It’s wintertime, and grocery stores all over the nation are stocking their fruit shelves with oranges.
There’s nothing as appetizing as a ripe, juicy orange on a cold winters day. Vitamin C in oranges makes them the ideal fruit to eat during the winter season. Vitamin C boosts immune health and clears the blood of toxic free-radicals.
The peak season for oranges in the United States occurs between December through April. Most of the oranges produced in the United States go towards orange juice concentrate, a popular global commodity used in a variety of foods.
Unfortunately, U.S orange production has slowed over the last decade due to pest infestation in Florida’s orange crops. As a result, America imports most of its oranges for consumption from foreign lands, such as Central and South America, and as far away as South Africa and Australia.
Oranges are fantastic on their own, but did you know you can cook with them as well? Here are 15 recipe ideas for cooking with orange juice.
1. Olive-Topped Orange Slices
Let’s start our recipe guide with a Mediterranean dish. The Greeks love olives, and they’re a staple in the Mediterranean diet, which is well known for its inflammation-fighting properties. If you’re like us, you probably enjoy eating olives whole. The texture and flavor of the fruit is somewhat an acquired taste, but once you’re hooked on the juicy goodness of these tasty delicacies, you’ll want to include them in every meal.
Olives and oranges probably don’t sound like the best flavor combination in the world, but we suggest you don’t knock it until you’ve tried it first.
INGREDIENTS
3-whole navel oranges.
2-tablespoons green olives, sliced and pitted.
1-½-teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil.
1-½-teaspoons pure lemon juice.
1-tablespoon chopped mint leaves.
Kosher salt to taste.
Pinch cracked black pepper.
METHOD
Peel and remove the pith. Slice the fruit cross-ways into thick round shapes, and you should get around four to five slices per orange. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the olives with the lemon juice and the oil, and spoon them on top of the oranges. Garnish with mint, pepper flakes, and salt. The result is a bitter-sweet flavor sensation that’s totally addictive.