Because we can buy citrus fruit almost year round its easy to forget that it is a winter season crop. Right now is the best time for oranges, grapefruit and other citrus. For a healthy start to your day, combine orange and grapefruit segments with other fruit for a fantastic fresh fruit salad. Growing up, my mom taught me to make this for holiday breakfasts.
For a fabulous fresh fruit salad I combine orange and grapefruit segments with whatever else is available and looks good at the market and is reasonably priced. Good adds are banana, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, grapes and pomegranate seeds. Kiwi is another nice addition. In summer, try adding melon and pineapple.
If you are eating fresh fruit salad for breakfast, add some protein to balance your meal. Scramble up an egg or two or add some plain whole-milk Greek yogurt and a healthy muffin. For more ideas on how to round out a breakfast menu read this post.
Eat Oranges, Don't Juice Them
Our orange tree produced a bumper crop this year so my kitchen is overflowing with oranges. While we’ve shared the bounty with friends and neighbors, we still have lots of oranges on our hands. It’s tempting to just juice them, but nutritionally there is a better option. Eat the orange and get healthy fiber that slows the sugar absorption. Don’t drink your calories. It’s healthier to eat an orange rather than drink the juice and they taste great in this fruit salad.
Not only are oranges an excellent source of vitamin C, they are a good source of fiber, vitamin B1, folate, calcium, potassium and phytonutrients (plant nutrients). Research shows that consuming fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C not only supports our immune systems, but they reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.
How to Segment Citrus Fruit
The easiest way for most people to segment an orange or grapefruit is to simply cut the fruit in half then use a sharp paring knife to cut around each individual segment. Pop the segments out and reserve the juice.
Another technique is called “to supreme” (video link to show how). You trim off the top and bottom of the citrus, exposing the fruit and sit it flat. Next, cut off all of the skin and white pith with a sharp knife following the curve of the fruit. Then with a sharp paring knife, cut each segment out over a bowl to catch the juices.
Do what works best for you. I usually do the supreme method on oranges as they are smaller, and the method shown above on grapefruit as they are larger. It takes a little practice but its not hard. You need a good sharp knife. I use a 7″ Santoku to supreme citrus and a little birds beak peeling knife (or regular paring knife) for the top method.
The most time consuming part is getting your citrus ready. Once that is done, citrus segments stay fresh in the refrigerator for a few days in their juice. You can make your fruit salad anytime. It takes seconds to peel and slice a banana and berries just need a quick rinse and dry before gently folding in. If you are packing it to take to work, it will be fine to mix together in the morning. The most fragile are raspberries, but they too will survive if they are nice, fresh and firm.
Colorful Healthy Fresh Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 4 oranges
- 1 grapefruit preferably pink
- 1 banana
- 1 6-ounce box fresh raspberries
- 1 6-ounce box fresh blackberries
- 1 6-ounce box fresh blueberries
- 12 red or green grapes
- 4 tablespoons pomegranate arils (seeds)
Instructions
- Wash your citrus and follow the directions in the post for how to segment them, catching all of the juices over a bowl. When ready to serve the salad, peel and slice the banana, rinse and dry the berries and combine gently with the citrus. Chill briefly if desired and serve as soon as possible.
Nutrition
Seasonal Fresh Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 4-5 large oranges
- 1 large grapefruit preferably red ones
- 1 banana
- 1 6 ounce box fresh raspberries
- 1 6 ounce box fresh blackberries
- 1 6 ounce box fresh blueberries
- 12 green or red seedless grapes
- 4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Wash your citrus and follow the directions in the post for how to segment them, catching all of the juices over a bowl.
- When ready to serve the salad, peel and slice the banana, rinse and dry the berries and combine gently with the citrus. Chill briefly if desired and serve as soon as possible.
Reva says
Hello there! This article could not be written any better!
Reading through this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
He always kept preaching about this. I will forward this article to him.
Pretty sure he's going to have a very good read. I appreciate you for sharing!
Julius Dahne says
B"H I'm glad you're spreading the word about the powerful health benefits of citrus fruits like oranges. One compound found in the peel of oranges and other citrus fruits is called hesperidin. I'm convinced this is going to be a household word in 10 years time - this amazing ingredient has been linked in scientific studies to numerous health benefits, including fighting varicose veins, high blood pressure, hemorrhoids and even cancer, may G-d protect us.
Sally says
Hi Julius. You are right, hesperidin is a powerful phytochemical and antioxidant. But as the highest concentrations are in the white part and peel of citrus (often discarded an not consumed), its good to know that hesperidin is also in green vegetables. Phytochemicals are amazing. On the link you added, the post is mostly about the benefits of eating lots of fruits and vegetables, not necessarily organic, and I know you know that. Little I buy is not organic these days, because it reduces the pesticide load on our bodies, is better for the farm workers and environment as well. Like you said, with so much of America not eating fruits and vegetables, just taking that step, whether organic or not, is a big step forward. The Stanford paper published in 9/12 cited there were little nutritional differences with organics (and caused quite an uproar), yet I like the post done by Mother Jones about how the paper sold organics short. Here is that link. http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/09/five-ways-stanford-study-underestimates-organic-food. Soon I will be writing a post about my perspective on organics and GMO as well.
Madonna says
This looks so delicious. Thanks for the healthy idea – especially since having too much holiday. The colors are beautiful. Now back to the market.