Spring is still a few weeks away, but this beautiful Blood Orange and Beet Salad with Spicy Citrus Dressing can brighten your menu in 10 minutes. Making the most of late winter produce, including beets and citrus, this healthy plate of colorful fruits and vegetables makes a lovely light lunch or side dish with dinner.
Far East Broiled Blood Oranges are a healthy treat I was inspired to make with a few of these distinctively-colored oranges still sitting in my fruit bowl from the holidays and other simple ingredients I could rummage from the pantry. I’ve always loved broiled grapefruit, and so I figured it would probably translate well to most citrus – including blood oranges.
As with all broiled citrus or roasted citrus, I love how the juices mingle with the sugar that’s typically sprinkled on top to create a sweet caramelized crust. For these broiled oranges, I’ve used just a bit of date “sugar” to keep the recipe Paleo and just all around healthier. Read on to get all the unexpected flavorful ingredients and easy how-to: Continue reading
The Buddha’s Hand may just be the strangest citrus fruit known to man and it’s definitely one of the oldest, dating back to the ancient Far East. While this citrus fruit resembles a lemon that exploded and tried heal itself, this strange fruit with splayed extremities is definitely not a deformity – it’s designed just the way Mother Nature intended! She is so creative!
Also known as the Fingered Citron, and aptly described as a “lemon with fingers,” this freaky fruit is prized for its sweet floral fragrance and mild zest. Inside the fruit there is no flesh or juice to speak of — it’s all yellow rind and white pith. So, don’t try and buy the Buddha’s Hand isn’t for traditional snacking or juicing, it’s more an aromatic ornamental.
However, the strange citrus IS actually edible, the sweet smelling rind can be used anywhere you would add lemon, lime or orange zest to a recipe. Ideas for consumption of Buddha’s Hand include using fresh zest in salad dressings, on fish, or in baked goods. The rind can also be sliced and used to infuse liqueurs, water, and vinegar. Frieda’s Produce also suggests using the bountiful rind to make candied citrus – the white pith is not bitter at all, so it requires no pre-soaking or pre-boiling like traditional candied peel recipes.
Buddha’s Hand, rich in Vitamin C, is also used as a healing agent and alternative to modern-day prescription medicine. Possible Health Benefits of Buddha’s Hand include:
If you are lucky enough to score a Buddha’s Hand, display it at room temperature for a few days and enjoy the fragrance. Then, try it as a zesty way to add flavor to a recipe. I think you’ll like my Creamy Greek Yogurt Buddha’s Hand Dressing that can be used on salads, fish, and veggies:
Creamy Greek Yogurt Buddha’s Hand Dressing Recipe
Directions: Soak diced shallot in cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and allow to dry on paper towel. Add shallot and zest to small bowl and add lemon juice and salt. Let sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add olive oil, vinegar, thyme, garlic and yogurt. Whisk until combined and use to dress vinaigrette salad greens, on fish or as a sauce for vegetables.Makes ½ cup dressing.
Have you ever seen or used a Buddha’s Hand? What is your favorite citrus fruit? Big weekend pans? Please share in the comments — XOXO, Jennifer
What is a Starfruit? The Starfruit (also known as Carambola) is an oblong yellow fruit with five deep ridges running lengthwise — so crosswise-cut slices resemble adorable stars. An edible, thin waxy skin covers the golden flesh within that has a mildly sweet-tart flavor and crispy texture. Native to Sri Lanka and the Moluccas, and has been cultivated in Southeast Asia and Malaysia for almost 1,000 years.
How do you eat it? Just slice it and serve, the skin is edible. However, some people prefer to peel it before eating. This five-pointed fruit is a fun way to dress up salads, cocktails and dessert trays. You can also use it to add a stellar touch to smoothie bowls and they are delicious poached. I’ve even seen some people use them to add a festive touch to the top of pies, upside down cakes and other baked goods!
Excuse the hideous post-run hair and bad lighting but this is what a starfruit looks like before cutting.
What are the Health Benefits? Starfruit is a great source of vitamin C and fiber. They also provide hydration and healthy complex carbs to fuel your body and brain. It also contains important flavonoids including quercetin, epicatechin, and gallic acid. However, Starfruit (carambola) has high levels of Oxalic acid which could cause kidney stones or renal distress in those with or predispose to kidney disease. Additionally, like grapefruit, starfuit can interfere with the absorption of certain drugs. Anyone taking medication or that has kidney disease should seek the advice of their doctor before eating this exotic fruit.
How to Select and Store: Depending on the variety, Starfruit will be a light greenish-yellow to deeper gold when ripe. There may be some dark brown along the five ridges and this is perfectly fine. Flesh should still be quite firm to the touch. Store at room temperature until ripe and then refrigerate in covered container. Star fruit may also be stored in the freezer for approximately three months. To prep for freezer, cut the fruit vertically into star-shaped slices and spread out on sheet pan in a single layer to freeze individually. After hardened, transfer starfuit to a heavy-duty, zip-top storage bag.
Recipe Ideas:
Starfruit Upside Down Cake from Friedas.com 
Chocolate Dipped Starfruit from Friedas.com (I think ths is an amazing healthier treat for all sorts of holidays including 4th of July, Memorial Day, Christmas and other winter celebrations).
Celestial Starfruit & Orange Kale Salad 
Have you ever tried a starfruit? What did you think? If not, what is the most interesting fruit you’ve eaten? Please share in the comments, XOXO – Jennifer
What is a Jackfruit? Friends don’t let friends eat this weird fruit alone. Why? Simply because it’s jaw-dropping humungous and is known as world’s largest tree fruit. I highly recommend not walking under the tree that grows this monster-sized, greenish-yellow, bumpy-skinned, as they can weight up to 80 pounds!
Jackfruit tree – photo from Wikipedia
How do you eat it? So, what can you do with a Jackfruit other that gawk at it or use it as an impromptu piece of workout equipment for a weight-loaded carry – haha! Well, you can eat it, make recipes with it and stockpile it in your freezer! The ripened fruit has been described to taste like a combination of mango-banana-melon. But, interestingly enough, the unripe fruit is very popular with vegans and vegetarians as a meat substitute in stir-frys, tacos, sandwiches, pasta sauces and more! Some say the taste and texture of Jackfruit is similar to pork, while others say it’s a chameleon that takes on whatever the predominant flavors of the recipe. The seeds have been likened to chestnuts.
Jackfruit Flesh – photo from Friedas.com
What are the Health Benefits? Jack fruit is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin b-6, potassium and even some protein (about 3 grams per sliced cup). About 1 cup of sliced fruit also has 157 calories and 1 gram of fat.
How to Select and Store: Choose Jackfruit with bright green or yellow color, depending on ripeness, and a fragrant scent. Leave on counter to ripen. It should yield slightly when pressed. Wrap cut fruit tightly in plastic and store flesh in container. Refrigerate up to 7 days and freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe Ideas:
How to Cook Jackfruit Seeds from Friedas.com
Jackfruit Vegan Chili from CoachDebbieRuns.com (she’s the biggest Jackfruit fan I know, so many other Jackfruit recipes on her site).
Have you ever tried Jackfruit? What did you think? What did you make? If not, what’s the weirdest fruit you’ve eaten? Please share in the comments, XOXO – Jennifer
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