Try Healthy & Economical Eating this Easter

Spring is finally here! After the winter we had in North Carolina I didn’t think it would ever come. But with Easter around the corner, spring is certainly here along with a wonderful assortment of fruits and vegetables.

Did you know that Americans spent almost $13 billion on Easter in 2009?! That’s more than Halloween, Father’s Day and the Super Bowl. Most of it was spent on food, says the National Retail Federation.

Imagine the impact we could all make if we spent some of our food budget on local foods this Easter. The folks at N.C. MarketReady helped me come up with these numbers: If only two percent of North Carolinians put 10 percent of the average weekly food budget into local produce this Easter, it could generate over $4 million!

When it comes to preparing holiday meals, you’ll find the freshest, most delicious produce at local farmers markets. Here are some fresh produce items typically in season or available during Easter:

Greens, such as asparagus, broccoli and lettuce – great for salads;
Herbs, like rosemary and thyme – use to season ham, roast lamb or a savory spring soup;
Other vegetables, including beets, carrots, radishes and sweet potatoes, a perennial N.C. favorite.

Here are a few ideas for adding seasonal local foods – including protein items such as meat and eggs – to Easter meals:

Purchase produce and other food items for Easter holiday meals at a local farmers market.
Meat – like ham or beef – and eggs are great for main courses as well as appetizers like deviled eggs.

Try this recipe for Roasted Asparagus this Easter:

Roasted Asparagus

1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Freshly grated black pepper
Lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse and clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard. Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears; roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively, you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag and rub the bag so the oil is evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed. Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes – depending on how thick the asparagus spears are – until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving. Serves 4.