Did you know that improving your health can be as easy as cutting out meat and processed cold cuts one day a week? Doing so can reduce your risk of preventable chronic conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

Enter Meatless Monday. This week's recipe is Sunrise Citrus Salad. "Who says you can’t have salad for breakfast? Tofu cubes are marinated in orange juice, maple syrup and cinnamon, then seared crisp on the stove," says the Meatless Monday website. "A macadamia vinaigrette dresses baby lettuce, while dried cranberries and pistachios let their sour and salty flavor contrast in this satisfying citrus salad."

Serves 3

For the citrus seared tofu cubes:
•    2 cups firm or extra firm tofu, cubed
•    1 tablespoon orange juice
•    1/8 teaspoon orange zest
•    1 tablespoon maple syrup
•    1 1/2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
•    a few dashes cinnamon
•    1 1/2 tablespoons safflower oil
•    pepper, to taste

For the macadamia vinaigrette:
•    2 tablespoons macadamia nut oil
•    3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
•    2 teaspoons agave nectar, to taste
•    black pepper, to taste

To complete the Sunrise Citrus Salad:
•    1/3 cup avocado, diced
•    1 tablespoon lime juice
•    salt, to taste
•    2 cups spring mix lettuce or baby spinach
•    1 tablespoon dried cranberries
•    1/2 grapefruit, peeled, deseeded and sliced
•    1/3 cup orange slices
•    1 cup short grained brown rice, cooked
•    1 tablespoon pistachios

To make the citrus seared tofu cubes:
Squeeze the excess water out of the tofu cubes using your hands or a heavy book lined with paper towels.

Place the orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup and soy sauce together in a medium bowl. Season with the cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste. Soak the tofu cubes in the orange maple marinade for at least 1 hour.

Place the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated tofu cubes and cook for 2 minutes, or until 1 side is seared. Reserve the marinade.

Flip the tofu cubes over using a spatula, add 2 tablespoons of the orange maple marinade to the pan and cook for more 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining orange maple marinade and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until the marinade reduces slightly. Transfer the tofu to a plate and sprinkle pepper over the top, if desired. Pour the reduced marinade over the tofu. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

To make the macadamia vinaigrette:
Whisk the macadamia nut oil, apple cider vinegar and agave nectar together in a small bowl. Season with pepper to taste, adding more agave nectar if desired. Set aside.

To complete the Sunrise Citrus Salad:
Place the avocado in a small bowl and toss with the lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
Divide the spring mix or spinach, cranberries, grapefruit, orange slices and the cooked brown rice between 3 bowls. Dress each with the macadamia vinaigrette to taste. Top each with the lime avocado mixture, tofu cubes and pistachios. Enjoy!

This recipe comes from Healthy. Happy. Life.

Nutrition info: 431 calories, 16 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 121 mg sodium, 61 g total carbs, 5 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar and 14 g protein.

BET Health News - We go beyond the music and entertainment world to bring you important medical information and health-related tips of special relevance to Blacks in the U.S. and around the world.

(Photo: Courtesy meatlessmonday.com)