Soups, Salads And Super Juices

SPRING FRESH

I love the spring - the fresh, bright mornings, the birdsong and the beginnings of life emerging after the end of winter. A bit of sunshine can work wonders and so can eating (and drinking) fresh vegetables. I'm aiming to have steamed vegetables with meals at least once a day but it's much easier if you can have a power shot that has some fruit and veg in one tasty drink, which is still healthy and vital if you prepare it fresh. Trouble is, making a juice takes time and sometimes that's where we all fall short and settle for convenience, ie. from the supermarket. Apparently, freshly pressed/squeezed juice needs to be consumed within 30 minutes to get the most benefit from the live enzymes that give us that burst of vitality. The way the food is processed, can also destroy the enzymes. But with the right kind of juicer, the juice will retain it's goodness and can be kept for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Keeping It Fresh

Make a double batch of juice and use a Thermos flask to store it in the fridge. I tend to have a smoothie in the morning because it's also good for you and convenient. I have been using fruit juice from the supermarket, but now making a batch of juice when I get in from work seems the best time and I know the juice used with the freshly blended vegetables will still have some potency if a good blender has been used.

Instant Soup
Waitrose and Sainsbury's both have a line in pre-cut vegetables for soup. Just add stock and simmer for 25 minutes. Then blend to a fine or chunky consistency. This is the perfect answer for those looking for a healthy and convenient meal.

Salads Galore
It's the easiest time of the year to eat well. Gone are the stodgy, stew urges. Now for me it's all about grilled fish, torn chicken, lean beef - all mixed with some fresh and tasty salads. There's literally 100's of different ways to get a meal with fresh fruit, veg and leaf in one tasty meal and having a selection of the ingredients in the fridge means we can mix them all up into tasty, fresh and convenient meals in no time.