As pumpkin is to November, oranges are to December— at least in my house! There’s one orange that I’m constantly snacking on between October and February: the darling, little cutie clementine!
Clementines are small oranges (a cross between an orange and a mandarin) that are usually seedless, easy to peel, and perfectly sweet to eat! Packed with vitamin C and fiber, these little gems are great as snacks on the go or make an easy addition to your lunchbox.
In the U.S. clementines are often marketed as “Cuties” or “Sweeties” and sold in small crates or boxes, especially around Christmas time. Spain grows scads of clementines, but there are substantial groves in California, as well. Clementines last for several weeks if they are kept relatively cool and out of too much direct sunlight.
Now you might wonder what the heck do I do with a crate of 15-20 clementines?! Fear not! Here’s how my clementine crate consumption plays out:
- Snack as-is! Joey will eat one every day, and so will I. That’s 14 gone in one week folks!
They also make a good ball if you’re not up for eating one! Just ask my toddler… - Add to a smoothie. If you’re an avid smoothie maker like my husband, Ted, Just peel and pop a few “Cuties” into a blender with your favorite smoothie ingredients for a breakfast or snack on the go.
- Roast with chicken or fish. Do you add lemon juice, zest, or slices when you are roasting chicken, fish, or heck, even vegetables? Swap the lemon with a clementine! These citrus family fruits add such a great layer of flavor when roasting!
- Make your own vinaigrette. I love making homemade vinaigrettes to use as a marinade or to top on salad greens. I’ve been experimenting with this clementine vinaigrette recipe— it’s a keeper!!
How about you? Have you experimented with clementines in different recipes?
Clementine Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of clementine juice [1 clementine, juiced]
- 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
- 1 small shallot, sliced
- zest of one clementine + slices, saved
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse until clementine pieces are pureed, for about 15-20 seconds.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately or store in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving suggestions: use as a dressing on salads or as a marinade for meat or fish!
