10 photos to inspire your citrus consumption this winter. 

Come the holiday season, I always have a box of satsumas. Yes, satsumas. Not mandarins or tangerines; satsumas. Because they’re easy to peel, seedless and perfect for holiday laziness. Plus the box they come in is perfect for eco-friendly wrapping of gifts.

Be it satsumas, oranges or grapefruits, we’re in high citrus season, and as we like to say, when life gives you lemons, take pictures.

Citrus Tart

Grapefruit Pie

Satsumas 

Orange Basil Popsicle

Grilled Grapefruit Tart

Orange Yogurt Smoothie

Bruleed Grapefruit

Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

Satsuma Sorbet

Lemon Cream Tart 

Images: Mama’s Gotta Bake, LUNCH, sonyaka, menn, Emily, michelle tedjakusuma, Pinku Neko, Chase Aaron, 추영, melba castillo, VincenteSF

If you haven’t heard, there’s been a little thing called Health Care Reform buzzing around the country for the past couple years. Some laud it, others loathe it. Recent news out of Washington, D.C. may leave some women a little lighter in the wallet. The news is that women may soon be entitled to free contraception under heath care reform. Yes, this means free birth control pills, intrauterine devices, patches, and vaginal rings.

U.S. News and World Report Health shares that one studies shows “publicly-funded contraception saves taxpayers $4 for every $1 spent by preventing nearly 2 million pregnancies and 810,000 abortions every year.” Nonetheless, this move is already being met with opposition from the Catholic Church. John Haas is president of the National Catholic Bioethics Center. As he told The Huffington Post, “We think there are other ways to avoid having children than by ingesting chemicals paid for by health insurance.”

So there’s a chance birth control might soon be available to women as never before. As a feminist, I think this is fantastic news. As an environmentalist, this is a bit worrisome. We’ve already addressed the ecological impact of the Pill, noting that the flood of pill-caused estrogen into the water ways has negative, hormone-disrupting effects on wildlife. Not to mention, a flood of hormones can be toxic to your body.

But birth control has been around since the dawn of time, and earlier forms were all free of synthetic hormones. Here’s a nod to some of the ancient forms of contraception. (We’re not suggesting you use them. Just nod at them.)

Acacia Shrub

Ancient Egyptians used to grind up acacia, honey and dates to be inserted into their vaginas. The temperature of the body would then ferment the product into an early spermicide.

Lactation

Already have a baby? Lactation was considered a useful form of birth control in ancient Egypt. (It still is, thought it is not the most effective form.)

Animal-Membrane Condoms

In 19th century France, men used animal-membrane condoms. You may never look at a lamb the same way.

Lemon Juice

Marie Claire reports that the ancient women of Constantinople used sponges dipped in lemon juice. It is thought that sperm can’t survive in a highly acidic environment, so lemon acts as a sperm-killing agent. Studies have shown that it is not too kind to the uterus, either.

Queen Anne’s Lace

The use of Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) dates back to the late 4th or 5th century. Its seeds release a chemical that makes it difficult for a woman to carry a pregnancy.

Images: dhobern, hodac, kiwinz, kirstenloza, sneezypb

Condiments take up a lot of room in our fridge. What are all those crusty containers? It’s time to take control of the fridge (and diets) in our lives, and make our own condiments!

Remember the last time you were at a fancy restaurant, and you were wowed by their fresh, homemade ketchup? Why not make your own? Most condiments require only a few ingredients and a blender or whisk. I did some research and found recipes for six condiments that you can easily make yourself.

1. Ketchup

Say goodbye to ketchup filled with high fructose corn syrup. This simple ketchup recipe below from Epicurious originally came from Gourmet magazine. Or try this version from tiny morsels food blog for more complex flavor and less brown sugar.

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Purée tomatoes (with purée from can) in a blender until smooth.

2. Cook onion in oil in a four quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about eight minutes. Add puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about one hour (stir more frequently toward end of cooking to prevent scorching).

3. Purée ketchup in two batches in blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Chill, covered, at least two hours (for flavors to develop).

2. Mustard

I found endless mustard recipes. Jump in and have fun experimenting to find what suits your taste. Some mustard recipes require cooking and other don’t. Generally, the mustard needs to rest a few days for the flavors to meld and for the spice to mellow, especially if you’re using mustard seeds as opposed to mustard powder. Be sure to label your jars- mustard should last about one month in the refrigerator. One other note: don’t use metal containers, as mustard can oxidize the metal.

Basic Homemade Mustard Recipe:

• 1 Tbsp brown mustard seeds

• 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp mustard flour

1. Soak seeds in wine overnight in a jar on the counter. Next day drain out wine, and reserve for later. Crush seeds. Add in two tsp reserved wine, and two tsp white wine vinegar. Stir, then add in mustard flour and brown sugar.

2. Put in jar and put in fridge, taste in a few days – it takes a couple days for the flavors to really come out.

Recipe and photo from: Meighan

Or, find 148 other mustard recipes, such as Dijon mustard or Beer Mustard here!

3. Mayonnaise

I have to admit for some time I’ve been in the “fear-of-mayonnaise” camp. However, after perusing a number of mayonnaise recipes, I have come to the conclusion that I could very well conquer this fear if I made it myself! Mayonnaise is little more than egg yolk, oil and lemon juice. Try this recipe out below from Gourmet posted on Epicurious.

Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe:

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

Active time: 10 min

Total time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 30 minutes

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil (or a combination), divided

• 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar or cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation

Whisk together yolk, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well. Add about 1/4 cup oil drop by drop, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in vinegar and lemon juice, then add remaining 1/2 cup oil in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly until well blended. If at any time it appears that oil is not being incorporated, stop adding oil and whisk mixture vigorously until smooth, then continue adding oil. Whisk in salt to taste and white pepper. Chill, surface covered with plastic wrap, until ready to use.

