An oval orange

If you haven't already noticed winter is over and spring has begun, this mornings clear blue sky and perfect sunrise told me it was so. Spring reminds me of oranges and with the few remaining in my fruit bowl at home I was determined to not let them spoil. Sweetly spiced orange and chocolate bread was my breakfast of choice. If you have a couple of lazy Orange's hanging around the house then take the following ingredients out of the kitchen cupboard and try this super easy recipe. Perfect for a throw together lazy Sunday brunch.
the ingredients
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup almond meal
2 oranges, zested (coloured part only) and juiced.
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (250ml) milk
1/4 cup oil
100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped, optional

lets have some fun
Pre-heat oven to 190C for fifteen minutes.
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well.
Pour mixture into silicone loaf tray.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before inverting.
Serve warm pieces of sliced Orange and chocolate bread with fresh ricotta, sprinkled with warmly toasted flaked almonds

Oranges are known most commonly or perhaps optimistically some might say, the iconic dimple-skinned Orange holds the cure for the common cold...
Not as sour as its sister fruit the lemon, lime and grapefruit. The orange imparts a much sweeter flavour and has a slightly stringy texture. The hidden juice-filled bubbles of this sweet citrus fruit lay dormant just beneath the thick skinned rough exterior, ready to explode on impact.
Freshly squeezed, oranges make a perfect start to the day, crammed with flu fighting Vitamin C to help fight off any ailments, which may come your way. Oranges can be quartered for a quick snack or carefully segmented with a paring knife they add zing to a summery salad. For a quick flavour boost add a tablespoon of freshly grated Orange zest to your favourite berry dish to enhance the tangy flavour in pies, compotes, bircher-style muesli and decadent chocolate puddings, a union that is hard to resist.
Growing up I remember Oranges being a regular fixture at the local footy, served at quarter time breaks for a quick energy boost.
Do try an oval orange in your own style!

love amie x