I've been doing a lot of home improvement projects lately. In considering new colors for my kitchen and dining area I really wanted to tap into the way colors affect the cook and diners' moods. Is my red dining room preventing my daughter from eating all vegetables? Is my green kitchen the reason why I can't get my kids to empty the dishwasher?! The chances are slim to none, but the idea that color inspires certain feelings is definitely the logic behind why I prepare meals with a real concern for the way they look.
The color orange, for example, represents physical comfort, food, security, and fun. What a great jumping off point for a kid-friendly recipe that the whole family can enjoy. Oranges are crowd pleaser in most households. They're a great source of antioxidants and nutrition, but they also just taste great. My kids love making orange smileys out of orange halves cut into half-moon slices, and squeezing fresh juice until they've made the ultimate sticky mess. It's one of those snacks mom's love to have around and don't feel guilty about sharing with the whole brood.
So how can you take this nutritious snack and elevate it to an entree? It's easy. Just pair the natural sweetness of the fruit with complementary (sweet) and counter (sour) flavors to create a balance that will make you say "orange you glad it's dinner time?!"
Orange chicken with white rice & stir-fried broccoli
Ingredients
For chicken:
4 chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes
salt, garlic powder & ground ginger to taste
For sauce:
1/8 c of orange juice, roughly half of a Navel orange juiced
zest of one large orange
1/4 c soy sauce
1 TBS of brown sugar
1/2 tsp of ground ginger or 1 tsp fresh ginger
splash of rice wine vinegar
pinch of cornstarch to thicken, if needed
Directions
- Season chicken and saute' in large skillet until no longer pink (you don't need to cook until cooked completely through since you it cook more in sauce)
- Whisk sauce ingredients together in a bowl and slowly add to a hot wok (or high-sided skillet)
- Cook on medium high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (add a little cornstarch at this point if necessary)
- Add the chicken and toss, all to stick and finish cooking
- Remove from heat, serve over rice with orange slices and your favorite vegetables