This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sunkist Growers. All opinions are 100% mine.
Well, I don’t know about you, but summer is definitely here in the Ozarks. It has been a very hot summer so far, a heat index of 107 here today, yikes! I’m hoping we have a few cool days coming up soon! Anyway, now that summer is here, that also means it is peak season for Sunkist Valencia Oranges, yum! And here’s a tip I recently learned that I had never known before and that is green is actually good when it comes to oranges! Sunkist Valencia Oranges sometimes occasionally re-green in warm weather. When they ripen on the tree, they turn the orange color but when the temperatures heat up, it sometimes causes the skin to reabsorb the chlorophyll, turning them green, but the inside is still ripe! I had no idea! Here’s a video that shows it a little better if you like:
Sunkist Valencia Oranges Re-greening Video
A few tips about Sunkist Valencia Oranges:
- Peeling oranges are easy! Trim a thin slice from each end of the orange and then set it on one end. Then cut away strips of the peel from top to bottom and voila!
- Oranges are fun to eat when you can cut them into smiley shapes. 🙂 Cut your orange in half crosswise and cut 3-4 wedges from each side. Then, smile away!
- Fresh orange juice can be squeezed and then refrigerated overnight. Be sure to cover it tightly with a good seal & chill it right away and you won’t lose any flavor or valuable Vitamin C content.
- Make a delicious smoothie with fresh squeezed orange juice in the morning to really get your day started off great. Throw half a cup of juice, half a cup of diced oranges, a peeled banana, a few frozen berries of your choice, half a cup of yogurt in a blender, blend until smooth & you’re set!
And here’s a refreshing sounding recipe, I’m going to have to try this one out:
Ingredients:
3 Sunkist Valencia Oranges, segmented and zested
20 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 lb Tub Bocconcini Mozzarella
½ cup Opal (purple) Basil, Shredded into Small Pieces
20 Whole Wheat Crackers
Salt to Taste
¼ Cup Fresh Rosemary
¼ Cup Fresh Thyme
1/8 Cup Fresh Oregano
1 ½ Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
Instructions (Make 10 Servings):
- Cut the Bocconcini into Halves
- Zest the Valencia Oranges using a micro -lane or fine grater & set aside. To segment the oranges, cut the top & bottom off.
- Lay the oranges on a flat surface using a paring knife. Remove the skin & white pith. Carefully cut and release each segment from between the membranes & set aside.
- In a blender, add olive oil, orange zest & the fresh herbs. Pulse until blended and continue to blend on medium speed until the herbs and zest are finely chopped. Then, add pepper and pulse quickly. Pour into a jar or plastic container. The leftover oil can be kept refrigerated for up to a month and used for marinade for fish, poultry or veggies.
- Toss the orange segments, cherry tomatoes, Bocconcini and basil lightly with ¾ cup of orange scented herb oil and season with salt.
- To Serve: Top each cracker with the mixture and serve.
Plus, here’s a few more additional Sunkist citrus recipes you can check out.
