Fresh Salads Perfect for Spring

The spring season brings to mind flowers blooming and plants springing back to life, making it the ideal time to enjoy fresh produce in meals throughout the day. Salads are of course one of the easiest ways to combine the flavors of your favorite fruits and veggies, but you can take your greens to the next level with refreshing recipe ideas.

Creating a cool, satisfying salad can be easy when you start with quality ingredients like Fresh Express salad blends, NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes and Litehouse dressings for versatile bases in a nearly endless array of options. For example, salads aren’t limited to lunch or appetizers – this Breakfast Salad Bowl makes for an energizing start to the day by combining classic salad ingredients with quinoa, bacon and avocado.

Perfect for those busy weeknights, heartier salad recipes can also provide quick, simple dinner options. As a more traditional mix to enjoy at the family table, this Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl brings together salmon, tomatoes and chickpeas on a bed of lettuce topped with ranch dressing.

Find more ways to create hearty salads this spring at litehousefoods.com/iheartsalad.

Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl

Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl

Servings: 2

4 ounces salmon

2 tablespoons paprika, divided

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

15 ounces chickpeas

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces Fresh Express Sweet Butter Lettuce

1 cup red quinoa, cooked

6 ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes

2 tablespoons Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing

Heat oven to 350 F. Sprinkle salmon with 1 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake on lined baking sheet 15 minutes, or until it reaches desired doneness.

In bowl, toss chickpeas in olive oil and remaining paprika; add salt and pepper, to taste. Add chickpeas to lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 F 30-40 minutes.

Add lettuce to plate or bowl. Top with quinoa, chickpeas, salmon and tomatoes. Drizzle with ranch dressing.

Source: Family Features

Breakfast Salad Bowl

Breakfast Salad Bowl

Servings: 2

10 ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 ounces Fresh Express Baby Spinach

1 egg

2 bacon strips, halved

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1/2 avocado, sliced

2 tablespoons Litehouse Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

Heat oven to 400 F. Toss tomatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake tomatoes on lined baking sheet 40 minutes.

In skillet, add remaining olive oil and cook baby spinach until wilted, stirring as necessary.

Cook egg as desired. Remove egg from skillet and set aside. Add bacon to skillet and cook until crispy, turning halfway through.

In bowl, layer quinoa, bacon, avocado, egg, spinach and tomatoes. Drizzle with jalapeno ranch dressing.

Ripe Fruit

10 Tips to Recognize Ripe Fruits

Keeping fresh fruit around the house provides a healthier alternative when your sweet tooth comes calling. Understanding how and when to buy at the peak of ripeness (or just before, in some cases) can help you avoid food waste while keeping your doctor happy.

Consider these simple tips for recognizing ripe fruits:

• Strawberries: Check the area at the top of the berry near the stem and leaves. A ripe strawberry is fully red; green or white near the top means the fruit is underripe.
• Watermelon: The “field spot,” or the area where the melon sat on the ground, should be yellow, and a tap on the rind should produce a hollow sound.
• Cherries: Flesh should appear dark with a crimson color and feel firm.
• Blueberries: Similar to cherries, color should deepen to dark blue. A reddish or pink color may be visible in unripe berries.
• Blackberries: Look for a smooth texture without any red appearance. Because blackberries don’t ripen after being picked, they tend to spoil quickly.
• Cantaloupe: You should detect a sweet smell, and the melon should feel heavy upon lifting.
• Peaches: A sweet, fragrant odor should be apparent. Skin should feel tender but not soft.
• Pineapple: Smell is again an important factor for pineapple – a sweet scent shows it’s ready, but a vinegary one likely means it’s overripe.
• Raspberries: Generally follow the same rules as blackberries. Best eaten within a couple days of purchase, a bright red color represents ripe berries.
• Bananas: A ripe banana features a peel lightly spotted without significant bruising. Your best bet may be to purchase bananas still slightly green and allow them to ripen at home.

Find more food tips, tricks, recipes and videos at Culinary.net.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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