Superfoods of Springtime

We don't have to wait until the summer or fall harvests to feast on incredibly healthy, locally grown, in-season foods. Local asparagus (now available at Findlay Market and others) and strawberries (still a couple of weeks away, most likely) taste way better than anything from the supermarket, but there are several other great foods that are being harvested now and available at local farmers markets.

They include kale, fennel, spinach, leeks and artichokes -- all wonderful, yummy ingredients for savory dishes (or eat the spinach raw in salads and as a substitute for lettuce in sandwiches).
Click here to read an article about the NINE SUPERFOODS OF SPRING and why they are such nutritional powerhouses.

Springtime's "Super Foods"

We don't have to wait until the summer or fall harvests to chow down on incredibly healthy, locally grown, in-season foods. Local asparagus (now available at Findlay Market and others) and strawberries (still a couple of weeks away, most likely) taste way better than anything from the supermarket, but there are several other great foods that are being harvested now and available at local farmers markets.

They include kale, fennel, spinach, leeks and artichokes -- all wonderful, yummy ingredients for savory dishes (or eat the spinach raw in salads and as a substitute for lettuce in sandwiches).
Click here to read an article about the NINE SUPERFOODS OF SPRING and why they are such nutritional powerhouses.

Quick! Make this delicious (& healthy) dessert for Easter

What could say springtime better than strawberries and rhubarb? Try these fruit bars and please everyone you might be feeding this weekend.

Recipe: Fruit Bars with Strawberries and Rhubarb
Makes 12-18 bars, depending on the size of your cut

Ingredients:

 

CRUST

• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts) or old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

FRUIT FILLING

• 3 cups diced strawberries (fresh or frozen), divided
• 3 cups diced fresh rhubarb, divided
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. To prepare crust: Combine 3/4 cup nuts (or oats), whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter; pulse until well incorporated.
2. Whisk egg, oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract in a small bowl. With the motor running, add the mixture to the food processor. Process, then pulse, scraping down the sides, if necessary, until the mixture begins to clump, 30 to 45 seconds (it will look crumbly). Measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture and combine in a bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped nuts (or oats). Set aside for the topping.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
4. To prepare fruit filling & assemble bars: Combine 2 cups strawberries, 2 cups rhubarb, orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very thick, 4 to 5 minutes. (It may take up to 10 minutes to get a thick result if you start with frozen fruit.) Stir in the remaining 1 cup strawberries and 1 cup rhubarb and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
5. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom to form a crust. Spread the fruit filling over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the filling.
6. Bake the bars for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake until the crust and topping are lightly brown, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool completely before cutting into bars, at least 1 1/2 hours.

Source: Adapted from www.eatingwell.com

Lose winter weight with these in-season spring foods

Although it was a wonderfully mild winter for most of the U.S., the darker, colder months tend to be times when we pack on a few pounds.

Here are four foods that have their peak season in spring, and all have properties than can help you drop some of those extra layers of you.
You can find all of these foods all year long, but look for locally grown or farmed varieties over the next couple of months. These foods will be tastier, fresher and retain more of their nutrients than those you find in the supermarket.
Click HERE to read an Eating Well article about the health benefits of:
STRAWBERRIES

EGGS

SALAD GREENS

MUSHROOMS