Tag Archives: kiwi

14 Days Of Zespri – Day 3

For day three of the Zespri kiwifruit challenge I have something a little different for you. It’s made with items you may already have in your fridge or pantry, but it’s not something for you to eat. It’s a brightening kiwifruit mask for your face.

In their raw state kiwifruit are rich in an enzyme called Actinidin. This enzyme helps break down proteins and thus makes kiwifruit a good addition to marinades when you are looking to add flavour and simultaneously tenderize cuts of meat. The Actinidin in raw kiwifruit will also help clean and exfoliate when applied to your skin.

My face mask only uses half a kiwifruit and makes more than enough for two or more applications. It’s best used as fresh as possible, so why not grab a friend and have a little DIY home spa session. While the mask is working it’s magic on your face you can eat the other kiwifruit half and let that Actinidin enzyme aid your digestive system at the same time. This mask left my skin feeling really soft and smooth but it did sting a bit, so if your skin doesn’t react well to fruit acids perhaps give this a skip.

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Some not so flattering pics of me, face mask and all. Don’t mind the chunky look of the mask, it’s all part of the DIY home spa experience. 🙂 If you prefer your mask chunk free just puree the kiwifruit instead of mashing it.

Ingredients:

  • half a kiwifruit peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 Tbsp plain yoghurt
  • 1 tsp honey

Method:

  • Mash the kiwifruit with the back of a fork. Stir in the yoghurt and honey.
  • Cleanse your face, neck and dĂ©colletage, pat dry and then spread a thin layer of the mixture over this area.
  • Leave for 10/15 minutes before wiping off with a damp cloth.

If you have very sensitive skin, please do a patch test before applying the mask to your face. Also remember to try and avoid direct sunlight after use and apply a decent sunscreen if you can’t avoid being out in the sun.

14 Days Of Zespri – Day 2

It’s challenge day two and I get to show off this Zespri happy yellow kiwifruit lunchbox. If you are a regular reader of my blog you’ll know I’m a sucker for a cute lunchbox. With it’s integrated kiwi side cart and slot to store a spife, this one is pretty nifty.

Smiley lunch

I don’t know about you but this year the seasonal flu bug hit me hard. It’s been weeks since I had the aches and chills, but I still have a lingering cough. With a double dose of vitamin C when compared to oranges, if I’d had a stash of kiwifruit then I could have kicked the flu’s butt.

Today’s Lunch:

  • Three smiley ham and cheese sandwiches on brown bread,
  • carrots sticks,
  • sugar snap peas,
  • a little tub of plain yoghurt flavoured with chopped coriander and a little celery salt and
  • a green kiwifruit.

I made sure to pack a spife too, so I can eat the kiwifruit easily.

14 Days Of Zespri – Day 1

Today marks the beginning of a two week challenge I’m participating in sponsored by Zespri kiwifruit. For the next fourteen days myself and seven other South African bloggers with be sharing different ways we are incorporating kiwifruit into our diets. Keep an eye out towards the end of the week for a nice little giveaway I’ll be holding where you can win a kiwifruit themed hamper and a Fruit & Veg City voucher.

Kiwifruit nutrient density

Kiwifruit are perfectly portable little fuzzy snacks. They taste pretty good and with high levels of vitamin C, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids are really good for you too.

To start things off I thought I’d share a breakfast (or any other time of the day) idea, a simple kiwifruit smoothie. All you need to make this are three ingredients and a blender. This takes just a few minutes to make, but if your mornings (like mine) are frantic and hurried you can also make this in the evening and store in the fridge until needed. Just don’t forget to grab your smoothie from the fridge before you fly out the door.

Kiwifruit smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1 kiwifruit peeled and cut into chunks
  • 200ml plain yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Method:

  • Place all ingredients into the jug of your blender or a tall glass if you are using a slick blender. Blend thoroughly until all the chunks of kiwifruit are  broken down. Once blended you can strain the mixture if you don’t like the little black seeds, alternatively leave them in for an interesting crunch.

This makes one serving, but you can double up the ingredients if you prefer a larger portion or are making enough to serve more than one person. You can add anything you like to this basic smoothie, additional fruit, oats, granola or  a spoon of cocoa powder. The possibilities are endless.