I would like to thank my blogger friend Meredith for today’s guest post – great tips and recipe!
Tips for Eating Well This Spring
Now that spring has officially arrived, it’s time to step away from the slow cooker and head straight for the salads. Before you go crazy at the grocery store, though, use the tips below to manage your spring shopping and cooking in the healthiest, most budget-friendly and delicious ways possible:
Shop Seasonally
Buying foods that are currently in season allows you to not only eat foods at their freshest and most delicious, but doing so can also help save you money. Seasonal foods tend to be lower in price since they grow in abundance and aren’t hard to come by. Plus, foods that are seasonal tend to be a part of the produce family, meaning you’ll be doing your waistline a favor, too. Some yummy foods that come into season during the spring include artichokes, asparagus, beans, peas, oranges, strawberries, and arugula.
Focus on Fruits & Veggies
Speaking of produce, one of the best parts of spring is that most fruits and vegetables come back into season, meaning grocery stores will be overflowing with them. Take advantage of this overabundance of produce and try to make fruits and vegetables the stars of your meals. Spring is the perfect time to experiment with different types of salads; from side fruit salads to entree chopped salads and pasta salads, there are hundreds of delicious salad dinner ideas out there!
Buy for Storage
When the springtime farmers and organic markets start popping up on every corner, it can be tempting to spend every last penny on pricey, organic produce. Unfortunately, doing so can get expensive quickly, which is why buying prepackaged produce can be a smart financial decision in the long run. Many of your favorite springtime fruits and veggies come in canned or frozen varieties that allow you to buy in bulk and store them until you need them, reducing the potential for wasted food and money.
Lighten Up Winter Recipes
Just because the weather is finally warming up doesn’t mean you need to get rid of all the ingredients you may have bought for winter cooking. If you stocked up on pasta for hearty cold weather meals like spaghetti and meatballs and baked ziti, use it to make lighter fare such as chilled pasta salads or spaghetti with olive oil for warm spring temperatures. Use what you have on hand and simply lighten up recipes by subbing lighter olive oil, balsamic vinegar or tomato sauces for cream or cheese bases that turn up in many hearty winter recipes.
This is one of those easy chicken recipes that’s perfect for a light but still filling spring dinner; it’s full of fresh spring flavors but features budget-friendly ingredients that you can find at most local grocery stores. Make it stovetop on brisker days and use your outdoor grill when it gets warm for good!
Print Spinach and Artichoke Topped ChickenPrep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 6
Calories per serving: 253
Ingredients
- PAM Grilling Spray
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 oz each)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 can (14 oz each) quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
- 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
- 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
- 1 teaspoon Gulden's® Spicy Brown Mustard
Instructions
- Spray grate of outdoor grill and utensils with grilling spray. Preheat grill to medium heat according to manufacturer's directions.
- Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and pepper. Grill chicken 10 minutes or until no longer pink in centers (165°F), turning over after 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine all remaining ingredients in medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave mixture on HIGH 4 minutes or until hot and creamy, stirring halfway through.
- Transfer chicken to serving plates. Spoon spinach and artichoke mixture evenly over chicken
Author Bio: This is a guest post by Meredith K. on behalf of ReadySetEat®. For more delicious easy recipes for dinner perfect for spring, visit www.readyseteat.com.
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