I have always wanted to try blood oranges with all the rave reviews that I have read about them, but I have never seen them at the grocery store, so I was super excited when I found a few bags at the grocery store. I picked up one bag to try out these beautiful oranges myself. They have a nice balance between sweet and tart which I really like in a fruit. The flavor has hints of a traditional orange mixed with grapefruit and a hint of raspberry. Blood oranges contain anthocyanin gives the blood oranges its unique deep red flesh. Anthocyanin is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that has been shown to increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) in prehypertensive men (men with a slightly elevated blood pressure). Anthocyanin has also been shown to be important in controlling diabetes, healthy weight regulation, and cancer prevention.
While I enjoy my citrus fresh, I also wanted to try broiling the blood oranges with a little honey and ginger. I saw this idea for grapefruits on pinterest® from the blog Running Foodie. I knew I had to try this with the blood oranges. Broiling the blood oranges made the sweet flavors of the blood oranges more pronounced. I loved that the blood oranges were so simple to peel after being broiled. The texture of the blood oranges was softer and a little bit gooey. The ginger and honey really complimented the blood oranges well without masking the wonderful flavor of the blood oranges. You can make this simple dish as part of a breakfast with some yogurt or as a simple and quick dessert at a dinner party. The blood oranges look amazing on a simple white plate.
For more information on the health benefits of blood oranges please visit:
Study on the effects of anthocyanin on HDL cholesterol on prehypertensive men
Anthocyanin effects on diabetes
Review article on the health benefits of anthocyanin
Food matrix affecting anthocyanin availability
Ingredients (serves 4) inspired by Running Foodie
4 blood oranges
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground ginger
Directions
1. Cut the blood oranges in half.
2. In a small bowl, mix the honey and ginger.
3. Brush the honey mixture on top of the cut section of the blood oranges.
4. Place the blood oranges on a cookie sheet cut side up.
5. Broil the oranges on high for 3-5 minutes or until the honey on top is boiling and caramelized slightly around the edges.
6. Serve warm.
Posted on Simple Lives Thursday,
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