4. Salsa

Tomato season is drawing near, and there is nothing as fabulous as homemade salsa. It’s also extremely easy to make. Granted, it doesn’t last long in the fridge, but then again, how could something so tasty ever last long? I usually eye-ball the ratios, depending on how many tomatoes I have. The amount of spice depends on the amount of jalapeno you use. Start conservatively, and add more to taste.  Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, diced

• about 1/2 red onion, chopped small

• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno, minced

• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)

• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lime

• Handful of cleaned cilantro leaves, chopped small

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with tortilla chips.

5. Goddess Dressing

Salad dressing, as I mentioned in my vinaigrette posting, is something we should all make ourselves. I know a lot of fans of Annie’s Goddess Dressing and when looking for a similar version, I was amazed at the amount of variation from one recipe to the next. The recipe I’ve included below seems like a good take. I also found numerous other Tahini-style dressings. This very simple Tahini-Miso Dressing from Kitchn is one I plan to try.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons plain sesame oil or olive oil

• 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil (not plain sesame oil)

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 2 Tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup water

• 4 green onions (white and green parts)

• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon shoyu or tamari (soy sauce)

• 4 fresh garlic cloves

• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (toast them first if desired)

• 2 sprigs parsley (leaves only)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

1. Combine everything in a blender or food processor.

2. Taste to adjust flavors, if too thick, add water 1 tbs at a time until it’s the consistency you prefer.

3. Add a tsp more vinegar or soy for a stronger flavor.

4. A tsp more toasted sesame oil will add a “richer” flavor.

5. Store in the fridge in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

6. Peanut Butter

This simple peanut butter recipe sounds delicious. Serve with your favorite homemade jam or fruit preserves.

Recipe from: Little Blue Hen food blog

Homemade Peanut Butter Recipe:

Yields about 1.5 cups of peanut butter

Note: The darker you roast your peanuts, the more intense the flavor. We prefer a bit lighter roast, but you may not. Using a darker pan will make the peanuts toast faster, so times are approximate. I had to process mine in batches because I have a small-capacity food processor. If you have a 12-cup bowl it will probably work in one go.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 13 ounces) raw peanuts

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral-flavored oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread peanuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Peanuts are done when they are just golden brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool.

2. When peanuts are cool enough to handle, rub them between your hands to loosen the skins. Place peanuts in a salad spinner to separate skins from peanuts.

3. If crunchy peanut butter is desired, reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the peanuts. In the bowl of a food processor, combine peanuts, honey, and salt. If the capacity of your food processor is small, work in two or three batches. Pulse a few times to break up the peanuts, then drizzle in some oil. Process until smooth. If making crunchy peanut butter, chop reserved peanuts and stir in.

4. Store refrigerated in an air-tight jar (an old peanut jar works really well) for up to a month.

Images: Chiot’s Run, tiny morsels,  kochtopf, Meighan, chocokat, FotoosVanRobin, Jon Sullivan, bodhimama, Little Blue Hen

Sarah clued us in on the wonders of the artichoke, and since the season’s first spiny lovelies are just appearing in the market, here’s a simple, streamlined recipe to inspire you.

Artichokes make a great appetizer or side dish. These accompanied sautéed petrale sole and roasted potatoes. The roasted artichokes make a great base for risotto, pasta, or pizza, as well.

This recipe calls for small or medium artichokes, not the giant globe kind. These smaller artichokes are easier to prepare, as the choke is not fully developed. When trimming artichokes, it may seem wasteful to take so many of the outer leaves off, but you really can’t eat them, so compost them! This recipe easily expands to serve more people. Green garlic is simply young garlic, picked before the cloves are fully developed. It’s a special, short season treat and it has a milder flavor than mature garlic. Like artichokes it is a harbinger of spring so the two make a great pair. You will need two lemons total. If Meyer lemons are available, use those, as they are perfect for this recipe. And of course, use organic ingredients from your local farmers’ market whenever you can. And for all you anchovy haters (or vegetarians) out there, yes, you can leave out the anchovies if you must but they do add a special something.

Roasted Artichokes with Lemon Anchovy Caper Vinaigrette

Serves 2

For artichokes:

2 medium or 8 baby artichokes
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
Salt

For the vinaigrette:

2 – 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped green garlic (use regular garlic if green garlic is not in season, but use only 1-2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 heaping half teaspoon capers, finely chopped
1 anchovy filet, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To prepare the artichokes:

Ready a bowl large enough to accommodate the artichokes and fill it with water. Squeeze the lemon into the water, reserving the rind. Cut off the bottom 1/2 inch of the artichoke stems and discard. Cut off the top 1/2 inch of the artichokes.

As you work, rub the artichokes with the lemon flesh still clinging to the reserved rind. Working from the bottom up, bend back the outer leaves until they snap off close to base, discarding them as you go, until you reach the tender, light yellow-green leaves. Continue to rub with lemon occasionally.

With a paring knife, trim the dark green outer layer from the base and stem. Halve the artichokes lengthwise if using babies, and quarter if using medium artichokes. If the choke is furry, scoop it out with a spoon. It might not have developed yet. Drop the artichokes into lemon water as you work.

To cook:

When all the artichokes are prepped, drain them, pat them dry and toss them with the olive oil, the sliced garlic, and salt to taste. Transfer them to a roasting pan or baking sheet and roast in a single layer for 15-20 minutes (for baby artichokes) or 30-40 minutes (for medium artichokes), or until they are tender and beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette:

Whisk together the lemon juice, green or regular garlic, shallot, capers, anchovies, parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the artichokes warm or room temperature drizzled with the vinaigrette.

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Note: use organic, local ingredients whenever possible.

Image: FotoosVanRobin