This Cinnamon and Honey Broiled Grapefruit Will Brighten Up Any Meal
Breakfast or dessert? It's ready in 15 minutes.
Transform bitter grapefruit with a pinch of cinnamon, a spoonful (or two!) of honey, and less than ten minutes in the oven. This simple broiled grapefruit is a delicious way to begin the day, or a sweet way to enjoy dessert.
Buying the Ingredients
Vivid pink and red grapefruit are available at the grocery market year round, but their peak season runs from November to June. Look for firm and heavy grapefruits – which ensures they are seriously juicy. It should have smooth, thin skin. Avoid rough looking and coarse-skinned fruit, which may indicate that the fruit is dry.
Grapefruit are packed with nutrients, including vitamins C, A, and B1, copper, fiber, and potassium. This citrus fruit is also a good source of plant-powered phytonutrients, including lycopene. Consuming lycopene-rich foods, like grapefruit, watermelon, and tomatoes, has been shown to reduce oxidative stress to cells, and may even reduce the risk of prostate cancer, according to a 2007 study. The study showed that men who regularly consumed lycopene-rich foods were 82 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer, as compared to men who consumed the least amount of lycopene-rich foods.
Other antioxidants in grapefruit include flavanones, which have been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, beta-carotene, and vitamin C, which can protect cells from damage.
The fruit is also thought to prevent insulin resistance, therefore reducing risk of diabetes. A 2006 study of 91 obese patients found that those who ate half of a fresh grapefruit before meals experienced a significant reduction in insulin levels and insulin resistance, compared to the individuals who did not consume grapefruit.
Kitchen Prep
The preparation for this broiled grapefruit couldn’t be simpler. Preheat the oven’s broiler, cut grapefruit, and prepare the honey mixture to spoon overtop.
Although honey is a delicious addition, alternative sweeteners can be used as well. Swap honey with maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or even blackstrap molasses for a dark and rich sweetness.
Cinnamon can easily be swapped with cardamom, nutmeg, and ginger, or even a mixture of the four. A delicious way to kick this recipe up a notch is to add a pinch of cayenne to the honey mixture. Don’t feel spicy? Just use honey, and the recipe will be simply sweet.
Ingredients
Preparation
- Preheat oven’s broiler on high.
- Cut grapefruit and place in a deep baking dish.
- Mix together honey, cinnamon, and sea salt in a small bowl until combined. Drizzle mixture evenly on grapefruit.
- Broil grapefruit in the oven 8-10 minutes, or until honey on top begins to bubble and caramelize.
- Remove grapefruit from oven and serve plain, with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream, coconut cream, or a sprinkle of granola. Enjoy!
