Honey Limequat Gimlet & Winter Citrus Quinoa Salad

Whether you're still holding strong to your New Year's resolution & eating salads, or need a stiff drink to get through the last couple of weeks of winter - I've got you covered.

Snow days, storms, and cold, long, gloomy nights; that's what winter is all about right? Maybe to some, but even the most frost covered winter day in North America has a bright and vibrant companion: winter citrus. How clever of nature to provide us with vitamin and mineral filled candy to get us through the months normally inundated with flu cases, and this year with COVID cases as well. All of the immune boosting vitamins that were nearly impossible to get in tablet form from stores last year, are packed into delicious fruits. Plus, just one orange has your total suggested daily Vitamin C dose, along with 9% of your daily Potassium, and 8% of your daily Vitamin A needs. Citrus fruits also contain antioxidants that help our bodies get rid of free radicals, which is said to have cancer fighting benefits.

Now that you know some of the benefits of citrus fruits, why stop at an orange? Thanks to creative farmers all over, we have so many different varieties to choose from. Two of my favorite citrus varieties are mandarinquats and limequats, and as their names suggest they are crosses between mandarins and kumquats, and limes and kumquats, respectively. What's special about these little citrus fruits, is that like kumquats they have an edible, mild tasting, peel that gives them a higher fiber content than their mandarin, lime, and orange cousins. When you add up all the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in citrus, then throw in my favorite antibacterial sweetener, honey, and a shot of vodka or gin, you've basically got yourself a health tonic. Of course, you can also feel free to call it by its stage name, the Honey Limequat Gimlet.

Honey Limequat Gimlet

2 oz Vodka or Gin

2 oz Limequat Juice

1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. Honey

Ice

1. Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker & shake well.

2. Pour into a coupe glass & garnish with edible flowers or citrus slices.

Still can't get enough citrus? Why stop at cocktails? Turns out the acidity in citrus fruits pairs well with fats like avocados and tahini, and protein rich grains such as quinoa. Throw in some kale, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top, and you have a guilt-free salad that actually tastes good. In this salad I used mandarinquats and pomelos as my citrus additions, but you can also substitute blood oranges, grapefruits, tangerines etc.

Winter Citrus Quinoa Salad

1 Cup Cooked Quinoa

1 1/2 - 2 Cups Kale

1 Avocado

1 Pomelo Peeled & Sliced

1/2 Dozen Mandarinquats

Pomegranate Seeds

Tahini