December’s Featured Food:
100% Fruit Juices

What to do?

• 1. Don’t drink more than one cup of fruit juice a day. Get the rest of your fruit by eating whole fruit.
• 2. To reduce the amount of sugar and calories in juice, try half juice and half seltzer water.
• 3. Still thirsty? Go for plain water.
  

Making healthy choices in the "Juice Jungle"

• Check the label!

First, choose 100% juice. Juice products may have NO fruit juice or they may be 100% juice (and all percentages in between). And the amounts of calories and sugar may be similar, but 100% fruit juice will have the same vitamins and phytonutrients* found in the fruit it came from.

Second, go for darker color. In general, there is more nutrition in dark colored juices like orange juice and Concord grape juice. Less in apple and white grape juice.

Third, read the fine print on the “Ingredients” label. Some juice packages may say “Berry” in big letters on the front. Turn the package around and you’re most likely to find in the “Ingredient” label only a small percent of juice is from berries.

“All natural” on the package tells you nothing about the amount or type of fruit juice in the package.

* Food has nutrients (which are essential for life) and phytonutrients. These are not essential but do promote good health.

• A word about price

The cost of the juice will not help you pick the healthiest juice. You can pay the same price for a quart of 100% orange juice as for 0% orange drink.

• “Eat Well; Be Well” favorites

100% orange juice is an old favorite that will give you over 100% of the Daily Value of vitamin C per cup. It also provides other vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. 100% Concord (purple) grape juice has phytonutrients that may prevent heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Using Fruit Juice in Holiday Meals

Holiday Punch – a festive colored drink
¾ cup brewed tea, chilled
¾ cup Concord grape juice, chilled
12 oz. can (1 ½ cups) Fresca, chilled

Combine tea and grape juice. Fill glass half full with ice and juice mixture. Add Fresca.This recipe can be easily increased to serve a crowd.
Makes 4 servings

Chicken/Pork chops with Orange Sauce 
2 tsp. canola or olive oil
2 1/2-3 lbs chicken (cut up and skin removed) or 6 – 8 lean pork chops
2 medium onions, sliced
1/2 cup pitted black olives, sliced (optional),
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
2T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1T. cold water
2 tsp. cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat oil in skillet, add meat and brown on all sides.
Transfer meat to large (11” x9” ) casserole/baking dish. Top with onions and olives. Sprinkle meat and vegetables with salt, pepper.
In a separate bowl mix juices, honey and spices. Pour over meat & vegetables in baking dish. Cover baking dish and bake 45-60 min until meat is cooked (juices will run clear, not bloody when meat is pricked with a knife). Transfer meat to serving plate and pour "pan juices" into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
In separate bowl mix water and cornstarch. Once combined add to pan juices in saucepan, cook and stir until slightly thickened.
Pour sauce over meat. Good served with brown rice and a green vegetable.
Note: also works well in a crockpot.
Makes 6-8 servings

Recipe developed by Christine Martin, MS, RD

Ruby Peach Halves
15 oz. can peach halves in extra light syrup or in juice
1 cup 100% Concord grape juice

Drain peaches, saving juice. Combine juice from peaches and grape juice in a medium saucepan. Boil over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until juice starts to get thick.
Remove from heat. Add peach halves. Turn every 5 minutes or so for the first half hour so they color evenly. Allow to marinate for 1 hour or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Makes six small servings