Superfood Spotlight on: Oranges

What You Should Know: Don’t be bored by this all too-familiar superfruit! Grapefruits, lemons, limes and any other citrus fruits you can get your hands on are great at any time of year. But during this season, we love incorporating fresh and fragrant oranges at any possible turn. Orange juice, with it’s high sugar content, has gotten a bad rap as of late. But the truth is that freshly juiced oranges provide far more of the protective qualities of vitamin C than vitamin C supplements alone!

Why You Should Use It: Beyond the obvious double-dose of vitamin C (which the body cannot produce on it’s own), oranges also supply the body with a few citrus-unique flavonoids and cancer-fighting limonene. Limonene is found in citrus peels and is a powerful force in preventing and fighting several forms of cancer. When possible, juice oranges and other citrus fruits whole to benefit from everything they’ve got to offer. When eating the fruit whole, save the peels for zesting or candying.

Let’s Get Together: Let the taste and smell of oranges become a vibrant part of your holiday traditions. We all associate peppermint candy and chocolate with Christmas, but get your family hooked on the scent of oranges as a cue that the holidays are here! Lay out beautiful bowls of giant oranges and tiny tangerines to snack on. Add orange zest to cookies and breads. And slice up wedges to add to salads and grains.

• Candied Orange Peels, For the ultimate holiday treat, candy orange peels at home and either dip them in chocolate or leave plain. We love this healthy version using stevia from L. Michelle.

• Note:

  This recipe calls for a dehydrator oven. If you don't have one, simply use your oven set at the lowest setting. Keep the door partially propped open 2-4 inches to let air circulate and let out moisture. A dehydrator will take up to half the time to dry than an oven will.

• Ingredients + Tools:
  • dehydrator or oven
  • steel pot
  • the peel of 1 organic orange
  • stevia
  • cinnamon
• Directions:
  1. Take your organic orange and cut sections lengthwise down from the stem. Cut into 1/4 inch strips. Keep the white rind intact as it contains healthy phytonutrients.
  2. In a steel pot add orange slices to just enough water to be covered and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
  3. Drain water and boil a second time with just enough water to cover peel. This time you will add your seasonings. The water will begin to evaporate and as it does, sprinkle with stevia and cinnamon.
  4. When the pot is very low on water the peel should be very soft and ready to dehydrate/bake. Taste to make sure your seasonings are just right.
  5. Place your seasoned peel evenly on your dehydrator racks or baking sheet to dry at 135° F.
  6. Dry for about 4-5 hours in the dehydrator.
     (Check it after 3-4 hours. You don't want to over dry the peel as it'll be too hard to bite. You want it dry but slightly bendable. It will continue to air dry.)