orange juice

Though they grow pretty much year round in San Diego, oranges light up the stalls at the Little Italy Mercato during the winter months. Versatile, sweet, and terribly healthy, organic oranges should be at the top of your shopping (and cooking) list this season.

Lone Oak Ranch sells juicy, easy to peel Satsumas and Mandarines while Polito Farms carry Navel and Valencia as well as other citrus fruit. Saute onions and ginger together and then deglaze the pan with pressed orange juice from Paradise Valley Ranch. Use the liquid as a sauce for grilling salmon or tuna from Poppa's Fresh Fish.

Orange wedges, shaved fennel from Vang Farms and boiled Chiogga beets from Suzie's Farm make a delightfully refreshing salad. Mix with your tender winter lettuce or vibrant leafy greens from Maciel Family Farms.

Gently simmer sweet potatoes, and winter squash from Sage Mountain Farm in orange juice. Before serving, sprinkle with walnuts and perhaps a dash of balsamic vinegar from Gianni's Fine Foods. Cooking with oranges makes everyone feel like a fuzzy navel, doesn't it?

DRINK THIS, NOT THAT

Ditch that soda! Drink smart at your favorite local farmer’s market and taste the rainbow of flavors offered. Catch GreenFix all week long at the Adams Avenue, North Park and Little Italy Mercato with their super healthy blend of 8 different greens, apple juice, banana and flax seed. For nature made sweet, you can also find Smit Orchards at all three markets offering apple cider that’s just as delicious cold as it is when served hot with a dash of cinnamon to fend off the chilly evenings. And when you need a vitamin C packed morning wake up, Polito Family Farms has blood orange juice for sale on Saturdays at the Mercato. Make it a part of your brunch when mixed with champagne for a twist on a classic mimosa, or enjoy the sweet tart juice all on it’s own. Vitamins, minerals and health for all!

START THE DAY RIGHT

 Grab some fresh squeezed, right from the farm, unpasteurized orange juice from Paradise Valley Ranch; they make breakfast shopping easy by also bringing farm fresh eggs to the market.  Go whole hog and add a dide of naturally raised bacon from DaLe Ranch. A bowl of sliced fresh fruits is a great start to the day, and apples from Smit Orchard, pears from Lone Oak, or strawberries from Kawano farms fit the bill.  If you've got a sweet tooth in the morning, treat yourself to a pastry from Lisko Imports or spread some Really Good Jam on your toast.  There's no need to set out for work or school on an empty stomach with all the great choices at the Adams Avenue market!