Fresh navel oranges are a terrific addition to healthful salads.

(ARA) – On a hot day, nothing tastes more refreshing than the sweet tang of fresh citrus. And now we can enjoy the seedless pleasures of navel oranges — fresh from Chile, where their winter harvest is in full swing.

One juicy segment after another — that’s one of the best ways to enjoy easily peeled navel oranges. Keep a bowlful of wedges front and center in the fridge for healthy refreshing snacks, or cut into segments for fruit plates or garnishes.

Think oranges are too much trouble? Think again. For painless peeling trim slices from the top and bottom. Place one end down on a cutting board. Cut or peel strips from top to bottom, removing the white pith. Separate segments by pulling or cutting between surrounding membranes and enjoy.

Whirl orange segments in a blender with vanilla yogurt and mango sorbet for a delicious smoothie.

Fresh navel oranges are terrific in healthful salads, but also think of them in cold soups and fruity drinks. Who wouldn’t love a sprightly Chilean Navel Orange and Radish Salad with Citrus-Dijon dressing? Another day, dip into Chilean Navel Orange and Tomato Gazpacho, a delightfully different twist on a beloved cold soup. Or, how about a smoothie made by whirling in a blender a combo of navel segments, vanilla yogurt and mango sorbet?

Other navel orange inspirations include:

On the grill
* Skewer orange pieces with pork or chicken cubes. Brush with teriyaki sauce or another marinade.
* Sprinkle thick, peeled orange slices with ground ginger. Grill until lightly caramelized. * Use as a bed for grilled fish or cut up and add to salads.

Salads and such
* Add navel orange segments, zest and toasted almonds to a couscous or mixed grain salad.
* Cut orange segments into halves for chicken salad dressed with a tangy yogurt-dill dressing. Serve in a Boston lettuce cup or on a sandwich.
* For a refreshing salsa, coarsely chop orange or Clementine segments, cucumber and red onion. Season with chipotle pepper, cilantro and lime juice.
* Send your salad in a Mediterranean direction with sliced oranges, sweet onions, oil-cured olives and a pesto dressing.

Quick Sips
* Make an ultra-easy sorbet with a food processor by pureeing frozen Chilean navel orange or grapefruit segments with a little confectioners’ sugar.
* For a nutritious smoothie, give frozen grapefruit, navel or Clementine segments, banana and cranberry juice a whirl in your blender.
* Give a pretty orange wedge garnish to a classic cocktail (think Tom Collins, old-fashioneds and margaritas –) or create your own.

Navel oranges join an elite collection of Chilean citrus that also includes lemons, mandarin oranges, Clementines and grapefruit. They ripen to sweet perfection in Chilean valleys that provide just the right conditions: warm sunny days and cool nights.

The cool vibe of citrus can’t be beat — and the concept just got better with the arrival of Chilean navel oranges.

Chilean Navel Orange and Radish Salad

Serves four

Ingredients:
3 Chilean navel oranges, peeled
4 cups mixed baby greens (about 5 ounces)
1 small green apple, cut into matchsticks (about 1-1/2 cups)
3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes (about 4 radishes)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion (green onion)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground black pepper

Directions:
Into large bowl, cut oranges into segments, reserving membranes. Add greens, apple, radishes and scallion; toss gently. In small bowl, squeeze two tablespoons orange juice from membranes; stir in vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and black pepper. Divide orange salad mixture equally among four salad plates; top with dressing.

Chilean Navel Orange and Tomato Gazpacho

Serves four

Ingredients:
3 Chilean navel oranges
3 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion (green onion)

Directions
Grate one teaspoon zest from one orange; set aside. Peel all oranges. Into a small bowl cut one of the oranges into segments; cut into small pieces; set aside. Cut remaining two oranges into two-inch chunks; place in a food processor. Quarter two of the tomatoes; add to the food processor along with red pepper, vinegar, oil, salt, black pepper and reserved orange zest. Pulse until orange mixture is very finely chopped but not pureed, about 10 to 12 times. Chop remaining tomato; add to orange in the small bowl along with scallion. Divide gazpacho among four soup plates; top with chopped orange, tomato and scallion mixture.

Courtesy of ARAContent

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Think of Mexican food and soup is not the first thing that comes to mind. But considering how many delicious Mexican soup recipes there are, it could never be last on the list. Here’s a small sampling of some of those delightful concoctions.

