Florida Orange Juice: Recipes filled with nutrition

 The Florida Department of Citrus offers everything from Health and nutrition, to tips on how and when to buy the freshest fruit. They also offer recipes that will bring pure wholesome sunshine to your home and family.

 Experience citrus with Florida oranges and encourage children to eat healthy with nutritious snacks and foods. Children who learn to eat nutritiously at a young age are more likely to maintain healthy habits into adulthood.

The Florida Department of Citrus wants to help you provide your family with meals and snacks that will give them some of that much needed energy to begin their day and have them running for the dinner table.

Here's 8 reasons to enjoy 8 ounces of 100 percent Florida orange juice daily.

1)  It's naturally nutrient rich: One serving of 100 percent orange juice is more nutrient dense than many commonly consumed 100 percent fruit juices.

2) It helps increase fruit intake: One 8-oz glass of 100 percent orange juice provides half of the USDA-recommended daily fruit intake for most adults.

3) It provides needed nutrients: One 8-oz serving of 100 percent orange juice is a good source of potassium and folate and an excellent source of calcium.

4) It contains no added sugars: 100 percent orange juice has no added sugars.

5) It can be added as part of a healthy eating plan. For most kids, 100 percent orange juice is not associated with increased adiposity when consumed in amounts appropriate for age and energy needs,

6) It helps promote heart health: 100 percent orange juice, as part of a healthy diet, may help support healthy cholesterol levels, blood vessels and blood pressure and help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

7)  It may help support a healthy immune system: an 8-oz serving of 100 percent orange juice provides 100 percent or more of the daily value for vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that may help support a healthy immune system.

8) Bone Health: 8-ounces of 100 percent orange juice is a good source of potassium and contains organic acids like citrate. The combination of these compounds may help your body neutralize acidity.

Here's some recipes that are not only kid-friendly but will also satisfy the big-kid in all of us.

Fluffy Orange Oatmeal Pancakes

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups whole milk

½ cup Florida orange juice

½ cup cooked oatmeal 

3 eggs, separated

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In small bowl, whisk together the milk, orange juice, oatmeal, egg yolks and butter; stir to combine.  Add orange juice mixture to flour mixture; stir gently just until combined.

In clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites with mixer until soft peaks form. Add vanilla extract.  Gently fold egg whites into flour mixture, being careful not to overmix.

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Grease bottom of skillet with small amount of melted butter or vegetable oil. Use large spoon to drop hockey puck-sized dollops of batter in skillet. Cook until bubbles start to form on top of the pancake; flip with spatula and cook 2 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and keep warm; repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately.

 

Serving Suggestion: Cut pancakes in fun shapes with cookie cutters.

Fruit Skewers with Orange Dip

Yield 12 (2 skewer) servings

Ingredients

For Orange Dip:

2 (6-ounce) containers low-fat vanilla yogurt

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoons Florida orange juice

1 teaspoon grated Florida orange zest

For Fruit Skewers:

1 cup orange sections (1 to 2 Florida oranges)

1 cup tangerine sections (2 Florida tangerines)

1 cup grapefruit sections (3/4 Florida grapefruit)

1 cup each red and green seedless grapes

1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved

Preparation

To prepare the Orange Dip, combine yogurt, honey, orange juice and orange zest in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.  For the Fruit Skewers, alternately thread oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, grapes and strawberries onto each of 24 (6-inch) skewers. Serve with Orange Dip.

Baked Orange Panko Chicken Tenders

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

3 cups panko breadcrumbs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ cup Florida orange juice

3 large eggs

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut into strips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place breadcrumbs on baking sheet; bake for 5 to 8 minutes.  Stir well; bake for an additional 5 minutes until toasted. Remove from oven; cool. Place breadcrumbs in shallow dish; reserve.

In shallow dish, combine flour; curry powder, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper; mix well. In shallow bowl, whisk together orange juice and eggs. Dredge chicken strip in flour mixture to coat, shaking off any excess; dip in orange juice mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs. Place coated chicken strip on baking sheet; reserve. Repeat with remaining chicken strips. Bake chicken for 10 to 12 minutes.  Serve with favorite dipping sauce.

Sunny Chicken Pockets

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces rotisserie chicken, cut into cubes (2 cups)

2 Florida oranges, sectioned and chopped

1/2 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

1/3 cup light or regular mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Florida orange juice

1/2 teaspoon finely grated Florida orange zest

3 pocket pitas, cut in half crosswise

Bibb lettuce leaves (optional)

Preparation

In a large bowl combine chicken, orange sections and peas. In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, orange juice and orange zest. Add to chicken mixture; stir to coat.

Gently open the pockets of each pita half. Place chicken mixture evenly into each pocket. Add lettuce, if desired, and serve.

Mini Orange, Banana, and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield: Makes 18 servings

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

1/4 cup Florida orange juice

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs, separated

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup mini chocolate chips

Mini cupcake liners

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375° F. In food processor, purée bananas, orange juice, butter and egg yolks; reserve. In large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; reserve. In small clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites with mixer to form soft peaks; reserve. Add banana mixture to flour mixture; stir just until combined. Gently fold in egg whites and chocolate chips with rubber spatula; do not overmix. Line mini muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill muffin tins one-half full with batter. Bake 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins to wire rack to cool.

Maryland Blue Crab Cakes with Florida Orange–Tarragon Hollandaise

Ingredients

Crab Cakes:

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons butter                          

½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced    

½ cup yellow onion, minced             

½ cup celery, minced                        

1 ½ pounds Maryland blue lump crab meat, picked       

¾ cup light I mayonnaise                  

1 egg, lightly beaten                   

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard                

1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning®                       

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce      

2 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs, divided                    

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided                       

Orange zest, for garnish

Fresh tarragon, for garnish

Florida Orange–Tarragon Hollandaise:

1 cup Florida orange juice                       

2 egg yolks                           

1 tablespoon tarragon                           

1 tablespoon lemon juice                           

1 teaspoon Original TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce           

2 tablespoons butter, melted                            

Salt to taste

Pepper

Preparation

For Crab Cakes:  Heat medium skillet over medium heat; add butter and heat until melted. Add red peppers, onions and celery; cook until tender and onions are translucent. Add orange juice; simmer until original volume is reduced by two-thirds. Remove from heat; place in mixing bowl and refrigerate until cool.

Add crab meat, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Old Bay Seasoning®, Worcestershire sauce and 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs. Mix gently until incorporated, being careful not to overmix or break up crab meat. Place mixture in refrigerator until well chilled. Form into 6 patties and lightly coat with remaining 1 cup panko breadcrumbs.

For Orange-Tarragon Hollandaise:  Place orange juice in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer; cook over medium heat until reduced to one-half original volume. Remove from heat; refrigerate until chilled.

Place orange juice reduction, egg yolks, tarragon, lemon juice and Tabasco® in food processor; process ingredients while slowly adding melted butter in a steady stream until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve; keep warm.

To cook crab cakes, heat large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil; cook 3 crab cakes on both sides until golden brown. Remove crab cakes; place on baking sheet in warm oven. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and crab cakes. Serve crab cakes with Florida Orange–Tarragon Hollandaise spooned on top. Garnish with orange zest and fresh tarragon.