Winter is here and that means, if you’re anything like us, you’ve been spending a lot of your time indoors. Instead of just waiting around for warmer weather, let’s focus on the bold flavors and bright colors in the produce department right now like blood oranges, mini sweet peppers, and mini gourmet potatoes! The key to a fabulous dish is your ingredients and this selection of fruits and vegetables will make your dishes look like works of art. These recipes don’t require an overwhelming amount of other ingredients and that simplicity lets you really enjoy the individual flavors.
Staying inside looks pretty wonderful when you’re staring at a bowl of Blood Orange & Avocado Salad. Not only are blood oranges mouthwateringly juicy they’re also rich in antioxidants, which have been shown to help reduce the stress of oxidation and lower your risk of chronic health problems like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The trick to making this salad look like you grabbed it right out of a magazine is to take your time and pay close attention to the delicate slicing. This recipe yields 4 servings. One serving contains approximately 225 calories, 3 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 16 grams of fat, 152 mg of sodium, and 7 grams of fiber.
Delicious, healthy, and beautiful doesn’t have to stop there. Roasted mini peppers and potatoes with fresh thyme, rosemary, and garlic are the perfect blend of vegetables that will complement any lean meat of your 
choice. Red peppers are high in Vitamin C, which has been shown to help boost your immune system and reduce the risk of certain chronic or aging-related health conditions. What better way to fight infections than by eating tasty food? The potatoes are rich in potassium. Potassium is a mineral that plays a significant role in maintaining fluid balance, muscle and nerve function, and energy metabolism. Consuming more potassium may also reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. This recipe yields 6 servings. One serving contains approximately 200 kcals, 4 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fat, 170 mg of sodium, and 4 grams of fiber.
Blood Orange & Avocado Salad
Recipe adapted and photo from cookieandkate.com
Ingredients
¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
4 blood oranges, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 large ripe avocado, thinly sliced
2 T fresh lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
1 tsp nigella seed, black sesame seeds, or pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1.Fill a medium-sized bowl with ice and water, and soak the onions for 10 – 20 minutes. This step makes the onions crisp and softens their flavor intensity.
2.Meanwhile, on a large serving plate, layer the orange and avocado slices.
3.Drain the onion well and tuck pieces in between and on top of the orange and avocado. Drizzle the salad with lime juice and sprinkle generously with salt.
4.Sprinkle the seeds and cilantro on top, then drizzle the olive oil all over it. Serve promptly.
Roasted Mini Peppers & Potatoes with Fresh Thyme, Rosemary & Garlic
Recipe adapted and photo from lovethycarrot.com
Ingredients
2 lbs mini bell peppers
1 lb mini potatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
6 cloves fresh garlic (Leave garlic whole with skins on, just smash with the back of a knife)
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 425 F.
2.Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, (this will make for an easy clean-up). One baking sheet will be for the peppers and the other for the potatoes. Cut larger mini peppers in half, leaving the smaller ones whole. Arrange peppers on cookie sheet. Cut potatoes in half and arrange on the second cookie sheet.
3.Add 3 cloves of the smashed garlic to each cookie sheet.
4.Drizzle both of the cookie sheets with oil, add rosemary, thyme and toss everything until nicely coated. You will now have two cookie sheets ready to go in the oven.
5.Bake the peppers for 25 – 35 minutes, or just until slightly charred.
6.Bake the potatoes for 35 – 45 minutes or until fork-tender.
7.Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
8.Serve with a crusty baguette.
