range in color from golden yellow to mostly red, but they should not have any green spots. Refrigerated, ripe nectarines may keep for three to five days.
Livit Recipe
Spiced Nonfat Nectarine Muffins
3 nectarines, pitted, peeled, and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 lemon, juice only (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons cane sugar OR raw sugar
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup nonfat milk
3 tablespoons pasteurized liquid egg whites OR 2 egg whites
⢠Preheat oven to 400°F.
⢠Line a muffin tin with 12 paper baking cups.
⢠In a small bowl, toss the nectarine cubes with the lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Set aside.
⢠In a prep bowl, mix the sugar with ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Set aside.
⢠In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Break up any stubborn lumps of brown sugar with a fork.
⢠In a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, milk, and egg whites.
⢠Stir the applesauce mixture into the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. (Traditional instructions say to stir muffins no more than 50 strokes.) Fold in the diced nectarines.
⢠Spoon the batter into muffin cups, and sprinkle each muffin with a bit of the prepared cinnamon sugar.
⢠Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for about 3 minutes in the pan, then gently remove them from the pan to continue cooling. Serve warm.
YIELD 12 muffins
NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING 119 calories, 26.9 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 2.8 g dietary fiber
26 Oranges
Benefits
The first oranges to be widely cultivated were bitter. Sweet oranges, which originated in India, were brought to Europe in the 15th century by the Portuguese. People were so grateful for this new sweet fruit that sweet oranges are named for Portugal in many languages.
Oranges and their juice are almost everybodyâs favorite source of vitamin C, a vitamin whose many benefits have been known for so long that we sometimes overlook them. Primary among them are that vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, helps the body absorb iron, and is important to wound healing and heart health. Oranges also provide significant potassium and are a good source of calcium and magnesium (three minerals good for regulating blood pressure), as well as phosphorus, vitamin A, folates, and fiber. Oranges are a good source of citric acid, which plays a vital role in cell metabolism. Its citrus limonoids are being studied for their antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-malarial, and cancer-fighting properties.
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION One raw navel orange provides 60 calories, 15.2 g carbohydrate, 1.3 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 3.1 g dietary fiber, 240 IU vitamin A, 75 mg vitamin C, 44 mcg folic acid, 1 mg sodium, 233 mg potassium, 52 mg calcium, 25 mg phosphorus, 13 mg magnesium, and 0.16 mg iron.
Bringing It Home
As we endeavor to limit our use of artificial chemicals in growing food, we need to learn to distinguish between cosmetic blemishes on fruit that indicate poor quality and those that are a natural part of fruitâs growing process. Oranges are a great case in point: An orange with green areas or small amounts of brown on its peel may be just as good as one that is solid orange all over. Soft spots and mold are a different storyâavoid fruit that shows those signs.
Buying organic oranges whenever possible will help you learn to differentiate between superficial beauty and good quality. As with all citrus fruit, look for oranges that have smooth, thin skin and that are heavy for their size. A vivid color and thick skin, especially with navel oranges, can indicate a dry fruit that lacks juice and flavor. Small oranges are often juicier than big ones.
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