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

Strawberry Heaven

Local strawberries are on their way out, but several vendors at our markets still have a few. And the California crop was humongous this year, so we do have a bounty of these berries on hand.

Since they are so widely available, there's no reason to settle for inferior baskets of these sweet treats. Here are some tips about choosing strawberries, from an article we (Mary Ann Barnes and I) wrote last spring for Whole Living Journal:

Strawberries: How to select the best ones

Have you ever been seduced into buying a carton of big, fat, shiny strawberries only to take them home and feel like you’re eating damp cardboard? Experiences like that make us eye those bright red temptresses with a little more skepticism the next time we cross the produce aisle of the grocery. However, there are a few tips to selecting strawberries to assure your family the best taste and nutritional benefit.

The first word of advice is to look for fruit that is not damaged, soft, or have liquids on the bottom. Strawberries do not ripen once picked. Make certain the red coloration extends all the way to a snug green cap of leaves.

Mendelian genetics have been used by local farmers and agribusiness to improve crop production by making produce more resistant to pests and selecting out the specimens that yield the largest volume and quality of fruit. At times, these genetic modifications have come at the expense of taste and nutrition.

Fortunately, the battalions of powerful antioxidants that make strawberries so legendary in nutrition circles are also the source of the wonderful sweet fragrance that awakens our senses. You can find me shamelessly sniffing at each variety proffered at local groceries. If they smell good to the nose, they’ll be even better on the palate.

Also here's a re-post of a favorite spring salad of mine that uses strawberries and another ingredient now at the markets, arugula.

Recipe: Arugula salad with strawberries and walnuts

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons walnut oil

3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups arugula, rinsed and patted dry

2 cups strawberries, sliced

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

½ cup shaved good quality Parmesan cheese, or more to taste

Instructions:

Combine oils and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to blend.

Add salt and pepper to dressing and set aside.

Combine arugula, strawberries and walnuts in a large bowl and add dressing, tossing to coat arugula. Divide into salad bowls or plates, sprinkle with cheese and serve.

A profusion of strawberries

It's strawberry season, and the especially good news is that the delicious red berries are having a prolific year. Apparently the crops in Florida and California have been so big this spring that prices are very low. That's why you're likely to see great sales on strawberries just about every week.

Of course, berries grown and harvested closer to home are going to be tastier. They're picked much closer to ripeness because they don't have to withstand all that shipping and still arrive looking appealing. Here in our market, I've only seen a couple of growers at Findlay Market who's had them yet this spring, but that's about to change. You should be finding local strawberries all around the area very soon.

Here's a short piece my healthy foodie colleague, Mary Ann Barnes, wrote for our column in Whole Living Journal last spring.

Strawberries: How to select the best ones

Have you ever been seduced into buying a carton of big, fat, shiny strawberries only to take them home and feel like you’re eating damp cardboard? Experiences like that make us eye those bright red temptresses with a little more skepticism the next time we cross the produce aisle of the grocery. However, there are a few tips to selecting strawberries to assure your family the best taste and nutritional benefit.

The first word of advice is to look for fruit that is not damaged, soft, or have liquids on the bottom. Strawberries do not ripen once picked. Make certain the red coloration extends all the way to a snug green cap of leaves.

Mendelian genetics have been used by local farmers and agribusiness to improve crop production by making produce more resistant to pests and selecting out the specimens that yield the largest volume and quality of fruit. At times, these genetic modifications have come at the expense of taste and nutrition.

Fortunately, the battalions of powerful antioxidants that make strawberries so legendary in nutrition circles are also the source of the wonderful sweet fragrance that awakens our senses. You can find me shamelessly sniffing at each variety proffered at local groceries. If they smell good to the nose, they’ll be even better on the palate.

Try this salad as a way to enjoy them.

Recipe: Spring Salad with Strawberries, Goat Cheese and Pecans
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons walnut oil

3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups arugula, rinsed and patted dry

2 cups strawberries, sliced

½ cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

½ cup shaved good quality Parmesan cheese, or more to taste

Instructions:

Combine oils and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to blend.

Add salt and pepper to dressing and set aside.

Combine arugula, strawberries and nuts in a large bowl and add dressing, tossing to coat arugula. Divide into salad bowls or plates, sprinkle with cheese and serve.

A Valentine to Your Heart

Someone once said that a strawberry is a heart-shaped valentine to the human heart, and there’s plenty of evidence that the gorgeous red berry is one of nature’s superfoods.

Strawberries are low in calories, fat free, and are rich in fiber, Vitamin C, folate, potassium and cancer-fighting antioxidants. One study found that regular consumption of strawberries decreases systolic blood pressure and increased blood folate levels, both of which can contribute to heart health.

Even though you can find fresh strawberries in supermarkets almost any time, the season for locally grown berries is coming very soon (May and June). And it’s always better to buy produce grown near your home whenever possible. Local berries have traveled a fraction of the distance between farm and table compared to the fruit you find in fall and winter, and it’s easier to find out whether they have been organically farmed—because you can ask the farmer! Two places to buy locally grown berries are Kremer’s Market in Crescent Springs and Madison’s at good old Findlay Market in Cincinnati.

When you get these treasures home, wash, hull, cut and sweeten them—unrefined cane sugar (such as Sucanat) helps protect strawberries from mold—and store in an air-tight container in the fridge. Then they’re ready to add to your morning oatmeal or cold cereal, or sprinkle over plain or frozen yogurt. I also love the combination of strawberries and high-quality balsamic vinegar, which actually is surprisingly delicious over ice cream, maybe with the addition of a little cracked black pepper. Sounds weird, but if you are the adventurous type, give it a try.

Or use some berries in this salad that combines sweet, sour, bitter, creamy and crunchy flavors in one marvelous springtime treat.

Recipe: Arugula salad with strawberries and walnuts

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons walnut oil

3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups arugula, rinsed and patted dry

2 cups strawberries, sliced

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

½ cup shaved good quality Parmesan cheese, or more to taste

Instructions:

Combine oils and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to blend.

Add salt and pepper to dressing and set aside.

Combine arugula, strawberries and walnuts in a large bowl and add dressing, tossing to coat arugula. Divide into salad bowls or plates, sprinkle with cheese and serve.