Prunes! Nature’s Perfect Snack
Mention
prunes and most people pull a face or make a gesture to indicate an unpleasant
side effect. In fact prunes are one of
nature’s little miracles.
full of protein, low in sugar (due to the way they are left on the tree for a
much longer time) and low in saturated fats.
They are also full of calcium which is necessary for good healthy bones and ‘B’ vitamins essential to help build a healthy immune system.
But best of all they are so versatile and taste so good.
the perfect take anywhere snack and are versatile working equally well in
baking as general recipes.
California Prune Board is made up
of around 900 independent prune producers. Because of the climate and weather
conditions California produces some of the best prunes in the world.
Prune is not a brand but a mark of quality and control and indication that the
product was grown and processed in California.
California Prune Board recently invited a group of bloggers and journalists to
spend the day with Chef Rosemary Shrager at her cookery school in Tunbridge
Wells. We were welcomed on a freezing January morning with hot coffee, fresh
pastries and of course bowls of prunes!
is a lovely lady with a passion for food and for passing her knowledge to her
students and that was certainly the feel of the day as we prepared our lunch
under her watchful eye.
dishes we made contained prunes, were simple to make so that you could make
them again at home and really tasty.
the food that we made during the morning was our lunch later on in the early
afternoon.
prunes are running a competition and have teamed up with the Rosemary Shrager
Cookery School to encourage people to cook deliciously healthy and indulgent
recipes using this versatile and incredibly tasty super fruit.
We finished
the afternoon and left with a generous goodie bag, all the recipes we had used
during our day and the loaf of Prune Bread we had made to take home with us.
Whether it’s a gorgeously indulgent winter warmer or a tasty high-fibre snack for a healthy new you, California Prunes are rich and flavourful, healthy and nutritious -which means they are great in both gooey desserts and light healthy snacks?
Share a California prune-based recipe in one of their two themes, for the chance to win a Bread-making Masterclass for two with Rosemary Shrager – including travel and overnight accommodation plus the chance to have your recipe published in an e-recipe book.
Upload your recipes in either category at www.californiaprunerecipes.co.uk or visit the California Prunes Facebook page for details. Ten runners up will each win a £100 supermarket voucher to spend in a store of their choice.
I was a guest of California Prune Board and Rosemary Shrager Cookery School. I was not paid to attend this Masterclass and as usual all opinions and photos are my own.
love this wonderful fruit, we got here in snack packets so always have it in office
They are so sweet and juicy – I love prunes!
Just love them.. I do add them to my sweet breads and cakes.
They are so versatile, I need to use them more
I've only recently stopped pulling the yuck face. In fact I love them. As a snack they're perfect, a little sticky but all the more tasty for it. Full of goodness and a lovely flavour. GG
I have always loved prunes, my dad used to drink prune juice when I was little – I used to get some as a treat!
I love prunes IN hot dishes, and I do like the californian dried ones you can just eat. I'm less keen on cold winter fruit salad but perhaps because I'd rather eat them straight from the packet
I'm not that keen on cold fruit salad with prunes either Fiona. I like tinned ones with Greek yoghurt for breakfast though.
I don't really cook with prunes much but your post has put them on my radar.
I have used them in stuffing before but baking they come into their own. I do however just love eating them straight from the packet!