Healthy ways to use up passionfruit?
January 3, 2019 11:24 PM   Subscribe

Our passionfruit vine is producing around 20-30 ripe fruit a day. I can eat maybe six or seven per day. The neighbours have all received bags of fruit. The situation is getting extreme. I'm aware I can freeze them, but what are other good ways to use up a lot of passionfruit pulp?

Additional difficulty: we drank a LOT over Christmas and New Year and are trying to cut down on the booze a little, and also just generally trying to eat less crap to make up for the last month's excesses.

(We did already make passionfruit cheesecake, though, and I regret nothing.)
posted by lollusc to Food & Drink (19 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
If I was in your enviable position, lots of fruit smoothies and passion fruit curd come to mind. Though the latter doesn't exactly tick the "healthy" box.
posted by daikaisho at 12:03 AM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]


My folks’ excess produce goes to the local senior center. Any spots like that around that might appreciate fresh fruit? Food banks?
posted by sacchan at 12:38 AM on January 4, 2019 [8 favorites]


Mix into whipped cream, delicious with various desserts.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:22 AM on January 4, 2019


I’d freeze as much as possible to enjoy in smoothies and cheesecake (imo cheesecake can be made quite healthy but what do I know) in the future. If you hadn’t stipulated healthy I might also have suggested passion fruit sorbet....and summer cocktails of all kinds...and yes, if you feel like sharing more bring a bunch into work as well. At least at my place of work fruit is always very well received.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:46 AM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]


Is it possible that you can donate to local food banks, homeless shelters, women's shelters, or student food banks? Fresh produce is always such a premium. Buy Nothing is also a great way to offload stuff too.
posted by yueliang at 1:46 AM on January 4, 2019 [3 favorites]


I AM SO ENVIOUS

Also, passionfruit tea. The link goes to an iced version but I don't see why you couldn't make a hot tea if it strikes your fancy. If iced, make a big jug during a hot day and serve to anyone who comes within yelling distance. Less sugar for healthier version.
posted by satoshi at 1:54 AM on January 4, 2019 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Google "passion fruit marinade" and you'll find lots of options for different sauces and marinades that you could use with lean meat, seafood or maybe even tofu. I don't have one specific to recommend unfortunately, it's been a long time since I had a passionfruit vine!

And +1 for the passionfruit tea, perfect for the Australian summer!
posted by unlaced at 2:22 AM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]


Passionfruit jam! You can look up low-sugar varieties if you're really keen to up the health content.
posted by mishafletch at 2:33 AM on January 4, 2019 [2 favorites]


Could you mix it into yoghurt?
posted by freethefeet at 2:44 AM on January 4, 2019


Passionfruit sorbet

Post about it on your neighbourhood facebook group - let people DM you for the address to come pick fruit if the tree is in the front yard, or if the tree is in your back yard, maybe put our bags of fruit in the front that neighbors can take!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 5:03 AM on January 4, 2019


It wouldn’t use particularly large quantities, but it seems like the acidity would lend itself to things like salsa and salad dressing if you could work out the right things to put it with. Googling throws up a few recipes but I can’t vouch for any of them.

And for future reference when you’re ready to start eating unhealthy things again, I once made a traditional tarte au citron but with passionfruit juice substituted for the lemon juice, and just a few seeds put back in for visual interest and texture. It was delicious and a very pretty colour.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 5:05 AM on January 4, 2019 [2 favorites]


Shrub: mix up equal parts by weight pulp and white sugar, mix and let sit for a few days. Then add another part vinegar, white or Apple cider or a mix (a dash of balsalmic is nice). Then wait a few more days, stirring once or twice a day. After 3-6 days total, strain the mix, and you have a shelf-stable (for a year) tart drink that can make a greats soda (just add ice and seltzer), be used as a marinade, a cocktail ingredient, or enjoyed straight.

It’s good stuff, used by American colonials as an easy way to preserve vitamins in fresh fruit through the winter.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:30 AM on January 4, 2019 [2 favorites]


Do you have an ice cream maker? This recipe works for almost any soft fruit:

▪ 2 cups mango / strawberries / melon
▪ 1/3 cup honey
▪ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▪ 2 cups full fat coconut milk
▪ (if using strawberries - add 2 Meyer lemons, juiced and zested (about 1/4 cup fresh juice)

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend on medium setting until smooth and combined. Pour fruit mixture into ice cream maker and process. Ice cream will start to have a "soft serve" texture (about 15-20 minutes). Transfer to a large airtight container and freeze.
posted by Mchelly at 5:58 AM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]


I see I'm not the first to recommend checking with your local food bank. Fresh stuff is often not available to people in poverty because of the cost, and if you have a local place that does fresh it could make a ton of difference for people.
posted by bile and syntax at 6:00 AM on January 4, 2019


We put a tablespoon in our soda water and drink it. Well, we did before our vine died.
posted by taff at 6:21 AM on January 4, 2019


Join a local neighborhood group on facebook or nextdoor or rooster. There will likely be someone interested in your passionfruit.
posted by hydra77 at 11:03 AM on January 4, 2019


For starters, I am SO jelly right now, I want this problem! In Brazil we eat “mousse de maracujá” (passion fruit mousse) all the damn time. Sorry for poor linking skills, this is the best I can do. I can vouch for the recipe, it’s very traditional: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/47436/brazilian-passion-fruit-mousse-maracuja/.
posted by msali at 9:59 PM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]


Best answer: You can make chia (or sago if you want to be less healthy) puddings, and mix them with passion fruit and milk or water.

Straining passionfruit makes them vanish very quickly, and the puddings are amazing, even better with a layer of seed free passionfruit pulp in the bottom, set it with agar (sold as "jell it in" next to gelatine in baking section), and then chia + milk on top. Very healthy, delicious and lovely with the weather we are having - serving size determines if it's a snack or a meal!
posted by smoke at 10:41 PM on January 4, 2019 [1 favorite]


Plain yogurt with passion fruit and chopped apple for bulk and crunch. Used to be my favourite breakfast!
posted by kadia_a at 11:47 AM on January 5, 2019


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