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4 Spring Foods To Eat and Their Health Benefits

by Stephanie

4 Spring Foods To Eat and Their Health Benefits

It’s spring! It’s spring! It’s spring!

Spring is one of my most favourite times of the year because the sun starts to shine more often, the air is fresh and we start to get excited about Farmer’s Markets!

This week, I wanted to go through a list of foods that are available in the spring along with their health benefits.

Before I get started on that though, I want to make sure to mention that I believe in a balanced approach when it comes to eating real food.

I don’t believe in a one size fits all food that will cure disease or make you super healthy (Eat kale and live to 100!!).

Instead, I believe in eating a wide variety of nutritious foods each day to give our bodies optimum nutrition from various sources instead of relying on only one source.

Not too much produce is available locally in the spring, but what is available is packed with nutrition that our bodies need after a long winter of cooked root vegetables.


Here are four fruits and vegetables on the spring list:

Rhubarb

One vivid memory I have from childhood is going into my Aunt Carole’s garden to cut a piece of rhubarb and eat it raw with white sugar.

It was the perfect combination of sweet and sour.

Health Benefits:

  • Tons of fibre (5 grams of fibre for a 3.5 oz serving).
  • Used in Ancient Chinese medicine to sooth upset stomach and help with constipation.
  • Every serving provides 45% daily value of Vitamin K which helps with bone strength and brain health.
  • Also includes Vitamin C, Vitamin A, calcium, folate and B vitamins.

Strawberries

I’ve noticed that strawberries are available at places like Farm Boy throughout the colder months because they are now grown in greenhouses in western Ontario.

The great news is that greenhouse strawberries use ‘beneficial insects’ to kill pests which means that fewer pesticides are used compared to their conventional counterparts.

One thing to note about strawberries overall is to buy organic if you can. According to the Environmental Working Group, strawberries are at the top of the Dirty Dozen list for pesticides.

Health Benefits:

  • High levels of vitamin C (use those greenhouse or organic strawberries in the winter to boost immunity).
  • Super important for heart health due to the high antioxidant content.
  • Each cup provides 24% of manganese which helps with bone production, collagen production, blood sugar control and free radical damage protection.
  • Strawberry seeds contain a small amount of Omega-3 fats.
  • Help to prevent cognitive decline as we age.

Asparagus

I try to eat asparagus only when it’s in season, otherwise it comes from Mexico, which means it’s not fresh (We want to eat asparagus within 48 hours for optimum nutritional benefit).

Asparagus is a perfect spring treat and it has a ton of health benefits.

Note! Asparagus doesn’t take as long to cook as you might think.

Steam or lightly sauté the spears for only 3-5 minutes. Say no to soggy asparagus!

Health Benefits:

  • Anti-inflammatory food.
  • 101% daily value of Vitamin K per cup serving (Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and bone health).
  • Also high in folate which is good for brain and nervous system health as well as cardiovascular health and red blood cell production.

Radishes

People have a love hate relationship with radishes. They’re spicy and kind of weird, but I tend to like them all the same. They’re also super healthy to eat!

Health Benefits:

  • High in Vitamin C.
  • Helps to detox the body of toxins.
  • Excellent for helping to regulate diabetes.
  • Helps to regulate blood pressure.

The bulk of the produce bounty will come closer to the end of spring and summer, but get a head start by adding these spring fruits and vegetables to your daily meal rotations to get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to your health!


P.S.: Follow me on Instagram to get weekly tips and tricks!

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Follow me on Instagram • @lealoulemonade

My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of o My brother-in-law Steve spent a large portion of our Christmas dinner sharpening my knives. I was so grateful, but also hesitant that I would cut myself.⁠
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When I started cooking with my newly-sharpened knives, I was in awe.⁠
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Sharp knives make all the difference when it comes to enjoying cooking. It's also safer if you can believe it.⁠
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With a sharp knife, you're less likely to push down harder on the knife trying to get it through an onion, for example.⁠
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It just slices through with little pressure. ⁠
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Dull knives leave room for error and slicing fingers (listen, I've cut a few fingers over the years...).⁠
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If you're having trouble enjoying cooking at home, I encourage you to either get a new knife (it doesn't have to be expensive), or get someone to sharpen your knives for you (call a Steve in your area!).⁠
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Take care of them with a little holder and treat them kindly. Having a sharp knife will bring you one step closer to love cooking at home.⁠
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xo⁠
Steph⁠
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--⁠
#kitchenskills #cookingtips #easycooking #enjoycooking #inthekitchen
Keep Meals Simple Friends! I’ve said this befor Keep Meals Simple Friends!

I’ve said this before: keep your meals simple. 

Pick meals that take fewer than 20 minutes or less to cook so you’re not scrambling during the week to make dinner and keep the elaborate meals for the weekend.

Another idea is to choose a couple of veggies to roast on Sunday that you can use for various meals during the week. 

Roasted sweet potatoes are great with chicken thighs, but also taste fantastic in a frittata or taco. 

Cook once, eat twice (or three times).

Meal planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and nourishing and it get easier over time.

I’m accepting new clients at @onehealthservices! DM me if you’re looking for meal planning and prep help. 

#mealprephelp #mealplanhelp #springrefresh #
Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun Mondays are our busy nights. I have tennis (so fun!) and my son has soccer. ⁠
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That's why I make sure to make Mondays an easier night for dinner. ⁠
⁠
Enter salads and bowls!⁠
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Last Monday, I made a salad bowl with arugula, leftover rice, olives, tomatoes, chicken, and feta, and wowee it was yummers!⁠
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By prepping ingredients, the kids can take what they want and leave what they don't want (eh-hem, tomatoes) and we have a meal full of elements that will keep us satisfied and nourished.⁠
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Need meal prep and meal plan help?⁠
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I'm currently accepting new clients @onehealthservices! DM me or visit the link in my profile here @lealoucooks to chat about custom meal plans.⁠
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#mealprep #mealplanning #health #naturopath #virtualappointments #realfood #wholefood #foodmatters #holistichealth #culinarynutrition
Do you like eating salad?

According to my hig Do you like eating salad?

According to my highly unscientific research, there are two types of people who don’t like to eat salad:

1. Those who think eating salad is boring.
2. Those who think that salad isn’t filling enough for a full meal.
3. Ok, one more… those who don’t like eating vegetables!

If you fall into one of the first two categories, I’m here to tell you that maybe… just maybe… you’ve been making salads wrong.

I know. People don’t like to be told that what they’ve been doing is wrong (I don’t like to be told that either) but I can guarantee you that salads can be fun and filling and it’s all in how we put them together.

We can do so much more to jazz up a salad and my favourite way to do this is to think of your salad bowl as a rainbow.

When you add the colours of the rainbow to your salad bowl it’s visually more appealing to eat.

The sky is the limit in terms of the colourful foods you can add to a salad.

Not only will you feel more energized by your colourful bowl (and you’ll want to eat it), you’ll be more energized because each of those colourful vegetables has its own set of nutrients that our bodies love and crave. 

Colourful produce = Energy!

If you’re looking for fun and nourishing meal ideas I’m accepting new clients with @onehealthservices. Book a session through the link in my profile here @lealoucooks

Happy Cooking!

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About Stephanie

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Hey! I'm Stephanie. I'm a Writer, Culinary Nutrition Expert and Cooking Instructor helping families cook nourishing meals. Read more about me {here}.

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