Orange juice “brings a sweet and tangy flavor to many recipes and provides a variety of nutrients to help maintain good health throughout the year,” says registered dietitian Kim Galeaz, coauthor of 4 Weeks to Maximum Immunity.

She developed today’s super-easy breakfast recipe to help readers maintain a healthy immune system.

All of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store. Enjoy!

An all-natural sweetener, honey shouldn’t be limited to dessert recipes. As today’s recipe demonstrates, it works beautifully in salad dressings. 

When shopping for honey, follow the same guidelines used for pure maple syrup: The lighter the color, the milder the flavor. And with more than 300 honey varieties available—from blueberry and buckwheat to orange blossom and wildflower—you’re sure to find a few favorites. 

All of the salad’s ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store. Enjoy!

Citrus Salad with Avocado

Makes 6 servings

1. Preheat oven to 255°F.
2. Slice tortillas into very thin strips. Dry strips by placing on a cookie sheet and baking for approximately 15 minutes. Set aside.
3. Peel oranges and grapefruits. Section and seed them. Place in large bowl, and set aside.
4. In small bowl, whisk together honey, raspberry vinegar, oil and salt. Pour over citrus sections, and toss gently.
5. Top with avocado slices and tortilla strips. 

Recipe and photo courtesy of the National Honey Board

Registered dietitian Cheryl Forberg, nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser, believes losing weight—and maintaining a healthy weight—can be achieved with a few basic food swaps. 

“A lot of people are afraid that creating a healthier lifestyle will be too hard or too expensive, or that it will require too much time and effort,” says Forberg, coauthor of The Biggest Loser Simple Swaps: 100 Easy Changes to Start Living a Healthier Lifestyle and Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You. 

In today’s recipe, Forberg swaps fat-free  Greek yogurt for traditional fat-free yogurt. It has the same calorie count, but twice the protein and half the carbs. 

Avocados and oranges are seasonal favorites this month and should be readily available at your local natural and organic food store. 

Sliced Avocado and Oranges with Tahini Yogurt Sauce

Makes 4 servings

1 medium (8 ounces) avocado, peeled and sliced
2 medium (7 ounces) seedless navel oranges, peeled and segmented
4 tablespoons Tahini Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley or fresh cilantro, for garnish
1 teaspoon lightly toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

1. Alternate avocado slices with orange segments on four salad plates.
2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon Tahini Yogurt Sauce over each salad.
3. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Tahini Yogurt Sauce

Makes 1 cup

3/4 cup fat-free, plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Process or blend until smooth. Sauce should be the consistency of thick cream.
2. If sauce is too thick to drizzle, you may need to add 1–2 teaspoons water.

Recipe courtesy of Positively Ageless by Cheryl Forberg, RD (Rodale, 2008). Photo courtesy of Avocados from Mexico.

Blood oranges are my favorite citrus fruit, largely because they’re a seasonal treat. 

First grown in Italy and Spain, they’ve made their way to the United States and are now grown in California and Texas. Peak season is November to May (California) and December to March (Texas). 

Our weekend recipe combines blood oranges and red beets for a savory, yet sweet, salad. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store. If you have trouble finding blood oranges, you may substitute navel oranges.

Red Beet and Blood Orange Salad

Serves 4 (about 1 cup salad per serving, plus 1/4 cup dressing for later use)

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup berry-infused red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Salad

2 medium fresh beets (about 10 ounces total), stemmed and scrubbed
4 large Romaine lettuce leaves or 4 cups loosely packed field greens (about 4 ounces total)
2 blood or navel oranges, peeled and cut into sections
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 ounce chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Peel beets under running water to prevent staining of fingertips. Drain on paper towels, and cut each beet into eight wedges.
3. Place beets on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil (from the dressing ingredient list), and toss to coat well. Arrange in a single layer. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Stir beets and cook 10 minutes longer, or until just tender. Remove foil and beets from baking sheet, and place on wire rack to cool at least 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine salad dressing ingredients in a jar or container with lid.
6. Arrange lettuce on a large platter; top with remaining salad ingredients and beets.
7. Shake jar vigorously, and evenly drizzle one half of the dressing over salad. Refrigerate remaining dressing up to 3 days for later use.

Check out:

• Pepita-Crusted Halibut with Blood Orange Jicama Chutney
• Blood Orange Marga-Tea-Tas
• Rose Geranium Sangria
• Greek-Style Beet Salad
• Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Beets and Goat Cheese
• Spinach and Baby Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Plum Vinaigrette, Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese

Recipe and photo courtesy of Pompeian