The Kiwifruit Variety You Need to Know About
By Sammi Brondo — July 26, 2024
This blog post is sponsored by Zespri™ Kiwifruit. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you haven’t heard of Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit yet, please allow me the honor of introducing you: this kiwifruit variety is a sweeter, juicier version of the traditional green kiwifruit, with a tropical taste. It’s in season from May to October, meaning you’ve got the next 4 months to take full advantage of this delicious, refreshing fruit.
What is Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit?
As I mentioned, Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit is a golden kiwi with a smooth, hairless skin. It has a delicious, sweet taste that’s like a cross between a mango and a strawberry.
It’s so sweet and delicious, in fact, that the best way to eat it is by simply cutting it in half and scooping it with a spoon! This juicy fruit could not be more refreshing in the summer.
You can store SunGold Kiwifruit in the fridge, away from other fruit, to slow its ripening. Or, like with bananas and avocados, you can store it at room temperature in a paper bag to speed up ripening. It’ll stay ripe for about 2 weeks. You’ll know this kiwifruit is ripe when you hold it in the palm of your hand and squeeze gently – it should give slightly to pressure.
Nutrition Highlights
- While oranges are often known for their vitamin C content, a serving of Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit – 2 kiwifruit – actually has more vitamin C than an orange!
- A serving of Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit has 290% of the recommended daily value for vitamin C. In fact, SunGold Kiwifruit has the highest vitamin C content of commonly eaten fruit.
- Plus, this fruit doesn’t skimp on fiber. Because the skin is smooth and hairless, you can actually bite into like an apple – doubling its fiber content than what you’d have eating the flesh alone.
Ways to Eat it
Like I mentioned, my favorite way to eat SunGold Kiwifruit is to simply cut in half and scoop it with a spoon. It’s so good on its own. I also love adding it a bowl of yogurt or cottage cheese.
But, if you feel like being a little more adventurous, this sweet fruit is also super versatile in different recipes and can add variety to your healthy food choices.
Below, find 3 super simple, but delicious, recipes that incorporate Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit: Simple SunGold Kiwifruit Sorbet, SunGold Kiwifruit and Strawberry Popsicles, and a fun summer board featuring SunGold Kiwifruit Jam. Each of these recipes only contains 4 common ingredients and couldn’t be easier to make.
Try the refreshing SunGold Kiwifruit Sorbet or SunGold Kiwifruit and Strawberry Popsicles on a warm summer day, or pair the SunGold Kiwifruit Jam with crackers and cheese for a little savory twist. When it comes to this delicious, tropical-tasting fruit, you can’t go wrong.
(PS. When you try it, make sure to click here to get a FREE pack of Zespri™ SunGold™Kiwifruit!)
Ingredients
- 8 Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit about 1 ¼ cup when chopped
- ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- Cut skin off Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit and roughly chop. Place chopped kiwifruit in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Fill 8 popsicle molds with ½ of blended kiwi. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden slightly.
- In the food processor or blender, combine strawberries, milk and honey and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Remove popsicle molds from freezer and pour mixture evenly on top of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit in the 8 popsicle molds. Place back in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden slightly.
- Remove popsicle molds from freezer and pour remaining ½ of blended Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit into each popsicle. Place back in the freezer overnight or for at least 8 hours. Store in the freezer.
Ingredients
- 10 Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit about 1 ½ cup when chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Cut skin off Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit and roughly chop.
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour mixture into a loaf pan. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours to freeze.
- When ready to eat, scoop sorbet using an ice cream scoop.
Ingredients
- 4 Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Cut Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit in half horizontally and scoop out the inside using a spoon. Place in a large bowl. Using a fork, mash kiwi into a pureed-like consistency (small pieces might still remain – this is okay).
- Add mashed Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, lemon juice and honey to a saucepan over medium heat. Let cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes.
- Add in cornstarch and continue to stir for 4-5 more minutes until well combined.
- Place mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 hours to cool. Jam can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2-weeks.
God Bless You