Sunkist(R) Lemons Put a Twist on Traditional Lenten Foods

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Lent annually poses a challenge in the kitchen for the devout, as they abstain from meat and their favorite foods and drinks.  Sunkist® lemons are here to help, providing the versatility in enhancing beverages and a variety of foods to satisfy taste buds longing for more flavor this Lenten season.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100217/LA55826)

"Bursting with flavor, lemons are a great source of nutrients," said Jill Davie, celebrity chef. "Lemons can easily be incorporated into almost any meal or beverage and are a delicious way to add zing to any dish during the spring season."

Lemons Help in Keeping with Lenten Traditions

Grated, twisted, peeled or squeezed, the flavorful juices in lemons add zest and excitement to meals and beverages.  Here are some creative tips using lemons that will help consumers stay on track this Lenten season.

• Forfeiting Fast Food? Whip up tasty lemon fish tacos in minutes as a healthy alternative when strapped for time
• Cutting Carbs or Calories?  Fill up on veggies dressed in grated lemon for flavor
• Giving up caffeine?  Squeeze some lemon into herbal tea for a drink with some flavor
• Renouncing wastefulness?  Keep your kitchen smelling fresh by grinding up lemon peels in the garbage disposal after squeezing the lemon juice
• Bye, Bye chocolate?  Delight your taste buds with the sweetness of lemon bars or lemon meringue pie
• Saying no to alcohol? Try some warm spiced cider or a cup of fresh-squeezed lemonade

Lemons Add a Twist to Lenten Foods

Lemons and other in-season citrus, such as navel oranges, grapefruit and tangelos, provide a ton of flavor for cooking without breaking with Lenten tradition and dietary guidelines.  Many delicious and nutritional Lent-friendly recipes featuring citrus are available on www.sunkist.com.  See the recipe below for Sunkist® Citrus Shrimp with Lemondaise Sauce, which is easy to prepare and packs a lot of flavor.

Ingredients:  

2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and de-veined

For the Marinade:

• 1/2 cup Grapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp. Sunkist® Lemon zest
• 1 tbsp. Sunkist® orange zest
• 1 tsp. Rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp. Thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp. Oregano, chopped
• Salt and Pepper

Lemondaise Sauce:

• 3/4 cup White wine
• 2 tbsp. Shallots, minced
• 1 tbsp. Sunkist® Lemon zest
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp. Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Cornstarch mix with 3 tbsp. of cold water
• 1/2 Sunkist lemons juiced

Preparation:  

Mix grapeseed oil with lemon zest, orange zest and fresh herbs. Toss shrimp in the oil and marinate for 3 hours. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Saute shrimp over medium heat until fully cooked.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the white wine, shallots and lemon zest and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the heavy cream, turmeric and salt and bring to a simmer while whisking. While whisking, slowly add the cornstarch and water mixture. Continue simmering to thicken, about one minute. Remove from heat, mix in the lemon juice and serve with shrimp. Serves 4

About Sunkist Growers, Inc.

Sunkist is a cooperative of family growers since 1893. Steadfast to its commitment to provide quality fresh fruit, Sunkist is one of the world's oldest and largest citrus marketing cooperatives, packing millions of cartons of fruit each year.  Stretching its presence beyond the produce aisle, the Sunkist® brand has licensed its name to more than 600 products – ranging from vitamins to beverages - in 50 different countries. For more information about Sunkist, visit www.sunkist.com. Sunkist is a registered trademark of ©2010 Sunkist Growers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SOURCE Sunkist