Spring is here! 4 easy ways to use seasonal ingredients for quick meals.

I am super excited that the weather is finally starting to get consistently warm in my area. As a transplant from Florida, the winters in the Northeast have not been easy for me. Spring and summer seasons mean lots of fresh, local ingredients and even going to pick fruit with my littles.

I know a lot of people are using online shoppers or services like Instacart these days, but if you are able to get into the store yourself, it is a great way to see what veggies and fruits are on sale and take advantage of those deals.

I live near Philadelphia, so what is in season here may be different for you in other parts of the country (or the world) but I wanted to use 4 examples of how to use seasonal items in quick meals that are packed with flavor and are healthy as well.

1. Smoothies – this is a great breakfast for adults and children and you will likely hear me talk about smoothies in different blog posts for different reasons. Smoothies are a great way to incorporate fruits (and veggies…hello kale and spinach!). I was inspired by today’s run to the grocery store since they had lots of 2 or even 3 for 1 deals with berries. I picked up strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. You can mix up a cup of each of those fruits with Greek yogurt, which is a wonderful way to get extra protein. I like to add 1 or 2 bananas and a splash of orange juice. Don’t forget the ice! This is just one of many ideas for smoothies, which are so versatile. You can add protein powder, whatever fruits or veggies you like and in season, peanut butter, ginger…possibilities are endless!
2. Raw veggies and hummus – I would have never guessed my children were going to go for this but cutting up veggies and pairing them with hummus has been a life-saver for snacks or even easy dinners paired up with meatballs or chicken nuggets. Cucumbers were on sale today and I ended up doing a cucumber/pepperoni combo while the mac and cheese was being prepared for the main dish for my children’s dinner tonight. Veggies or fruits can be paired with anything, which is why the seasonal element works. You can do apples and peanut butter, ants on a log (celery, peanut butter, raisins), fruit and cottage cheese, or whatever your little loves.
3. Egg muffins – I hope you had a chance to read one of my first blog posts on breakfast, where I went over this recipe. People ask me so much about this recipe that it is one of the reasons I wanted to start the blog! Egg muffins are also a great way to use up any veggies in season. Spinach and tomatoes are what I like to use and luckily they were also on 2 for 1 sales today. I like to add onions but there are many other veggies that would go well in these muffins. Peppers, scallions, and corn are other easy additions.
4. Salads – this may sound obvious but I often forget how easy it is to make a main meal out of a salad. I love spinach, so I use that as my base often and lucky for me, it is on sale right now! We have a side salad at least 4 days of the week but I also pack a salad for lunch every day at work. It can also easily be a weeknight meal in a pinch. Always keep some type of base for a salad, such as romaine lettuce, arugula, spinach, or whatever you like and is in season. These tend to be cheaper than buying pre-packaged salads and you can make them healthier, as some of those have a lot of extra calories hiding in croutons or dressing. In the summer, I like to put some fruits in, including berries, peaches, pears, and clementines. Nuts and dry cranberries as well as different kinds of cheeses (feta, goat, blue) can elevate any salad. I stick with sliced turkey for my work salads and grilled chicken for anything at home but you can keep it vegetarian and add quinoa or beans for good sources of protein.

Hope some of these ideas will inspire you to use seasonal ingredients as we enter spring and summer!

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