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Whether grated, minced or thinly sliced, citrus zest — the outermost part of the peel — adds a refreshing “zing” to all sorts of sweets and savories, including appetizers, mains, sides, snacks and desserts.  It’s bursting with aromatic oils that add delicate yet distinct flavor to foods. Here are my favorite ways to “zest” up a recipe:

• Sprinkle over plain, vanilla or flavored yogurt
• Stir into softened cream cheese, goat cheese or ricotta cheese. To sweeten, add light honey. Great spread on toast, muffins, waffles, pancakes, English muffins or even quick breads like banana, pumpkin, lemon and date-nut. 
• Add to fruit salads and fruity pie fillings, or stir it into cookie dough.
• Stir into custard, frozen yogurt, ice cream or favorite non-dairy frozen dessert.
• Whip it up with cream for a perfect pie filling or topping, or stir it into cream cheese or butter cream frosting for cakes, cupcakes and brownies. 
• Stir into sauces for meats.
• Add flavor to soups and stews with zest.
• Blend into salad dressings.
• Stir fry with favorite veggies.
• Season any veggies, grains or side dishes with sautéed garlic, onions and your choice of zest. 

Experiment with lemon, grapefruit, orange, blood orange, tangerine, lime and even kumquat zest to liven up a menu without overpowering flavor.  A little bit goes a long way, so start small and increase as needed.  Zest is interchangeable, so swap out zest from different fruits according to your own taste and mood. And you might want to try dried zest from the spice aisle too.

Try these super zesty recipes:

• Lemon Tiramisu
• Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
• Candied Walnuts with Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest
• Zesty Citrus Salt
• Butternut Squash Bisque with Ginger and Orange Zest
• Grilled Lamb Chops with Cherry Salsa
• Green Beans and Pecans with Clementine Dressing
• Blueberry Spelt Muffins
• Coconut Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Wild Rice Pilaf with Squash and Herbs
• Maple and Orange Glazed Carrots
• Greek Linguine
• Gluten Free Italian Cornmeal Cake

Remember, zest is the outermost part of the citrus peel — not to be confused with the pith, the bitter white part just underneath the zest. For best results, use a microplane (a thin grater perfect for the job), a traditional zester or a vegetable peeler. You can also use a sharp knife to remove any pith and cut thin, narrow slices of zest.   

Do you “zest-up” your recipes? Got a favorite? Let me know.