Spring Cleaning Your Diet

Now that Easter and Passover are over , it's time to Spring clean your diet. There are no more heavy calorie laden meals, desserts and treats. It's the season for lighter fare,not to mention lighter cooking and baking.

One of the best aspects of Spring is foraging. There is a wealth of healthy greens right outside your back door. Think about adding some of  your local woodland's best in a salad.One of the most traditional and most widely used is the dandelion. The slightly prickly leaves can be eaten on their own or with other greens. Dress with a tangy lemon -honey vinaigrette and serve with grilled chicken or scallops. Another woodland green to consider is the tongue tingling garlic mustard which can be made into a pesto or cooked with pasta similar to broccoli rabe.Mushrooms can also come from the parks and forests.Many home chefs are leery about foraging them and with good reason -half are poisonous.Buy a book on foraging (your best bet is Amazon) and read it cover to cover. Think about making your bounty in a light mushroom sauce spiked with garlic and onions. The mushrooms can also be pickled and served as a side to grilled chicken, steak or fish. Those dandelion greens can also be pickled and would be a light and interesting side.

With the weather growing warmer, it's time to get out the grill. This is chance to have delicious meats and veggies simply cooked. Don't stop at the proteins. Try a light meal of grilled asparagus with peppers and eggplants. Ramps from foraging can also be grilled . Spritz them with olive oil and cook on a grill pan until ready. A fun way to welcome in the warm weather is kabobs. Think cherry and grape tomatoes with scallops and shrimp. Or try marinated mushrooms skewers for something light and different. Climbing temps usually mean the taste for grilled burgers. These too can be lightened up. Portobello caps are a great sub in for beef patties.Marinate the caps in canola oil - which is lighter than even virgin olive oil - along with  chopped onions, balsamic vinegar and garlic.Instead of plopping it on a heavy bun, think an open faced sandwich on Italian and French bread. Gardein also has veggie burgers that taste like the real thing. Instead of the usual burgers and potato salad - just have the patties plain with grilled veggies .As for desserts, we're heading into blueberry and strawberry season. Finish the meal with a bowl of mixed berries, sweetened with dark honey and topped with Reddi-Whip's coconut or almond milk whipped creams.

It's Spring. Lighten up your diet. Go for fresh picked greens and kabobs. Get rid of the greasy burgers and try the ethereal portobellos or soy burgers. Invest in the fruits and veggies of the season. You'll feel better- and lighter.