On the Menu: Lighten up with spring fruits, veggies
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Asparagus is the "king of spring." -
These attractive pinwheels of turkey breast roulade with quinoa-mushroom stuffing are one example of quinoa's versatility. The whole grain contains all eight essential amino acids.
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With the arrival of spring, the desire for hearty winter dishes disappears along with winter coats and boots. We may be craving spring salads, but the local growing season will take a few months to catch up to our yearning for basil, corn and strawberries.
Whether you're devoted to a 100-mile diet or thrilled to find tomatoes in supermarkets year-round, there are plenty of ways to start putting fresher, lighter meals on the table. A number of food-focused professionals offered up some of their favorite ingredients coming this spring and summer as well as some tips for lightening up our diets.
Mt. Lebanon resident David Eson founded Isidore Foods in 2006. Inspired by Community Supported Agriculture programs, or CSAs, Isidore Foods contracts with dozens of local farms (all within a 175-mile radius) to bring a consistent supply of local produce, meats, dairy and more to his subscribers.
"This is the hardest part of the year," said Mr. Eson, because people start to crave fruits and vegetables, but only storage foods such as potatoes and apples and a small number of greenhouse items, such as spinach, baby kale and arugula, are available locally.
But all that deprivation makes people all the more excited about the first fresh local vegetables of the year.
Asparagus: "The king of spring is asparagus," said Mr. Eson, who knows that people are thrilled when they open their subscription boxes and get the first asparagus of the season.
Ramps: Often ramps are the first truly local products to appear on restaurant menus in Pittsburgh. In produce boxes, "they were somewhat divisive," said Mr. Eson, "because [they are] something some people love and some people hate."
Carole Ortenzo spent 25 years in the U.S. military, where she became a board-certified general surgeon. During that time, Ms. Ortenzo became more aware of the importance of preventive medicine.
After leaving the service, she pursued that passion united with her love of food and cooking. Today she's a personal chef and cooking teacher who specializes in preparing organic foods at her commercial kitchen in McMurray.
First Published March 28, 2010 12:00 am
