Winy’s Kitchen: Winy’s Twist on Lemons Part I

By Winy Chen, Registered Dietitian at Beach Cities Health District  

Lemons are a common fruit in almost all households. But it wasn’t until I moved to Southern California that I realized lemon trees are ubiquitous, and many people are willing to give away their lemon crops for free! Lemons are also prevalent in world cuisine and they’re certainly a staple in my home, whether used as a garnish, to flavor a dish or to accentuate drinking water.  I especially love their tangy smell!  When you mindfully smell lemons, you trigger positive emotions like refreshment and awakening. A lemon has many nutritional properties, but it’s best known for having high levels of vitamin C.  For example, a small-sized lemon has more than three times the daily amount of vitamin C necessary to boost your immune system.  Lemons also contain a group of phytochemicals known as flavonoids, which possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In addition to health benefits, lemons have other functional purposes: I regularly use them to keep apples from turning brown.  They possess an acid that inactivates the enzyme that causes apples to spoil. How to select a lemon: Choose small but heavy lemons with firm, thin and smooth skin. How to store lemons: Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Did you know? Lemon trees bloom and produce fruit year-round.  Each tree can produce between 500 and 600 pounds of lemons in a year. Additionally, California and Arizona produce 95% of the entire U.S. lemon crop.

All-American Lemonade
Memories of children setting up lemonade stands on warm, sunny days made a lasting imprint on me growing up. Lemonade is an iconic American drink. Though I never had the courage to set up my own lemonade stand, I made sure my kids had one as soon as they requested it. I also encouraged them to set up their own pricing and marketing campaigns, which were rather fun to watch. In today’s lemonade stands, many kids make lemonade by mixing water with powder. As a foodie and a nutritionist, I am very keen on teaching my children where foods come from. And you can bet the lemonade made at my house is from real, freshly picked lemons. Lemonade is a very easy recipe to teach children. In fact, it was the first recipe I taught to my kids. In the recipe below, I’ve included a twist by adding cucumber purees and mint leaves. As a dietitian, I take every opportunity to sneak in some vegetables… Lemonade with Cucumber and Mint Leaves Ingredients

• 3  Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (requires about 3 lemons)
• 4 cups water
• Stevia or sugar, to taste
• 1 lemon, unpeeled, cut in cartwheel slices
• 4-5 leaves mint leaves
• Ice cubes

Directions
1. Blend chopped cucumbers until liquefied. You may need to add a little bit of water to get the blending started.  Place a sieve/strainer over a bowl to remove the pulp.
2. In a large pitcher, combine cucumber juice, lemon juice and water.  Add stevia or sugar, and stir to dissolve.  Add sliced lemons, mint leaves and ice cubes.