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IT’S NOT A COOKIE
At BOL we love figs so much we created the “Go Figure” Signature Bowl with it in mind as well as our “Figtopia” granola. Both of these creations accentuate the fig and all its yumminess outside of the “newton” we have all come to love. The sweet and savory taste and seedy texture of the fig is a thing of joy. This luxury fruit originally comes out of the Middle-East and Mediterranean. It was once coveted so highly by the Greeks that in ancient times they created laws to prevent its export. Figs have an exotic look, smell and taste to them and these are just a few of the reasons we decided that they had to be a part of our menu. But figs bring more to the table than a unique look, they also have great health benefits which is why figs made the cut to be in our acai bowls and artisan granola.
Fig is another fruit at BOL that contains fiber. Foods rich in fiber, help you feel full and keep things “regular” which in turn help you eat less and can assist with weight loss. Just like acai, figs are also packed with antioxidants. Milk is great for calcium and keeping bones strong, but ½ a cup of figs has almost as much calcium as ½ a glass of milk. For those who are trying to stay away from dairy but still get Vitamin D and stick with a plant-based diet for all their bodies needs, this is great news. 1 Fig also offers up 1g of protein. It’s wonderful to see that Vitamins, Minerals, Protein, and Antioxidants can be found in places other than the meat and dairy world. Evergreen Health refers to the fig as a "Nutritional Powerhouse" notating that it is also packed with Potassium and Magnesium. The articles from BBC Good Food and Eating Well both cover a myriad of health benefits of the fig, including its contents of Vitamin K.
The fig is a very diverse fruit to cook with and eat. Due to its sweet and savory flavor, you see it often paired with various cheeses and meats. Some chefs have been known to use rosemary and olive oil on figs and lightly grill them. Yummly offers up some sumptuous recipes from vegan fig cheesecake to fig tarts and one of my favorites, homemade fig jam. Figs and melons, like the cantaloupe on our BOL menu, is a combination like no other. Try out one of the recipes and let us know how it went, or just swing on by BOL and leave the work to us. Either way, “go-fig-ure” out a way to add figs to your diet.
Sources:
http://www.eatingwell.com/article/7527644/the-health-benefits-of-figs/