Melissa's

I have had the great pleasure of trying some of the wonderful products from Melissa's. Their produce is amazing! The mango is one of the best I have tasted. So sweet and fresh. I also tried some passion fruit. I hadn't ever tried passion fruit and it was tasty. It does have a different texture, if you have texture issues, I suggest you stay away from passion fruit. It is a jelly-like texture with seeds in it. I really thought the flavor was a bit tangy. I loved it and will have it again!



I also tried their carrots, beets and lentils. These are pre-packaged and ready to heat and eat. It's a great way to get your veggies in - in a hurry! The beets and carrots were really good! So easy to fix. I LOVE lentils. This was much easier than having to cook your own. So quick and good!!!!

Melissa's has great recipes on their website. Check them out here. This recipe sounds so good. I love apples in the fall and this would be a great dessert to make with your kids.

Baked Apples Stuffed with Banana & Raisins
(Serves four)


Ingredients
4 Organic apples (topped, cored, hollowed out)
2 Organic bananas
1 cup raisins
4 Tbsp. butter (softened)
4 tsp. apple juice (no sugar added)
6 oz. Agave Cinnamon Sauce (optional)
Agave Cinnamon Sauce:
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
6 oz. Melissa's Organic Low Glycemic Agave Syrup


Combine and heat for 20 seconds in microware just before serving.


What the supervising adult should do:
- Stem and slice ¼ inch off the top of apples
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Handle the two phases of oven baking the apples.


What kids can do:
1. Hollow out apples with melon baller.
2. Slice bananas into ¼ inch rounds (or see #3 option).
3. Mash bananas and combine with raisins in a small bowl.
4. Measure and combine Agave Syrup with cinnamon.
5. Measure out apple juice for each apple.
6. Fill each half-baked apple with bananas and raisins.


Preparation
Coat the inside of each apple cavity with 1 tsp. apple juice. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool to touch. Fill each apple with stuffing ingredients using half a banana and ¼ cup raisins per apple. Each apple can be filled with either alternating layers of bananas and raisins or a mashed mixture of both together. Top each apple with a small dollop of soft butter. Bake the stuffed apples for 15 more minutes at same temperature uncovered. Drizzle a small amount of cinnamon sauce over each apple and serve.

Melissa's has great products and you can find them in most grocery stores and health food stores.




Established in 1984, Melissa's/World Variety Produce, Inc. is currently the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States. With over 800 items available at any given time, Melissa’s imports and distributes exotic fresh fruits and vegetables from around the globe. Here’s a reference to its food safety program, and a reference to logistics.

Look for Melissa's in the stores for great products you can rely on!