Produce of the Month: Florida oranges

This month the APS nutrition department is celebrating the Florida orange. Who knew that oranges were so packed full of nutrients and could really help us fight off diseases? One orange has 106 percent of the daily requirements for Vitamin C, 6 percent calcium, 6 percent vitamin A, 238 mg of potassium, 3.5 grams of fiber, zero fat and cholesterol and only 65 calories!

So what might oranges do for our bodies? Well, the vitamin C will help prevent diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke and the common cold. Potassium also reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke as well as osteoporosis and lastly, calcium also reduces the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. As you can see, eating oranges is a great idea that will help keep our bodies healthy and diseases away.

We’d like to invite parents, guardians and family members to the monthly Family Day – held on the third Thursday of every month – at your child’s school for lunch, on Thursday, Jan. 21.

Finally, here’s your take-home recipe:

Amazing broccoli orange salad

Ingredients:
* 5 cups broccoli flowerets
* Tbsp. 2almonds
* 2 oranges, sectioned
* 1 orange, grated peel and juice
* 5 green onions, chopped
* 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
* 1 Tbsp. sugar
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil
* as needed salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Steam broccoli for 3 minutes and rinse with cold water to stop cooking quickly.
2. Combine almonds, oranges, juice, onions, vinegar, sugar and olive oil.
3. Let stand for 20 minutes.
4. Pour over broccoli, toss and season with salt and pepper.