Rambutan Exotic Asian Fruit

Today, I went to my favorite Korean grocery store which carries an extensive array of fresh Asian vegetables and fruits from Korea, Japan, Vietnam and China.  On display as samples for tasting, there were several offerings of fresh fruit; clementines, Korean melons and other exotic (at least to me) fruits being offered.   There were also these beautiful tiny fruits with funny looking little spindly things coming out of it.  The store had them as samples so I tried a half.  It turned out to be a Rambutan.  It was delicious, juicy with the texture and feel of a grape and just so sweet. 

I asked one of the store managers how to choose the best and ripe ones.  As we walked over to the section that held the fruit, she explained that the Rambutan is a relatively common tropical fruit  in many South Asian countries and easily accessible in her country the same way an apple is common to us here in the US.  She showed me what to look for in the ripe fruit and also pointed out which ones not to buy.  She said that any with black forming on the tips means that the rambutan is old or beginning to dry up.

She showed me how to open the fruit by using her thumbs to break the skin to peel away part of the spiny exterior to expose the fruit inside.  It then slips easily out of the skin, because the spines are very soft. The fruit actually looks  like a large white grape.   It has a seed inside and you just eat around the seed.  Wow, what a treat!

Best and Worst Halloween Snacks for Kids

Halloween is just around the corner.  I found this Reader's Digest article on what Halloween snacks are healthy for kids.  Thought I would publish it here since so many parents today are concerned aobout what their children are putting into thier bodies.  There are some great tips here,

By Chandni Jhunjhunwala

Healthy Treats

What may be the most frightening to you at Halloween is not ghosts or goblins but the thought of what all that candy can do to your kids' health and teeth. Here are some ideas for healthy treats, and recommendations for ones to avoid.

"Everything in moderation," says Connie Evers, registered dietitian and author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids. "I tell parents to cut down on the amount of candy they hand out. In America we tend to do everything in excess and kids will go to a house and get a huge handful."

Think beyond candy: Trick-or-treating coupons from places like Dunkin' Donuts are always a hit with kids and they give parents control over what their kids eat. "I know a dentist who gives out floss or toothbrushes," says Evers. "And there's a new product, Oral Brush-Ups, which middle school kids love."

Even better, throw a party instead of sending your kids trick-or-treating. "You can have a variety of healthy snacks like mini sandwiches, nachos, and pizzas, so it's not all sugar and candy," says Evers.

Put aside your fears about being the not-so-cool parents on the block and try passing out some of these healthier treats:

• Sugarless gum
• Corn nuts, peanuts, or trail mix
• Small individual bags of pretzels or popcorn
• Packages of sugar-free cocoa
• Individual bags of roasted pumpkin seeds
• Pre-packed cheese and crackers
  

  Worst Treats

  Try to avoid or limit these unhealthy snacks:
• Sticky treats like gummy candies, jelly beans, raisins and caramels are bad for dental health.
  
  
• Full-sized candy bars. Some chocolate bars contain high amounts of saturated fat. The worst offenders are Mounds (11 grams of saturated fat in a two-ounce bar), Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar (nine grams in 1.5 ounces) and Almond Joy (eight grams in 1.7 ounces).
  
  
• Chips Ahoy!, Oreos, Hostess HOHOs and other snack cakes, Keebler Club & Cheddar Sandwich Crackers, and Starburst Fruit Chews were all voted the worst vending machine snacks for kids by Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Don't forget to give your kids a nutritious meal before they go trick-or-treating. This will prevent sugar highs and nasty upset tummies!