Nourish your heart with fresh fruit, healthy oil

Beat the cold-weather doldrums with, sweet, wholesome fresh fruit. It’s easy to bring back the light, juicy flavors you enjoyed a few months ago by selecting from the wealth of fruit from Chile — where it’s fun in the summer sun right now.

Do your family and guests a favor by adding fresh fruit to entrees, sauces, salads and dressings, and desserts to make up for the lower amount of fruit most of us consume in the colder months. Chile comes to the winter rescue with more than 70 varieties of tasty, healthy fruit.

For another light and healthy boost, combine your favorite fruit with heart-healthy canola oil. It’s the oil lowest in saturated fat with no trans fat. By using canola oil in your baking, you can bake more with less fat. When a baking recipe calls for a solid fat, you can substitute canola oil, using 20 to 25 percent less than what the recipe calls for. It lowers the calories, eliminates trans fats and reduces saturated fats. Canola oil’s clarity allows marinades and vinaigrettes to remain clear and liquid when refrigerated, and its mild essence allows the delicious flavor of your food to shine through.

Winter Fresh Fruit Salad with Warm Vinaigrette

6 cups mixed greens

2 1/2 cups mixed fresh Chilean fruit (such as grapes, nectarines, peaches and plums) in bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup sliced shallots or chopped onion

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

In large bowl, toss greens with fruit and walnuts. In small skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add shallots; cook and stir just until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper; cool slightly. Spoon mixture over fruit and greens; toss gently. Serve immediately.

YIELD: 4 portions

Per portion: 267 calories, 25 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 19 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat)

Fresh Fruit Tarts

1/2 cup sliced almonds

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup canola oil, chilled in freezer 2 hours*

1 egg, beaten slightly

1/4 cup ice water

1/4 cup 1 percent milk

1 tablespoon vinegar

Sugar

2 cups mixed fresh Chilean raspberries, blueberries, and halved strawberries and grapes

2 tablespoons apricot preserves, melted in microwave

Preheat oven to 400°F. In food processor, pulse almonds to coarsely ground consistency. Add flour, salt and baking powder; pulse once or twice to combine ingredients. Add chilled canola oil. Pulse again once or twice. In small bowl, combine egg, water, milk and vinegar. With food processor running, pour liquid ingredients through feed tube; turn off processor as soon as ingredients are mixed, about 10 seconds. Divide dough in half. Securely wrap one of the halves; freeze or refrigerate for another use.

On floured surface, roll out remaining dough into an 8-inch square. Cut into four 4-inch squares. Place pastry squares on parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle each square with sugar. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes; cool on rack. In bowl, toss fruit with apricot preserves. Spoon an equal amount of fruit on each of the pastry squares.

YIELD: 4 portions

“Canola oil can be frozen in measured amounts and used immediately in the pastry recipe. This recipe will make two 9-inch pie crusts, eight 4-inch pastry squares or twenty four 3-inch pastry rounds.

Per portion: 410 calories, 47 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein, 23 g total fat (2 g saturated fat)

Southwestern Pork and Fresh Chilean Fruit with Spicy Sauce

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons chipotle chili pepper

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin

2 pounds fresh Chilean fruit including peaches, nectarines and plums, peeled if desired*

To prepare Spicy Sauce: In small skillet, combine canola oil, chili powder and chipotle chili pepper. Heat over high heat, just until hot, about 30 seconds; transfer to small bowl. With wire whisk, stir in lime juice, sugar and mustard; cool. In plastic bag, coat tenderloin with 1/4 cup Spicy Sauce; close bag and set aside 30 minutes. Pit and quarter fruit; place in bowl. Brush fruit on all sides with about 3 tablespoons Spicy Sauce; reserve remaining sauce for later use.

To cook: Preheat broiler to high. Place tenderloin on rack in broiler pan; broil 8 minutes. Turn and broil until still slightly pink in center (160°F), 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove to cutting board; cover loosely with aluminum foil. Place fruit on broiler rack; broil 4 minutes; turn and broil until barely tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Cut tenderloin into 1/2 -inch-thick slices; serve with fruit and remaining Spicy Sauce. Garnish with greens, if desired.

YIELD: 4 portions

*To peel: Plunge fruit in boiling water just until skin loosens slightly; remove skin with a knife.

Per portion: 543 calories, 32 g carbohydrate, 47 g protein, 28 g total fat (3.5 g saturated fat)

All materials courtesy of Canola Info / Chilean Fresh Fruit