HEALTH

Eat Right

Thanks, Mother Nature! 5 fresh bites to gobble up right now


Bring on the farmer’s markets! Spring is here en force, and we are celebrating by eating up all of her delectable bounty. Here are five things you can find fresh in the grocery store right now, along with a few fantastic ways to serve ‘em. Dig in!

Rhubarb

This red, leafy plant is a funny one. In many parts, it’s considered a vegetable—and indeed, it looks like one. But because it is often treated as a fruit, some states have declared that it is one. The tart stalk can be treated like celery or like berries, cooked down with sugar. The stalks contain 16 percent vitamin C and 10 percent calcium, making it a good source to keep ya healthy and strong in early spring.

Eat it like this: Stew it down with sugar and use it with strawberries in a pie or crumble, or as a dessert topping. Or, roast in the oven with a sprinkling of sugar until soft and toss it in a salad.

Strawberries

A cup of strawberries packs more than your daily recommended serving of vitamin C, so it’s great during cold season. It’s also loaded with fiber—11 percent—making it a fairly filling snack, though it does present a whopping dose of natural sugar (about 7 g). Strawberries also have a particular kind of antioxidants called polyphenols, which boost your immune system, protect your body from cancer and lower your cholesterol.

Eat it like this: You don’t need to add more sugar to these delights to make them palatable. Add them to your morning yogurt or cereal, top toast with Nutella and berries for a breakfast treat or serve them up with real whipped cream.

Asparagus

They might make your pee smell funny for a few hours, but these spears are worth it! Loaded with vitamin A and C as well as iron and fiber, it’s pretty much got all you could want from a veggie. Pick skinny spears and break off the bottom inch before cooking for tender eats.

Eat it like this: Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until they start to brown for a tasty side dish. Or, blanch in water and serve on a crudite platter, chop and toss in pasta or salad.

Peas

Even though they’re tiny, these babies pack a punch! Technically a fruit, they have a surprising amount of protein (8 g in a single cup serving) as well as 7 g fiber and 10 percent potassium. In addition, scooping these little guys up gives ya 22 percent vitamin A, 96 percent vitamin C, 10 percent vitamin B-6 plus iron and magnesium. Whoa.

Eat it like this: We love them on their own with a pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper and a bit of butter, but try mixing them into rice for a pilaf, a cold bean salad or pasta.

Vidalia onions

These sweet onions are grown in Georgia in a certain area defined by state law. They’re fat- and cholesterol-free on top of being a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Another bonus? They contain phenolics and flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

Eat it like this: Roast them with chicken and meats in the oven alongside root vegetables like carrots and potatoes, or slice them thin and put them in a salad raw.

 

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by Brittany Taylor | 2/1/2016
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