fruits and vegetables, because they are no longer so appealing to the eye. But, far from wasting this type of food, they can serve other purposes. You do not know how? Below are some useful tips.

1. Macedonia or fruit and vegetable salad

Perhaps the first thing we think when we see that our fruit is about to be passed is in the fruit salad. It is a very good option to use of all the fruit mixed in pieces with a little orange juice. We can also mixed salads with raw fruits and vegetables and a good seasoning, the combinations are endless.

2. Smoothies (juices, smoothies and shakes)

It is one of the easiest and fastest ways of using ripe fruit. We can use any fruit, mix several and even add milk or cereals to make it thicker. In addition, it is a very useful option for children who do not like fruits.

3. Jams

The jam is usually prepared by baking the fruit with sugar, so it ends up falling apart. Therefore, if it is a tad 'touched', it will not be noticed and we will obtain the same result. The important thing is to keep it in sterilized and vacuum-sealed glass jars. Figs, peaches, strawberries ... any fruit is suitable for making jam or compote and they combine perfectly with desserts or as an accompaniment to toast, cookies or bittersweet dishes.

4. Ice cream

The homemade ice creams are simple and very appealing during the summer. Also, makes kids go crazy! Therefore, a great way to eat more fruit, may be to include it in one of your recipes. Of watermelon, banana, lemon ... combine them as you want and you will always get it right.

5. Preserving

It is not necessary that your  vegetables o season's fruit are ripe to try to preserve them as long as possible. People, who have their own gardens, often find themselves with so many fruits at one time (tomatoes, peaches, etc.) and in the end do not know what to do with it. A perfect way for food to be harvested and not lose its properties is to preserve. Whether sweet or salty, if vacuum-sealed glass jars are used, we can save our harvest for a long time.

6. Frozen Citrus

Citrus fruits are fruits that tend to last a long time in the fridge, but there comes a point when they begin to ripen. That is where we can act. A good way to use them is to grate the citrus skin and then store it in a bag and freeze it. It will serve as a dressing in soups and other spoon dishes. You can also squeeze your juice and freeze it in a tray of ice cubes. Thus we will have individual portions to use in sauces, drinks, etc.

7. Use vinegar to preserve vegetables

Cucumbers, peppers, radishes, carrots ... Vegetables, in general, can be well preserved in the fridge, but if you keep them too long they will spoil. Before this happens, we can cut them into small pieces to taste and add them to the liquid that we obtain from cooking in a small pot 1 cup of white vinegar, 1/3 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of salt. We let it rest for 6 hours and, from there, we can use them as an accompaniment in salads, appetizers, sandwiches, etc.

8. Salsas

Otra de las opciones para aprovechar verduras que empiezan a madurar, es preparar salsas para luego usarlas como acompañamiento en pastas, arroz, carnes o pescados. Además, se pueden congelar sin problemas para tenerlas listas en cualquier ocasión. Nos referimos a una sencilla salsa de tomate, pisto casero, salsa boloñesa, marinera, etc.

9. Aromatic herbs

Like the vegetable sauces, if we have aromatic herbs at home and they are wilting, we can beat them together with olive oil until it is a light mixture and store it in the fridge or freeze it in small cubes to use it as a condiment later.

10. Water with a 'touch'

When the fruit begins to look unpleasant, in most cases it enhances its sweetness. That is why if we prick a few red fruits (or any other fruit) and add them to a jug of cold water, we will obtain a very appetizing flavoured water to hydrate during the hot days.