The vitamin C in tangerine-mandarinas will help you stay well and their amazingly sweet flavor will keep them on your grocery list, week-after-week.
If you’re searching for the rockstars of the citrus world then tangerine-mandarinas are it. For a decade or longer, the demand for a kid-sized, seedless, tangy and sweet fruit has grown and grown. While living in Salamanca, Spain this fall, I’ve already started to buy seedless tangerine-mandarinas from grocery stores, the Central Market, and small shops that specialize in selling fresh fruits and vegetables. They are in nearly every shopper’s bag from what I can tell, and for good reason since a family can easily consume a couple dozen or more in a week. Talk about good timing. During the winter season of cold and flu, the vitamin C in seedless tangerine-mandarinas can boost the immune system in a sweet way. Read about the growth in sales of tasty citrus fruits here. Read about how vitamin C helps support a healthy immune system here.
Get some great ideas in my earlier blog, Eating Seasonally in Winter with Citrus.
3 Great Recipes with Citrus Fruits
- Lemons give this drink a kick of flavor. It can be warmed up in cooler weather as a nice switch from coffee or hot chocolate. Less Sugary Homemade Lemonade Recipe
- Limes bring a tangy flavor to this easy and exotic chicken recipe. It works for a weekday meal or a party. Tangy Lime Chicken Recipe
- Seedless Tangerines-Mandarinas are the center of this delicious, Mediterranean dessert. It is light and rich in every bite. Cinnamon Mandarinas with Extra Virgin Olive Oil Recipe
3 Great Menu Plans with Citrus Fruits
- Breakfast Plan: Seedless Tangerine-Mandarina segments on top of plain yogurt with a sprinkle of walnuts and nutmeg + Whole grain toast + Hardboiled Egg + Coffee/Tea/Milk
- Lunch Plan: Chicken Salad made with Homemade Vinaigrette or another simple dressing with Seedless Tangerine-Mandarina segments on top + Sliced tomatoes & cucumbers + Oatmeal cookie + Water
- Dinner Plan: Fish Fillet + Potato cooked in wedges in the oven or microwave + Steamed Broccoli or Cabbage + Cranberry-Apple Crisp + Water
A Seasonal Challenge with Citrus
When a fruit or vegetable is ‘in season’ then it’s smart to buy and eat it often. In late fall and all winter long, seedless tangerine-mandarinas are produced close to home. Even in summer, Chile produces and exports beautiful citrus to N. America. My Citrus Challenge for you is this: Add seedless tangerine-mandarinas or other oranges to your Grocery List every week this year and into the New Year. Then, use the menu plans and recipes above to use them up.
Grab my free Easy Mediterranean Menus for more nutritious homemade ideas you can use all year round!
What menu plans will you use for your Citrus Challenge?