Clean Your Insides After A Winter Full Of Comfort Food
A little birdie told me that the sun is out, flowers are blooming, and hibernation is over! During the spring season we often clear out our closets, scrub our windows, and spruce up our yards, but perhaps we really should be switching up our spring-cleaning attention. This year let’s focus on tuning-up a different interior and exterior structure – our body.
Check out these fresh ideas using fruits and veggies to help clean your insides after a winter full of comfort food.
Step up your Salad Game!
- Strawberries and rhubarb aren’t just a pie powerhouse. Pair them in salad for a sweet and tart blend.
- Radishes are all the rave. Pickle them for an acidic note or use watermelon radishes for a beautiful pink touch of color.
- Turn over a new leaf. Introduce radicchio, red cabbage, swiss chard, mustard greens, or shredded Brussels sprouts to your salad as a tasty leafy addition or alternative.
- Who says you can’t have salad for breakfast? Start your day with a bowl of mixed greens, blueberries, orange slices, and granola.
Pump up Pesto!
- Basil makes for a pretty pesto, but so do beets, carrots, and peas! Try making the swap and combining them with a different nut like macadamias, almonds, or walnuts for a scrumptious switch.
Get Jammin’!
- In your next batch of jam, showcase fruit rather than sugar by heating 2 ½ cups of berries until they start to burst, remove from heat, and allow to cool. Add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to thicken the fruit.
- Use to top off oatmeal, smear on bread, or drizzle on frozen yogurt!
Freshen-up your Favs!
- Don’t worry, we don’t need to completely throw comfort to the curb – just lighten up the dish! If soups are your style, try a garden filled gazpacho with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and herbs. Watermelons, cantaloupes, and berries also make for lovely chilled soups that are refreshing twists to hearty classics.
Hopefully these ideas are a breath of fresh air and motivate you to make a new spring-cleaning list this year! For more spring meal ideas, check out giantfoodstores.com.
