Nectarines are a good buy this week.
Nectarines are a good buy this week.
Choose fragrant, brightly colored fruit that gives slightly to the touch. Avoid those with blemishes or bruises as well as those that are hard or overly green. Leave slightly underripe nectarines for a couple days at room temperature to ripen.
Nectarines offer a fair amount of vitamins A and C. Enjoy them sliced and in salads. Or incorporate them into various chilled and hot desserts, such as sorbet and tapioca.
Other best buys include honeydew melon at 29 cents a pound at Safeway; zucchini for 68 cents at Daiei; and plums for under 80 cents a pound at Daiei and Safeway. A 10-pound sack of russet potatoes is $2.38 at Daiei and $2.47 at Sack 'n Save.
4 cups sliced nectarines or plums
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons water
Oat topping: 1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oatsMicro-cook fruit, honey and water, covered, on high 3 to 5 minutes or until fruit is almost tender, stirring once.
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/4 cup chopped nuts
To prepare topping, combine oats, flour, sugar and allspice. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Stir in nuts and sprinkle over hot fruit. Micro-cook, uncovered, on high 2 or 3 minutes, giving dish one half-turn. Makes 4 servings.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 267 calories, 11 grams fat, 63 milligrams sodium. *