Ever noticed how you go from craving warm, comforting food in Winter months to lighter, fresher food in Spring? If you listen to your body, it has a natural rhythm – just like the seasons.
Alimentary’s Alison Wright gives us her tips to freshen up our diet and make the most of Springtime; plus a Mexican breakfast recipe:
Whereas Winter may bring with it the desire to bunker down, eat more and hibernate, Spring is a time of renewal, the extra sunshine and longer days providing us with new energy to get out and make some changes.
If you’re looking to change up your nutrition after the Winter months, here are some tips to freshen up your diet and make the most of Springtime:
•Eat seasonally: take advantage of fresh Spring fruit and vegetables available at the moment and load up on baby greens, spring onions, snow peas, berries, asparagus, beans and broccoli. Eating food that is in season supports your local growers, as well as ensuring you get the freshest, best tasting food available. Fruit and vegetables start to lose nutrients as soon as they are harvested, so while you may get imported berries all year round, they just won’t taste as good as the seasonal fruit grown locally.
•Spring clean your cupboards: get rid of out-of-date pantry staples and take the opportunity to clean out any processed foods you have lying around. Research shows that we all have a limited amount of willpower, which will wear itself out trying to resist any biscuits and processed snacks we have stashed in our cupboards. Accessibility and availability of junk food are two of the key things that wear down our willpower and sabotage good intentions. Remove these items from the house and your brain can relax.
•Eat the Rainbow: get some colour onto your plate. Fresh fruit and vegetables are packed with powerful nutrients that support our health, so eat up as much as you can and you’ll be feeling better in no time. Keep some snow peas and baby vegetables on hand for a healthy snack to boost your vegetable intake over the course of the day. Your taste buds will enjoy the fresh, vibrant taste and your digestive system will reap the rewards.
•If you’ve cleaned out all your out-of-date herbs and spices, now may be a good time to try your hand at gardening. You could start with a small herb garden and take it from there. There is nothing more satisfying than eating food that contains ingredients, which you have grown from scratch, plus you won't believe how much better they taste.
Try this recipe for lemon and asparagus salmon tray bake – a simple, tasty meal which is highly nutritious and absolutely no fuss. A delicious balance between the lemony salmon, crispy potatoes and fresh vegetables will make this a family dinner winner.
