Freshen Up Your Summer Cooking With Citrus

Citrus brightens up good food and good conversation. Rather than cook the same old recipes, why not add some citrus twists to your dishes and give your guests something to fall in love with?  Let's take a look at a few classics that are getting a real boost with a little citrus.

Citrus Infused Tea

Image via Flickr

What an incredible way to wake up!  Start a big pot of water boiling, then shut the burner off and add four green tea bags.  Of course, that's good, but why stop there.  Add a thinly sliced lemon to the water and allow the tea to steep for four or five minutes, then serve hot by pouring into large mugs.  Sweeten if desired, then enjoy. The lemon adds even more nutritional value to your green tea, along with a real zing! You may even want to nibble on a few hot lemon slices.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Instead of your typical pancake mix, why not try a melt-in-your-mouth combo that is sure to start your morning off right? By substituting ricotta, lemon juice, and lemon zest in place of some of the liquid in the pancake recipe, you get a slightly sweet and fluffy pancake with a tangy hit of citrus. Serve the pancakes with either raspberry or boysenberry syrup, and you have an irresistible combination that your family will love.

Grilled Summer Vegetables with Citrus Splash Dressing

The grill? Yes, even the grill. Not only can you grill citrus, you can coat your summer veggies with dressing using the same marinade you soaked them in. Orange juice, orange zest, lime juice, lime zest, and a bit of honey make a great glaze for grilled vegetables.  Add a little chopped fresh basil or other herbs on top of your vegetables on the grill and you just became the new executive chef of your own backyard. Try serving these tangy, tasty veggies on top of a bed of crispy mixed lettuce for a filling lunch or light dinner.

Image via Flickr

Lemon Basil Chicken Stir-fry

Want to take your stir-fry dinners to another level? Try adding some finely chopped basil, lemon juice, and lemon zest to your pan before you begin to add your vegetables. The basil and zest will infuse the oils with flavor and coat the chicken as you begin cooking it. Once the chicken is cooked, the vegetables will soak up the remaining flavor bits in the pan when it is deglazed with added broth or wine. Whenever you stir fry, think beyond the ingredients and consider all the flavors, including citrus flavors, to brighten your dish.

Citrus Honey Ginger Pops

This cool treat is definitely tasty and something to help cool off after a long day of play, making it a perfect dessert, too! These pops are easy to make and are a billion times healthier than the ones you buy from the store. Use different types of citrus to give the pops a variety of flavors. Of course you'll want to try orange, but also give grapefruit and lime a try. Just mix your favorite citrus juice and zest with honey and a small amount of grated ginger. The great thing is, this recipe is made to be tweaked. Mix and match your citrus to find new and exciting flavors!

From breakfast to lunch to dinner to dessert, citrus adds 'zing!' to your meals. There are so many places you can add fresh, flavorful, and healthy citrus to each meal of the day. The next time you're shopping, don't let the citrus scare you … bring it home!  Then put it to work in your kitchen to brighten up your meals, and your life!