Easy to Make Granola Recipe: Quick, easy, and healthy, you can’t go wrong with this homemade Bella Viva granola. This flourless, crunchy snack is packed with flavor and healthy fats! Unlike traditional granola, this recipe uses nuts and flax seed as the base which contain omega-3 fatty acids. You can even add 1 cup of your favorite Bella Viva dried fruits and nuts to make it your own! Total Time: 50 minutes Serves: 6 Yields: 6 Cups Prep Time: 15 min. Bake Time: 30 – 40 min. Ingredients: 1 ½ cups raw walnuts 1 ½ cups raw cashews 2 cups oats 1 cup ground
Blossoms Bring Beauty to the Central Valley: California accounts for producing over two-thirds of the nation’s entire fruit and nut supply. Thousands of people travel to the Central Valley every year to see and take pictures of the spectacular sight of the fruit and nut trees in full bloom (01). In fact, there are hundreds of different varieties of produce grown throughout the Central Valley. Popular crops found here include almonds, nectarines, peaches, plums and pluots, cherries and apricots. Alongside each crop is a different type of blossom and not all bloom at the same time. Some of the blossoms might look similar to
Twin Girls Farm Located in the crop-thriving county of Tulare, California is a family farm that grows our delicious organic navel oranges. Ignacio (Nacho) and Casamira (Cassi) Sanchez, owners of Twin Girls Farm, understand how fortunate California is regarding citrus. The vibrant colors and sweet juiciness combined with the lovely aroma of oranges can bring life to an otherwise dreary winter day. This state has the right land and weather to grow perfect citrus and this family has quite the story to tell. Nacho’s father brought his family to California from Mexico when Nacho was just two years old. They worked hard for everything
Health Facts: California citrus has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy bursts of flavors that hit our taste buds and refresh our bodies. Not only do oranges taste delicious and smell amazing, they’re incredibly healthy for us as well. According to multiple studies, like most citrus, both lemons and oranges are high in Vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for many reasons including acting as an antioxidant, producing collagen and healing wounds (01). It may also strengthen our immune system—which is ironic because the California citrus season seems to come into play as the common cold season seems to arrive (02). Lack of
Persimmon Cookies: These cookies are chock full of walnuts and warm spices so they really are the perfect cookie for fall. They also freeze well, so you can make a bunch of them now to enjoy throughout the winter. Along with fresh persimmons and walnuts, we love to add Bella Viva dried cherries for a delicious and healthy bite. Enjoy! Total Time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 cup persimmon pulp 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup chopped
Inzana Ranch: If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to see persimmons at their peak harvest season, you know just how incredibly stunning they look! Their bright reddish, orange contrast against the cold, winter skies leaves nothing to be desired. Add the sweet, custard-like taste of the flesh and chances are you’ll be hooked. However, knowing when to harvest persimmons is not an easy task. The picking must be right on point to ensure the best flavor with the lowest tannin level. Bella Viva Orchards’ organic persimmon providers are proof our persimmons don’t fall far from the tree before they hit our shelves. In fact,
California Persimmons – A Brief History: The most common varieties of persimmons in the United States are the ‘Hachiya’ and ‘Fuyu’ (01). They were introduced in the mid-1800’s when they were brought over from Japan by Commodore Matthew Perry (02). He is responsible for opening trade between the United States and Japan (03). These two varieties are now California cultivars (04). They’re both native to China and were introduced to Japan in the 7th century (05). While there are hundreds of different varieties of persimmons worldwide (06), it is the Hachiya that we are most familiar seeing around more in the U.S. In fact,
Persimmon Pudding: Both fresh and dried persimmons carry a uniquely delicious and hearty flavor. Fresh persimmons have a smooth texture while our dried persimmons have a chewy, candy-like texture. While many people prefer to eat our dried persimmons straight out of the bag, fresh persimmons are outstanding to use in recipes; including the following persimmon pudding recipe. The residents of the town of Mitchell, Indiana believe persimmons are so wonderful they’ve been hosting an annual persimmon festival for the past 71 years! While the weeklong festival is filled with many activities and decadents, the persimmon pudding contest is perhaps the most famous festival staple.
Health Facts: The robust chewiness of the dried persimmon is nothing short of delicious. Add health benefits to the mix and you won’t want to waste another minute without them! Sometimes referred to by its Greek scientific name of “the divine fruit,” (1) persimmons are jam-packed with certain antioxidants which, according to drhealthbenefits.com, can help your eyes filter light and can serve as anti-inflammatory agents (2). These amber orange gems are bursting with flavor and just one serving of Bella Viva Orchards’ Dried Persimmons provides 25g of dietary fiber. That’s 24 percent of the USDA recommended daily value! Fitness World states persimmons also carry
White Chocolate Bark with Pistachios & Cranberries: Make this super easy and delicious holiday treat that will impress your family and friends this holiday season! Cook Time: 15 mins Serves: 6 Ingredients: 24 oz. (two 12 oz. bags) white chocolate chips 2 cups pistachios (no shell) 2 cups dried cranberries Sea salt to taste (optional) Instructions: Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Roughly chop pistachios without shells. (Set aside 1 Tbsp of cranberries and 1 Tbsp of pistachios for topping later.) Microwave chocolate chips for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between until melted and smooth. Once melted, stir in
