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!

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.

Pears are one of my favorite fruits, and they’re currently in season.

Two new organic pear products have found their way into my grocery cart: Zhena Caramelized Pear Tea and Wallaby Nonfat Bartlett Pear Yogurt.

The Caramelized Pear Tea is a blend of organic ingredients: 100% Fair Trade green tea, pear pieces, marigold flowers, and caramel and pear flavors. The 15 biodegradable tea sachets, made of GMO-free corn silk, are packed in a recyclable, airtight tin.

The Bartlett Pear Yogurt also features all-organic ingredients: cultured pasteurized nonfat milk, evaporated cane juice, pear juice concentrate, natural flavor, pectin and locust bean gum. A 6-oz. container has 130 calories and meets 25% of your daily calcium requirement. Click here to find a store near you.

Pick up some organic pears at your local farmers’ market, and try four favorite recipes:

1. Romaine, Pecan and Pear Salad
2. Wilted Greens with Pinot Pears
3. Marjoram-Scented Pears with Gorgonzola
4. Pear and Chocolate Spread

Also: Check out an old favorite, Dishmate Pear Ultra Concentrated Dish Washing Liquid.

Eating a healthy breakfast can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, aid in weight loss, and improve memory and concentration.

For children, skipping breakfast has been associated with headaches, fatigue, restlessness, irritability and other problems.

We tend to forgo breakfast when we’re rushed or bored with the same old morning menu. But solving this quandary is easy: Be creative, stick to simple ingredients, and add a flavorful “wow factor.”

Our weekend recipe is a perfect example of delicious, easy-to-prepare breakfast fare. With only three ingredients, it’s a high-fiber antidote to no-time-for-breakfast excuses.

All of the ingredients should be readily available at your local natural and organic food store.

Mandarin Orange Cereal Bowl

Makes 1 serving

1. Place cereal in serving bowl. Top with mandarin orange segments and juice.
2. Top with yogurt.

Recipe courtesy of Post Classic Cereals