Elegant Springtime Entertaining
Monday, March 1st, 2010
Spring is full of special occasions to celebrate. Gather your friends and family to welcome the pleasures of the season over an elegant meal that is full of flavor, effortless to prepare and delightful to serve.
Make Easy Extraordinary
Keep side dishes simple with Green Giant® ValleyFresh Steamers™ that steam perfectly in the microwave in their easy-to-open bag so there’s less to clean-up. Add a personal touch before serving with a garnish of freshly chopped herbs, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil or a sprinkling of your favorite salt-free seasoning blend. Your guests will never know this side dish took less than ten minutes from start to finish.
Start a New Tradition
If tender roast lamb has never graced your holiday table, start a new tradition this year. Lean and luscious Australian lamb is easier to prepare than you may realize and depending on the cut it can be roasted, grilled or braised. All-natural Australian lamb supplies just 175 calories per three-ounce serving with a nutrient profile that includes an excellent source of protein, zinc, selenium, vitamin B12, niacin and a good source of iron. You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy lamb; it’s also the perfect complement to formal or informal
dinners all year-round.
Brighten the Table with Fresh Ingredients
Savor fresh summer fruits at your springtime celebration with Chilean grapes, peaches and plums. Plums supply a good source of vitamin C, plus two grams of fiber per serving. When roasted, the natural sugar becomes caramelized for a sweet flavor that can be used to enhance main dishes or desserts. Plums can also be poached or stewed to make a sauce, glaze or coulis (pronounced “koo-lee”), a thick puree that’s made with fruit or vegetables and used as a garnish.
Inspire your Menu with Spice
As a flavorful and functional source of concentrated antioxidants, McCormick® Seven Super Spices awaken recipes without adding fat, sugar or sodium. Emerging research indicates a pinch of certain dried herbs and spices such as rosemary, thyme and cinnamon have antioxidant levels comparable to many fruits and vegetables and may play a role in disease prevention.
Try these seasonal pairings:
• Roasted red potatoes sprinkled with rosemary leaves
• Fruit-topped angel food cake dusted with ground cinnamon
• Sauteed asparagus dressed with thyme leaves, sea salt and freshly
ground pepper
Build a Better Easter Basket
While chocolate bunnies and jelly beans are Easter basket essentials, healthier treats like granola bars, singe-serve raisins and sugar-free gum also have a place in the basket. Accepted by the American Dental Association, Wrigley’s Orbit® Sugar-Free Gum has been clinically proven to reduce the risk of cavities and strengthen teeth when chewed for 20 minutes after mealtimes. Available in a variety of fun flavors like Maui Melon Mint, Bubblemint and Pina Colada.
Tags: celebration, Easter, entertaining, healthy, recipes, spring
