Sunday, May 4, 2008

Citrus Salads

Citrus fruit is an everyday staple for me during the winter. Living in Florida, it's easy to get delicious, fresh citrus very inexpensively, or even for free if you have a citrus tree in your yard. With citrus season coming to an end, I thought I would post two of my favorite citrus salad combinations along with my quick method of "chunking" oranges and grapefruit.

Chunking Citrus

If you are like me and don't like to take the time to "section" your citrus, here is a safe, fool proof method for chunking oranges and grapefruit. I usually "chunk" about a dozen oranges or grapefruit at a time, using an assembly line method. It makes it easier to pack citrus with my lunch for work. (Nothing is grosser than trying to peel and eat an orange at one's desk. No more sticky keyboards!)

Cut the fruit in half, across the center, not navel to stem. Remove any seeds.

Cut each half in half to make 4 quarters.

Using a grapefruit knife, make a U-shaped cut to remove the white center.

Make one more cut to remove the rind and create two chunks.


Orange and Fig Spinach Salad with Walnuts

This salad is a nutritional powerhouse. Vitamin C, iron, potassium, and essential fatty acids are all featured in this tasty combination.



2 oranges
3-4 dried organic Turkish figs
3-4 ounces organic baby spinach
handful of walnut halves/pieces

Chunk oranges. Chop dried figs. Serve on a bed of spinach with walnut pieces. Dress with my balsamic flax dressing, (the saltiness of the dressing will bring out the sweetness of the fruit), or simply dress with a fig or blood orange vinegar if you're watching your fat intake. Serves 2.

Alessi and Cuisine Perel are two of my favorite brands of flavored vinegars.


Grapefruit Salad with Goji Berries and Toasted Coconut

The tartness of the grapefruit is complemented by the sweetness of the goji berries and toasted coconut. Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, are believed to have many health benefits in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which include boosting of the immune system, improved eyesight, and improved circulation.

1 grapefruit, cut into chunks
handful of dried goji berries
2 TBS dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut (I used Bob's Red Mill brand)


Rehydrate goji berries in water or grapefruit juice while chunking grapefruit. Sprinkle grapefruit chunks with rehydrated goji berries. Toast coconut in a toaster oven or oven in a pan at 350 degrees for 1-3 minutes until golden then sprinkle on fruit. Serves 2.

5 comments:

Erin said...

Thanks for the tips on chunking citrus. I too eat it abundantly in the winter, but always pretty much straight out of the rind, which does prevent me taking it for lunch. I took a tangerine a couple months ago and regreted it immediatly. I might look into getting a grapefruit knife just for this purpose.

Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...

I need to use your fruit chunking style! Mine is always a mess.

Maggie said...

You're brilliant! I've always wondered how people chunk citrus without a pulpy mess.

mustardseed said...

Hey Kelleen! I have you linked on my blog, I love the way you use your beans! I love beans too, they're superior over other protein sources, according to me. Nutritious and filling.

Link me too! I'll try to update though I'm real busy.

Oh about hummus...I tried making fat free vegan's hummus, I really liked it, but it became alot more solid in the fridge, like those hydrogenated peanut butter, spreadable but not "dip-like".

Could it be because in the fridge the water evaporated a little, but oil doesn't evaporate and keeps the moisture in?

Anonymous said...

Oh, awesome! I think this is a fabulous way to section citrus. I'm going to remember it, thanks! :)