Spring has (finally) sprung! I teamed up with Williams-Sonoma this weekend to share fun ways to increase fruit and vegetable intake. With their endless supply of beautiful kitchen ware, I blended up yummy green smoothies and made delicious spiralized zucchini pasta. It was exciting to share how simple and fun it can be to create fresh meals and snacks – kids and adults alike were getting hooked on the spiralizer.
What is Spiralizing?
Spiralizing is a way to turn vegetables and fruits into noodles. Simply place a vegetable or fruit into the spiralizer, twirl the handle and watch the noodles appear! Quick, simple and creative.
What can you spiralize?
Fruits and vegetables that are over 1″ in diameter. They cannot be hollow or pitted and must be firm in texture. Here are some of my favorites:
- zucchini
- cucumber
- beets
- carrots
- sweet potato
- butternut squash
How do you prepare a spiralized dish?
After spiralizing your favorite fruits or vegetables, you can prepare a raw or cooked dish. If you choose to eat it raw, your noodles will be crisp and fresh and can be topped with your favorite sauce or chilled dressing. Raw noodles make a great base for fun summer salads or slaws. Spiralized noodles can also be cooked for a more traditional, warm pasta dish.
Be creative with your combinations and have fun with your spiralizer! There are wonderful recipes for spiralized dishes, like Williams-Sonoma’s the spiralizer cookbook that you can check out for ideas.
As you increase your intake of fresh produce, shop smarter with the “Dirty Dozen” & “Clean Fifteen”
Use your dollars wisely when choosing which fruits and vegetables to buy organic, and which conventional versions are safest. The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington D.C. that publishes a yearly report to inform consumers about the pesticide content of fruits & vegetables. The “Dirty Dozen” is their list of the highest pesticide-containing foods (apples have topped the list for several years) and the “Clean Fifteen” are the lowest pesticide-containing foods. Here are the lists for 2015:
Dirty Dozen
- Apple
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Spinach
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Snap Peas (imported)
- Potatoes
- PLUS: Hot Peppers & Kale/Collard Greens (don’t meet criteria for main list, but were found to contain insecticides toxic to human nervous system)
Clean Fifteen
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapples
- Cabbage
- Sweet Peas (frozen)
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Mangoes
- Papayas
- Kiwi
- Eggplant
- Grapefruit
- Cantaloupe
- Cauliflower
- Sweet Potatoes
For the EWG’s full report, click here: EWG’s 2015 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
If you are looking ahead to the spring and interested in finding your nearest farmer’s market or purchasing a CSA box, check out my older post Seasonal Selections to get more information.