Category: Recipes

April at Bella Viva Orchards: A Penchant for Organic Peaches!

You could say we’re proud of our Certified Organic Peaches. Like beaming parents would be proud of their talented, well-behaved child! With plenty of humility sprinkled in, we’d say our Certified Organic Peaches are deserving of that pride. And we trust that those of you who know them would agree wholeheartedly. So, what’s up with that pride, you may ask. Well, for starters, our Certified Organic Peaches are grown in an estate orchard that’s been in our family since 1987. Lots of love goes into feeding the land, nurturing our trees and perfecting our practices to bring you the biggest, sweetest and most aromatic

Prunes: Be a Yay-Sayer!

If you’ve read our blog for a while, you’ve seen us sing the praises of the Prune on many occasions. We’ve actually maybe been kind of defensive of this fruit at times. It has, after all, been the butt of jokes (can we get a ha ha?) because of its ability to help those with, um, passage issues. We’ve moved way past the snickering and trust you have, too. We’d much rather think of the Prune as a majestic, versatile and nutritious part of life. It deserves a place in your diet and in your pantry. Read on and see why. Prunes, sometimes referred

Cold and Flu Season is Here: Our Top Organic Picks!

As much as we wish it wasn’t the case, cold and flu season is upon us. We know. Don’t shoot the messengers. We hear theories that staying home will help reduce our chances of contracting the flu. Others say that being out and about helps build immunities. And the theories go on. What we can say with certainty is that we have some Organic notables on our shelves that are worthy of your attention. We love all of our Dried Fruits and it’s hard to pick favorites, but when it comes to nutrient-packed stars that may give us an extra boost during this season,

Organic Persimmons: Winter’s Warm Flavor Bombs!

If you’ve eaten our Organic Persimmons, what we’re about to say about their flavor and texture will come as no surprise. If you HAVEN’T yet tried them, we’d say it’s time to bust a move and open your world to the aromatic, spicy-sweet magic of our Organic Persimmons. Our Organic Persimmons are the acorn-shaped Hichiya variety. When fresh and ripe, they’re generous in size and pulpy and when they’re dried – all we can say is WOW! They’re neat to eat – no knives or spoons required, friends – and their natural warm cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice flavors come through in the most delightful of ways. Our

In the Kitchen: Apricot Hand Pies

Warm, sweet and comforting sunshine is in every bite of these fried Apricot Hand Pies, featuring Bella Viva Orchards’ Dried Apricots. Break out a mug of your favorite hot beverage, breathe in the aromas of summertime and dive in to these easy-to-make treats! Great for breakfast, tea time or dessert, this recipe is easy to double when you want to share them with friends and family. Yields: 4 hand pies Prep time: 50 minutesCook time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 1 hour Ingredients: Filling: 8 ounces (about 2 cups) Bella Viva Orchards Dried Apricots (see note)½ cup granulated sugar½ cup water1 teaspoon pure almond extract½ teaspoon

In the Kitchen: Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies (GF)

These gluten-free cookies, featuring Bella Viva Orchards Almond Flour, Organic Thompson Seedless Raisins, Walnut Pieces, Organic Flaxseed Meal and our Orange or Clover Honey, are among our year-round favorites. We’re sure that once you make a batch, you’ll be whipping out your cookie sheets before long for a healthier repeat performance! Please be sure to read our notes below about the virtues of Almond Flour and Honey! Yields: about 1 ½ dozen cookies Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 12 minutesTotal Time: 27 minutes Ingredients: ¼ cup Bella Viva Orchards Orange or Clover Honey1 large egg (room temperature)2 tablespoons melted coconut oil2 teaspoons pure vanilla

In the Kitchen: Bella Viva Orchards Cranberry Orange Scones

These easy, moist and flavorful scones, featuring Bella Viva Orchards’ Dried Cranberries and Orange Powder, are a snap to assemble. While they’re perfect on the holiday breakfast table, we love ‘em year-round!  Yields: 6 scones Prep time: 25 minutesCook time: 20-25 minutesTotal Time: 45-50 minutes Ingredients: ¼ cup Bella Viva Orchards Orange Powder¾ cup sour cream1 large egg, lightly beaten1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour¾ cup Bella Viva Orchards Dried Cranberries¼ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar1 ½ teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon fine sea salt¼ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes Topping: About 1 tablespoon whipping creamSprinkling

Evergreen-Citrus Wreath

This wreath can be used indoors or out with a store-bought wreath and just a few supplies! The wreath we picked up had some pine cones already attached, which is a plus!  Makes one wreath Supplies: 1 store-bought fresh evergreen wreath3 pine cones6 Bella Viva Orchards Certified Organic Orange Chips6 Bella Viva Orchards Dried Lemon Slices9 cinnamon sticks6 faux red berry stems (available at your local craft store)1 ¾ yards of 2 ½-inch wide wire-edge ribbon3 natural-themed Christmas ornaments (we used felt reindeer)Soft jute twine (from craft store or hardware store)Florist’s wireWire snippersScissors Instructions: 1. Using wire snippers, cut florist’s wire into nine 6-inch

Bella Viva Orchards Fruit Ornaments

Grab the kids and get ready for some quality holiday time together! Make extras and gift your family, friends and your kids’ teachers! Of course, when it comes to getting creative with the kids, flexibility is the key! You can use these guidelines or forget about it and make up your own design. Set the kiddos imaginations free and have plenty of extra Bella Viva Orchards Dried Fruits on hand for snacking while creating. Makes 12 ornaments Supplies: Soft jute twine (from craft store or hardware store)9 Bella Viva Orchards Certified Organic Orange Chips9 Bella Viva Orchards Dried Lemon Slices9 Bella Viva Orchards Dried

In the Kitchen: Apple Hand Pies

You’ll find sweet, warm comfort in each bite of these fried Apple hand pies, featuring Bella Viva Orchards’ Dried Tart Apple Rings or Organic Dried Tart Apple Rings. We think the Apple skins add interest to these pies, but feel free to experiment with our other varieties. It’s your kitchen, after all. You’ll come out an all-star winner with your family and friends when you assemble a batch of these tasty treats! Yields: 4 hand pies Prep time: 50 minutesCook time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 1 hour Ingredients: 2 cups Bella Viva Orchards Organic Dried Tart Apple Rings½ cup Bella Viva Orchards Raisins, any variety