I naturally gravitate toward warm ingredients during the cooler months of the year, whether warm in temperature or warm in heat-producing qualities. Because this all-raw salad is served at room temperature or cold, I use one of my favorite spices to bring a natural rise in heat within the body: cinnamon. Cinnamon has been shown to help reduce blood sugar spikes and keep our blood sugar levels nice and steady whenever we eat any carbohydrate, such as fruit. The arrangement of thinly sliced citrus fruits makes for an impressive presentation for the many holidays during the fall and winter season.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　2 large pink grapefruits

　　2 blood oranges

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

　　1/2 teaspoon sea salt

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh sage

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for dusting

　　

Step 1

Keep the peel on the fruits to start, which makes slicing them into thin pieces much easier. With a sharp knife, slice the grapefruits and the oranges into thin rounds. Remove the peel from the perimeter of all the rounds. You may do so by using your finger, or make a small slit into the peel and continue to tear the peel off—you’ll want to be delicate with this entire process so as not to damage the round shape.

　　

Step 2

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, sage, and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 3

Arrange the fruit rounds on a large platter or plate, alternating the colors. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and dust with the cinnamon just before serving. Serve immediately or store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for 1 day.

　　From Nutrition Stripped: 100 Whole-Food Recipes Made Deliciously Simple © 2013 by McKel Hill. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.Reprinted with permission by WilliamMorrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.