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Spring into Lighter, Healthier Meals

(ARA) - There comes a point during the winter when you're itching to shed the heavy sweaters and dark colors for a brighter, swingier spring wardrobe. Sure, the sweaters served their purpose, keeping you warm, but the spring clothes lift your spirits.

It's the same with food - during the winter, heavier meals like stews and roasts provide comfort in the face of ice, snow and wind. But with the arrival of warmer weather, you crave lighter, fresher tastes.

The welcome arrival of the spring's first produce helps add layers of taste and interest to even the simplest of recipes. That means you can savor all the flavor without adding a lot of calories. Fresh ingredients make all the difference in straightforward dishes like salads and easy to assemble pasta meals.

As you look for your favorite springtime produce at the grocery store, keep your eyes out for Certified Extra Sweet Vidalia Onions. Their unique flavor comes from the low flavor intensity and high sweetness levels attained through careful cultivation within a specific sweet onion-growing region of South Central Georgia.

"Vidalia onions are among the sweetest onions grown in the world; only a percentage achieve certified extra sweet status and these alone are designated by National Onion Labs as Certified Extra Sweet," says lab president David Burrell. Not only do these onions taste terrific, they also provide health-promoting phytochemicals as well as nutrients.

Research shows that onions may help guard against many chronic diseases, thanks to generous amounts of a flavonoid called quercetin. Studies show that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease and cancer. In addition, onions contain a variety of naturally occurring chemicals known as organosulfur compounds that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

With only 30 calories per serving, Vidalia onions are sodium, fat and cholesterol free. They also provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, B6, potassium and other key nutrients. So while you enjoy the superior taste of these Certified Extra Sweet Vidalia Onions, you can feel good about their healthful properties as well.

These onions are only available from May through mid-June, so take advantage of their extra sweet taste in your spring cooking, from appetizers to the main course. Or you can savor them the way southerners have for generations: spread some fresh bread with mayonnaise, top with slices of Vidalia Onions and enjoy.

Here are some quick spring recipes to get you cooking...

Vidalia Salmon Dip

Hot and Spicy Cucumber Salad

Roasted Sweet Vidalia® Onions with Blue Cheese

Sweet Vidalia® Muffuletta Sandwich

For more recipe ideas, visit www.cesonions.com/recipes.

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