116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Notes on Nutrition: Go for the greens this spring
Add fresh, vibrant salad greens to your plate for extra vitamins
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
You’ve heard April showers bring May flowers, but for dietitians, spring is all about fresh, vibrant salad greens.
After a long winter, nothing beats crisp, peak-season produce, which offers some of the freshest and best-tasting items — all while helping you save on your grocery bill.
Recipe
Spring Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Serves 6
Ingredients
Raspberry Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Hy-Vee Select olive oil
3 tablespoons Hy-Vee white distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons Hy-Vee red raspberry preserves
1 1/2 teaspoons Hy-Vee stone ground Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Hy-Vee salt
1/8 teaspoon Hy-Vee ground black pepper
Salad
1 (5-ounce) bag Dole Spring Mix
2 cups fresh green beans, cleaned and cut
1 cup fresh broccoli florets, chopped
4 medium tomatoes on the vine, sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 medium orange bell pepper, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup radishes, sliced
Directions
1. To make Raspberry Vinaigrette, combine olive oil, vinegar, raspberry preserves, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
2. For salad: arrange Spring Mix, green beans, broccoli, tomatoes and carrots on a large platter. Top with bell pepper strips and radishes. Serve with raspberry vinaigrette.
Source: hy-vee.com/discover/recipes/spring-salad-with-raspberry-vinaigrette
The many lettuce varieties include green leaf, red leaf, romaine, bibb, iceberg, arugula, escarole, spinach and kale. Dive in and review three luscious leafy greens to add to your cart this season:
- Romaine – The Crunch Champion: This springtime classic is fiber-packed to keep you full longer, and it’s perfect for salads or grilling. Available in full romaine heads or pre-washed and cut, romaine provides vitamins C, K and A, calcium, folate, magnesium and potassium.
- Arugula – The Peppery Powerhouse: There is no better time than spring to give arugula a shot! Arugula is a dark green, peppery, leafy green related to broccoli, kale and cabbage. A variety you might see in the supermarket is "baby arugula," an early harvest plant. Arugula is rich in calcium, iron, Vitamins A and K, folate and magnesium. Arugula also contains antioxidants and protective compounds that can help with cell maintenance, and disease prevention. Enjoy this intensely flavorful green as a sandwich topper, or in pasta, mixed salads, soups or sauces.
- Spring Mix – The All-Star Blend: When you think of spring, the obvious is Spring Mix greens which is a mixture of a variety of lettuces including baby spinach, red leaf, green leaf, mustard greens, arugula and endive. You can purchase Spring Mix ready to go in the produce department.
For the best results when washing greens, use a salad spinner. This removes excess liquid and results in a crisp and refreshing salad. Enjoy the spring season and refresh your lettuce options with romaine, arugula and Spring Mix.
Julie Gallagher is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee.
Daily Newsletters