(Family Features) When families fire up their grills and turn to favorite summer recipes for filling meals, nutritional considerations are often not the focus. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. This year, you can rethink traditional seasonal menus by opting for main courses – and even desserts – that offer healthier returns by incorporating ingredients like whole oranges, which provide a multitude of nutritional benefits.
Adding an ingredient like California Valencia oranges to your family’s dishes means you’re including a rich source of vitamin C (70% of the daily value) and an excellent source of folate (20% of the daily value) in your seasonal spread. As a balance of sweet and tart, the extra juicy oranges reach their peak in summer, making them perfect for warm-weather recipes, juicing, or as portable snacks to take along on adventures.
Plus, their anti-inflammatory benefits help support the body, especially as outdoor activities increase in warm weather. The potassium found in oranges also helps support cell function, healthy blood pressure levels, bone health, and hydration.
When it comes to meal planning, oranges are a highly versatile fruit that can be added to both sweet and savory dishes, as well as beverages, cocktails, sauces, frozen desserts, smoothies, and more. To introduce a depth of flavor and burst of nutrition to dishes, add a sprinkle of zest, segments, or fresh-squeezed juice, or even grill the fruit to bring out the flavor.
Try combining them with tastes of the Mediterranean for dinner with Orange and Harissa Glazed Beef Kebabs.
By introducing the sweetness of oranges to your warm-weather menu, you can infuse fresh flavor while rethinking family favorites. Visit CaliforniaCitrusGrowers.com for more information on California oranges.
Orange and Harissa Glazed Beef Kebabs
Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
1/2 cup California Valencia orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 California Valencia oranges, zested and segmented
2 tablespoons harissa paste
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 ounces beef tenderloin, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch squares
1 red onion, cut into 2-inch squares
16 broccoli florets, raw
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
cooked couscous
mandarin chutney
In a mixing bowl, combine orange juice and zest, harissa, honey, oil, mint, and garlic; mix well.
Add beef cubes and toss to coat; marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Using long skewers, build kebabs, alternating beef, peppers, onions, and broccoli on each.
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Season kebabs with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until vegetables are cooked through and beef reaches desired doneness.
Serve over a bed of couscous and top with mandarin chutney.
Source: California Citrus Growers
