Lunch: Citrus Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

Recipe by Grace Parisi Adding limes to this salad gives it a distinctly tart flavor, but feel free to leave them out and use more oranges or grapefruit instead.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Poppy Seeds, Lemon, Grapefruit

Health benefits of Citrus Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

Poppy seeds are packed with calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and zinc. Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form. Grapefruits are rich in folic acid. One grapefruit will give you 8% of your daily needs of folic acid.

Ingredients

6 oranges
2 red grapefruits
2 limes
1 large shallot
1/2 c. flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. crème fraîche or sour cream
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. poppy seeds
salt

Instructions

Using a sharp knife, carefully peel the oranges, red grapefruits, and limes, removing all of the bitter white pith. Working over a small bowl to catch the juices from the fruit, cut in between the membranes to release the sections. Cut the lime and grapefruit sections into thirds and leave the orange sections whole. Transfer all of the citrus to a serving bowl and add the sliced shallot and chopped parsley. Reserve the citrus juice for another use.
In another small bowl, whisk the lemon zest with the lemon juice, crème fraîche, maple syrup, and poppy seeds. Season the dressing lightly with salt. Pour the dressing over the fruit, toss the salad gently, and serve right away.