Today’s Adventures in Produce feature is a fruit that has been long enjoyed in Asia, and has been getting increased attention here in the West. The goji berry.

Goji berries, sometimes called wolfberries, are hailed by some as one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.

One website I found had this to say:

Goji is said to contain more vitamin C than oranges, more beta-carotene than carrots, and more iron than steak.

Some studies also show that goji berries provide possible health benefits for those with cardiovascular and vision diseases, among others. Goji berries have been touted as an “anti-aging” food because of their amazing antioxidant properties. Some suggest goji berries are an excellent food in the prevention of cancer, and other studies indicate that goji has the ability to hault the spread of cancer.

Whether or not all these claims are true, the fact of the matter is goji berries are chalk full of essential vitamins, minerals, and even offer a bit of protein!

They are usually sold dried overseas. You can simply pop them in your mouth and eat them:

They kind of reminded me of green tea at first. I am not sure why, but they did. They also were quite chewy, not as soft as a raisin. But after a few bites, I was hooked on their unique flavor and texture. My four-year old son took quite readily to them, too!

As with many forms of dried fruit, you could serve them:

• In granola
• As a yogurt topper
• In a smoothie

When I added them to a smoothie this weekend, I couldn’t even detect their flavor. This morning I tried adding them to oatmeal. I decided to cook them with the oats to plump them back up.

This made the flavor a bit mellower, and sweet. It was very good! Of course, you could always add them after the oatmeal has cooked, too.

Another favorite preparation is steeping the goji berries in hot water to make a tea. Others will make a juice.

My conclusion? I think I’m sold on the nutritional value of this fruit! After discussing with my husband, we’ve decided to purchase at least one goji berry bush to add to our garden this year. I’ll be sharing more about the garden in the next few weeks.

I should also mention that goji berries can be expensive. I’ve seen a single bag at Whole Foods for about $10. You can also sometimes find them in bulk bins.

The best deal I’ve found so far? Amazon!

I found a 2-pack of organic goji berries for $11.69 after the 15% Save & Subscribe option. This works out to $5.85 a bag. Still, not the cheapest item you could buy. But a good value over what I was finding in the stores. (Let us know if you have a cheaper option still!)

Tomorrow will be my LAST installment of this series, and trust me, you don’t want to miss it. I hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have! For all the features, please visit my Adventures in Produce page.

Have you tried goji berries? How have you eaten them? I’m also curious if anyone is growing these?

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Today’s Adventures in Produce selection was something I’d been actually warned to leave well enough alone. I didn’t.

The Indian bitter melon.

Commonly referred to as the karela, the Indian bitter melon is technically a fruit. However, do not begin to think of canteloupe, watermelon, or any other kind of melon you’ve ever tried. True to its name, the bitter melon is, in fact, bitter. Wikipedia states that it is “among the most bitter of fruits.”

In spite of its bad reputation, the karela is actually an extremely nutritious fruit and has been used for many medicinal purposes. In addition to offering a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, some studies show that the karela may be helpful for those diagnosed with HIV and leukemia.* However, it is not recommended during pregnancy.

Now when I went about looking for how to prepare this fruit, I was perplexed. Many of the recipes I found were very complex and involved a litany of exotic sounding ingredients. So, I decided to make up my own. I decided on a stir fry, since that theme came up quite a bit. I also decided to incorporate Indian spices, since it is often eaten in India.

First I rinsed it, and then gently removed the knobbiest knobs with a peeler (for lack of a better description).

I removed the seeds and insides, and then boiled it for a few minutes in water and salt.

Then I started my stir fry. I used some frozen mix and a carrot. (It’s what I had.) I decided to spice it up a little with coriander, curry, garlic powder, ginger, and turmeric. It smelled very fragrant.

Now one thing I’d read is that karela can quickly flavor an entire dish bitter. So when I stumbled on this site and read this helpful tip:

PUT THE BITTER MELON IN AS THE LAST INGREDIENT, and MAKE SURE NOT TO STIR THE POT.

I decided to follow it.

As you can see from the photo above, I gave my bitter melon its own special “section” on my pan. When I went to plate this meal, I put the veggies on first, and then topped with the karela.

So…the moment of truth.

How was it?

Yup; it was bitter. And it’s a fair assessment to say it’s the most bitter fruit or vegetable I’ve ever tasted. However, it was not loathesome. While I can’t say I’d crave it on a daily, or even weekly basis, it’s nothing to be scared of. It reminded me of the most bitter green tea I could imagine. Having the sweet carrots with it certainly helped. I managed to eat about half of it.

As I was eating it, the thought did occur to me this would be an excellent item to threaten your child with. “Bobby, so help me, if you don’t clean your room by 5, you are eating an ENTIRE PLATE OF RAW KARELA.” Hmmmmm….

For more fruits and vegetables, please see my Adventures in Produce page.

Have you ever enjoyed the Indian Bitter Melon? Like it? Hate it? Tips for cooking it?

* I am not a medical person of any kind. This is what I read on the Internets. Please refer to your doctor before starting a regime of karela in place of any medical treament.

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