It's Florida Grapefruit Season!
Lean on the power of this citrus gem

Florida Grapefruit and Jerk-Grilled Chicken With Arugula Salad
Florida Grapefruit Salad With Seared Shrimp

(Family Features) - It's time to liven up your diet with the tangy-sweet flavor of Florida grapefruit. It's in peak season; it's a nutrition powerhouse; and it has received the Best Life seal of approval from Bob Greene, Oprah's personal trainer.

Greene recently launched his new weight management program, The Best Life Diet, which includes grapefruit as one of his recommended foods. "I've long been a fan of fresh Florida grapefruit's nutrition and weight-management benefits," he says. The fruit comes out a winner for its vitamin C, fiber, lycopene and antioxidants.

While grapefruit is enjoyable all on its own, it also adds zing to recipes. In support of Greene's new diet plan, professional chefs competed in a national recipe contest to demonstrate how easy it is to prepare delicious grapefruit dishes that fit the nutrition specifications of The Best Life Diet.

A panel of judges from the renowned Culinary Institute of America reviewed the recipes and selected the winners.

Winning to Lose

Winning recipes in the "Florida Grapefruit for Your Best Life" contest were designed to help you lose - weight, that is. Each recipe is simple to prepare and contains fewer than 600 calories, at least 5 grams of fiber, less than 600 milligrams of sodium and no more than 5 grams of saturated fat.

It should be easy to find Florida grapefruit aplenty in your favorite grocery store. This is one of Florida's best grapefruit seasons in years for taste and sweetness of the fruit. Take advantage of the superb quality and quantity of this year's crop and try out some new Best Life Diet-approved recipes.

For these winning recipes and more, visit www.floridajuice_com/bestlife.

First Place

Florida Grapefruit and Jerk-Grilled Chicken With Arugula Salad
By Chef Matthew Laman, Sodexho USA in Hummelstown, Pa.
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Chicken:
4 6-ounce boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon jerk marinade
Sauce:
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups no-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 2 Florida grapefruits (about 16 ounces)
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Salad:
2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Florida grapefruit, peeled, segmented and coarsely chopped
2 papayas, peeled, seeded and diced
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
16 grape tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise
4 1/4-inch fresh pineapple rings

Place chicken and jerk marinade in large, zipper-top bag; seal and refrigerate one hour. Remove chicken from bag and place on hot grill. Grill chicken until thoroughly cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

In heavy skillet over medium-high heat, sauté garlic with non-stick cooking spray, then add chicken stock and grapefruit juice. Bring to a boil, lower temperature to medium-low and reduce to syrup. Add cilantro. Stir well and set aside. In large bowl, combine arugula, olive oil, chopped grapefruit and pepper. Toss to coat; add tomatoes and papaya.

Place one pineapple ring on each center of 4 dinner plates. Top each ring with one grilled chicken breast. Divide salad into 4 equal parts; place on grilled chicken. Drizzle plates with sauce.

Nutrients per serving: 414 calories (21% calories from fat); 39g protein; 45g carbohydrates; 6g fiber; 10g total fat (1.7g saturated, 5.8g monounsaturated, 1.5g polyunsaturated); 142mg sodium, vitamin A 70% DV, vitamin C 339% DV, calcium 12% DV, iron 14% DV

Analysis from NutritionData.

Second Place

Florida Grapefruit Salad With Seared Shrimp
By Chef Holly Peterson, Chef Consultant and Owner of Sea Star Sea Salt in Napa Valley, Calif.
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Salad:
8 baby potatoes
3 Florida grapefruits
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (to yield about 1 cup)
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled and cubed
1 persimmon, peeled and cubed
4 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds
2 sprigs tarragon with leaves separated from stem
1 head radicchio, torn into medium-sized pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 jumbo shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons plus
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until very tender. While potatoes cook, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in medium bowl. Quarter cooked potatoes and place them immediately into vinaigrette while hot to infuse flavor. Zest grapefruit to get 2 to 3 tablespoons of peel. Then, peel and segment grapefruits; place in strainer over bowl to save juice for searing shrimp.

In hot sauté pan, sear shrimp in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook shrimp 1 or 2 minutes on each side. Add grapefruit zest and reserved juice to pan. Combine shrimp and remaining salad ingredients, toss and serve.

Nutrients per serving: 508 calories (32% calories from fat); 29g protein; 59g carbohydrates; 11g fiber; 19g total fat (0g saturated, 11.8g monounsaturated, 2.7g polyunsaturated); 635mg sodium; vitamin A 30% DV; vitamin C 196% DV; calcium 14% DV; iron 26% DV

Analysis from NutritionData.

SOURCE: Florida Department of Citrus