healthy laps

I am in a workshop all day today (Friday) and tomorrow, so I figured I would set up a few posts while I am tied up.

I found a fun new website the other day called Vital Juice.  I think that it is similar to Daily Candy in that you can sign up for email newsletters that they will send you with tidbits of info each day/week/etc.

I was searching through some of the articles on nutrition and found one on Spring Vegetables that I thought was super interesting.

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Even though the weather keeps tricking us, it really is starting to feel like spring around here.  Flowers are popping up, and we keep getting some very nice 60 degree days.  At this point, I will take what we can get!

As you know, I love to eat seasonable local produce, and try to as much as possible.  But, it is hard to eat locally over the winter in New England!  Therefore, once the spring comes, I am more than ready for the farmers markets and CSA’s to begin.

But, my absolute favorite thing about Spring and Summer veggies – grilling them!  It brings out the best flavors and keeps them very healthy.  All you need is a little olive oil and you are good to go.

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The article on Vital Juice, lists many healthy spring fruits and veggies that are important to get into our diets, especially since many of us have been missing out on them (and their nutrients) all winter long.

Check out the list below:

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I have definitely been getting my fair share of asparagus and mangoes recently, but can’t wait for my local farmer’s market to start bringing their greens and native strawberries along.  My body seems to crave different produce in the spring and summer, and this is definitely a normal trait.  In the winter we want more comfort foods to make us warmer (such as potatoes and other starchy veggies) but in the summer, refreshing fruits (such as strawberries and melons) are all that I crave.  Your body is an amazing thing – just listen to your cravings and it will tell you what your body wants and needs.

Another great find for me was the cookbook Clean Food by Terry Walters.

It contains many wonderful recipes broken up into 4 sections – Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall and Anytime.  I have not tried any recipes yet because I literally just picked up the book, but  I have plans to try many Spring recipes in the next few weeks.

It is so important to eat a variety of foods to get all of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need, and even more important to support local farmers!  This cookbook is a great way to help you do both.

Do your cravings change as the seasons do?  What foods have you found yourself craving on the warmer days we have had this month?

Filed under: Cookbooks, Product Reviews | Tagged: Clean Food, fruit, spring, vegetables |