Since the only sunshine the last few days has been the liquid
variety, I’ve been thinking about foods that bring the taste of
sun to the table, and at the top of my list is orange juice.
Nothing tastes better first thing in the morning than that
naturally sweet glass of guilt free goodness. Before I gathered my
recipes, I did a little research and even though I’ve always known
orange juice is the original health drink, it seems that science
is still discovering all the benefits of our favorite citrus
fruit.
Here are some amazing facts about America’s favorite breakfast
beverage. Eight ounces of orange juice contains 400 milligrams of
potassium, so two refreshing glasses can quickly zap the potassium
deficit the average American suffers from. Potassium maintains
fluid and electrolyte balance in cells. It also assists in sending
nerve impulses, helps muscles contract, and releases energy from
protein, fat and carbohydrates during metabolism.
That same eight-ounce glass of juice contains 72 milligrams of
vitamin C, more than a full day's supply. Vitamin C fights cell
and tissue damage and also helps the body fight infection. It’s
essential for tissue repair, wound and bone healing, and healthy
skin. It helps form collagen, a protein that gives structure to
bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels. It also helps us get
the most iron out of other foods. People who have high blood
levels of vitamin C live a longer life, have better vision, and
more mental clarity than those with lower levels.
Orange juice contains Folate which plays a key role in DNA
formation and cell division, and helps guard against one form of
anemia. It has lots of Calcium which aids in bone and tooth
development, blood pressure regulation and muscle function
Calcium-fortified orange juice is an excellent non-dairy source of
calcium that is also lactose-free.
The Thiamin in orange juice helps convert food into energy the
body can use and is needed by all cells and tissues. All important
Niacin helps metabolize the food you eat into energy your body can
use. Niacin also is used for DNA repair.
Vitamin B6 helps the body process protein and carbohydrates in
food and helps produce hemoglobin, a part of red blood cells that
carries oxygen to all parts of the body while Magnesium helps your
body generate energy and is required for the action of over 300
enzyme systems in your system.
Orange juice naturally contains more than 60 phytonutrients, many
of them known as flavonoids, a class of natural antioxidants that
many scientists believe may help the body in its battle against
aging, allergies, infection, cancer, ulcers and heart disease.
All these benefits to your health, and it tastes great, too! The
good news is, orange juice is not just for breakfast anymore, as
the following recipes prove. Using freshly squeezed orange juice,
rind and juice concentrate in your cooking can add a sweet and
tangy layer of flavor that really wakes up your taste buds.
Orange Frost
This is similar to the delicious drink called Orange Julius that
was sold at the local shopping mall where I grew up. It’s a nice
way to start the morning when it’s too hot to think about making
breakfast, but it also makes a heck of a noise in the blender when
those ice cubes hit the blades. Try whacking the ice cubes a zip
top bag to make them a bit smaller before tossing them into the
machine.
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 banana, frozen
1 tablespoon non-fat milk powder
Dash cinnamon or nutmeg
2 ice cubes
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy. Serve
in 2 chilled glasses. Makes 2 servings.
Orange Dessert Pancakes
1 ½ cups of pancake mix
1/2 cup non-fat milk or water
1/2 cup orange juice
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon of orange extract
A bit of grated orange rind
Mix all ingredients, using a bit more or less pancake mix to get
desired consistency. Use medium heat and a non-stick pan and one
ladle of batter for each pancake. Thinner batter makes a crepe
style pancake that is delicious. Fill them with sliced bananas and
strawberries and roll them up, using two per serving. Sprinkle
with powdered sugar and top with a few sliced almonds.
Five-Spice Appetizer Meatballs
This makes about 48 appetizer size meatballs, but it’s perfectly
legal to make them a little larger and serve them over rice or
ramen noodles and call it supper. They’re even better the next day
after the flavors have blended. Look for five spice powder next to
the sesame seeds in the Asian food aisle.
1 slightly beaten egg white
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 pound lean ground beef
1-1/2 cups orange Juice
3 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
In a large bowl combine egg white, bread crumbs, five-spice powder
with the beef and mix well. Shape into 1" meatballs. Place on well
sprayed or foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 20
minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and drain meatballs on
paper towels. Cover to keep warm.
While meatballs bake, combine orange juice, honey, cornstarch, soy
sauce, and ginger in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and
stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more
then remove from heat and add warm meatballs and toss gently to
coat. Serve from crock pot set to lowest heat.
Orange-Glazed Chicken Wings
Less salty than some wing recipes, and the orange zest adds a
refreshing punch of flavor.
1 cup fresh orange juice, about 2 oranges
Zest from the oranges, grated
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 pounds chicken wings
Preheat oven to 400 and line two baking sheets with heavy duty
foil. In a large bowl, combine the orange juice with the orange
zest, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir until
brown sugar is completely dissolved, then add the chicken wings
and toss to coat.
Arrange the wings on baking sheets in a single layer. Drizzle with
marinade, reserving 1/ 4 cup. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn the wings
over and baste them with remaining marinade. Bake 10 more minutes
Ginger Orange Glazed Chicken Wings
Here’s a spicier version with an Asian twist. Look for minced
ginger in handy squeeze tubes in the produce aisle. It keeps
practically forever and the texture and taste is much better than
dried powdered ginger. Hoisin sauce comes in little jars and is
located in the soy and teriyaki sauce section.
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons minced peeled
fresh ginger
3 cloves minced garlic
2 pounds chicken wings
3 medium green onions, thinly sliced
In a large zip top bag, combine everything but the chicken and mix
well. Let sit for twenty minutes, then add chicken wings and seal,
and shake
to coat evenly. Refrigerate overnight. An hour before serving,
preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil. Spread
wings on foil, spreading marinade evenly. Bake without turning for
45 minutes, until wings turn brown and shiny. Garnish with green
onions before serving.
Zesty Citrus Vinaigrette
This packs a lot of punch for having no fat and only 8 calories
per tablespoon. Try it over a spinach, mandarin orange and almond
salad.
2 Tablespoons powdered fruit pectin
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Combine all ingredients in small jar with tight fitting lid; shake
to blend well and refrigerate leftovers. Makes about 2/3 cup.
