Spring is officially here and it is a good time to reflect on your health goals and progress made for the year so far. It is time to look forward to warmed weather and longer days. It is also a good time to clean up your life, both physically and mentally. Spring cleaning is not just for your home anymore – it’s just as important for us to clean up other parts of our lives, especially our diets!

Greens are associated with spring – a time to renew and refresh vital energy. They aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free. They also are important for improvements in liver, gall bladder, and kidney function.

Some foods in season for the spring are listed below. Eating seasonal food does not have to be boring or bland. It also does not have to be complicated with long hours of prep-work. Start small and try to cook 1 new recipe per week. Experiment and crowd the diet with spring foods, and notice how your body feels. Soon you will begin to wonder how you ever lived without them! Right now is a perfect time for cleansing and detoxing from the long and cold winter months.

Vegetables in season include:

• artichokes
• asparagus
• peas (garden, snap, and snow)
• rhubarb
• sprouts
• turnips

Greens in season include:

• collards
• kale
• mustard greens
• swiss chard

Fruits in season include:

• apricots
• berries
• blood oranges
• grapefruit
• kiwi
• lemon
• pomegranates
• strawberries

Recipe of the month:

Kale Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of kale, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 Tbsps mint, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsps peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1-2 scallions (green parts only), thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp all-natural, organic peanut butter
• 2 Tbps tamari
• 2 Tbsps mirin
• juice of 1 lime
• dash of cayenne

Directions:

Add the kale, mint, peanuts and scallions to a salad bowl. Massage the mixture a bit with your hands just to soften the kale. In a blender or food processor, combine the peanut butter, tamari, mirin, lime juice and cayenne.  Pour the dressing over the salad and combine so all of the greens are saturated. Refrigerate and allow it to marinate in the dressing for up to 30 minutes before serving.

 

© Integrative Nutrition