- Fabada Asturiana

Fabada is a soup imported to Mexico centuries ago by the Spaniards from the Asturia mountain section of Spain. It has since conquered many a palate.

Ingredients:
1 lb large white Fava beans
4 small chorizos
1/4 lb pancetta
1/4 lb jamón serrano
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika

Soak the beans overnight. The next day, put the chorizos, pancetta and jamón serrano in a pan and spread the beans over the meat. Then cover the mixture with water. Bring the result slowly to a boil and let it simmer for about an hour. Check it occasionally to make sure the water hasn’t boiled away and exposed the ingredients. Then, sprinkle the garlic and paprika over the stew and cook for another hour.

- Gazpacho

Making a traditional gazpacho takes only a few minutes of preparation and the ingredient list is simplicity itself.

Ingredients:
4-14 1/2 oz cans of Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 large cucumber
1 bell pepper
2 tbsp chopped green chiles

Just chop the cucumber and bell pepper then mix up the ingredients. Refrigerate the mixture overnight. Easy!

- Sopa de Huevo

The Chinese aren’t the only ones who can produce an outstanding egg soup. This one has many of the same ingredients, but makes for a delightful variation.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
6 cups of chicken broth
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp parsley, chopped 
A pinch of chile powder

Bring the chicken broth to a slow boil. While you’re waiting, whip the eggs together with the flour using a whisk. Add the egg-flour mixture. Simmer for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the eggs don’t clump. Top with a little parsley and sprinkle chile powder on top. Spicy.

- Sopa de Ostiones

Many parts of Mexico are near the sea and fishing is an ancient and honorable profession in this land. Oyster soup is one of the most pleasant results.

Ingredients:
4 dozen oysters
1 tomato
1/2 cup of white wine
2 carrots
2 potatoes
1 garlic clove, chopped

Chop up the potatoes and carrots into medium-sized chunks. Bake the tomato for about 15 minutes at 350F/177C, then peal off the outer layers. Then fry it in oil for a few minutes and slice it up. Add the vegetables to about 6 cups of water and heat. Add the oysters, then pour in the wine. Add the garlic and cook for another ten minutes. Seafood doesn’t get any better than this.

These delicious samples of Mexican sopas are easy to make and will delight palates of any nationality. They can be served as an appetizer or comprise the main meal for lunch. But whenever they’re tried, they’ll make for happy diners.

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Gazpacho is an anomaly in the soup world because it is served cold rather than hot. Borrowed largely from Spain, the gazpacho recipe proves to be a great way to beat the heat while filling you up at the same time. Gazpacho has a hearty, piquant flavor and consistency and has ties to the ancient Romans.

In one original gazpacho recipe that can be traced back to its ancient Roman roots, the ingredients were a combination of garlic, olive oil, stale bread, salt and vinegar. The gazpacho recipe morphed and once Spain discovered the new world hundreds of years ago, they were introduced to bell peppers and tomatoes which were quickly incorporated into the heartier fare we recognize today.

The Basis of the Gazpacho Recipe

The basis of the original gazpacho recipe, one you can still find today in Spain, starts with day old bread. You have to soak this day-old bread in water to get it soggy and then squeeze out the water. Next, the bread is then put into a food processor along with some olive oil, red wine vinegar and bit of minced garlic. This concoction is pureed in the food processor into a creamy consistency and serves as the base of this cold soup.

The next step in this gazpacho recipe is to add your onions, tomatoes, bell peppers (in your choice of colors) and even avocado. Again, puree these vegetables with your bread base and then serve with some green cilantro as a garnish.  You can also make a number of variations to this theme using different types of vegetables that are in season. Again, using the bread base for the gazpacho recipe, choose green vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, artichoke hearts, green peppers and more. This will create a green rather than the traditional red look of gazpacho.

Go Wild with your Gazpacho Recipe

The great thing about your basic gazpacho recipe is that you can tweak it to your heart’s desire with a selection of fresh herbs, hot peppers and seasonings. For instance, if you want a more oriental flair, use bok choy, bean sprouts and rice vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar in the bread base. A gazpacho recipe with an Italian flavor could include fresh basil or oregano when adding the vegetable ingredients.

The best place to look for a gazpacho recipe is the internet but be prepared for a plethora of options! You will find some recipes that bypass the bread base while others may incorporate fruit like watermelon or strawberries. Be adventurous and let your taste buds be your guide when it comes to recipes you want to try.

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