Make a Fresh Start with Spring Foods

     Spring is a great time to reset and introduce new foods into your meals. The following are perfect, nutrient-dense, seasonal foods to add in.  

    A cup of cooked spinach has both Vitamin A and K. These vitamins help with eye and bone health. One cup also contains a high amount of folate and iron which can prevent certain types of anemia. Magnesium and potassium present help with muscle development and growth while the Vitamin C available in one cup helps support immune function. If spinach isn’t really your thing, then you can try adding it into salads and serving it with meat, fish, or tofu. It can also be puréed and mixed into sauces, smoothies, soups, and meatballs.  

    One cup of beets is a great source of folate and dietary fiber. If you cook one cup of beet greens, which are edible, this can be a great source of Vitamin A and K, along with potassium and magnesium. Beets are typically not liked by many people so for better flavor they can be served after being roasted. These can be served hot or cold and can add some sweetness and color to your meal. They can also be blended into soups or sauces and even shredded into salads, tacos, and more for a crunchy topping. One other way they can be served is by puréeing them into hummus.  

    Strawberries are a superstar of the spring. One cup of strawberries provides a day’s work of Vitamin C, a great dose of manganese which helps with bone development and adds three grams of dietary fiber. Some ways to mix up your strawberry servings can be by adding them into a fruit salad, green salad, into cereal, with yogurt or blended into a delicious smoothie. Strawberry tops that are washed and cut off can be put into use by adding them into sparkling water for a fruity pop of flavor.  

    The last seasonal fruit is asparagus. One cup of cooked asparagus provides bone-building Vitamin K and folate, while also providing Vitamin A and iron. Asparagus is available in green, purple, and white so these can be fun to eat and paired with different types of foods. Asparagus can be roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper and then be served as a side at dinner or cut into pieces to add into pasta, stir-fries, and more.  

 

Source:https://www.eatright.org/food/food-preparation/seasonal-foods/make-a-fresh-start-with-spring-foods