Country Pride Food Service

See These Sites for Healthy Eating Tips and Meal Ideas

In recent years, many more Americans are making commitments to eat healthier. The good news is that eating nutritious foods isn’t difficult at all–all it takes is a little research and you can build a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. You can follow these links to learn more about healthy eating:

• Every healthy diet should include plenty of riboflavin. Learn about the benefits of this essential B vitamin at MayoClinic.com.
• Visit WebMD.com for a look at omega-3 fatty acids and why they are so important to the human body.
• If you are trying to lose weight, be sure to read this article from Fox News, which offers some great ideas for healthy meals.
• Check out this page from the American Cancer Society, which shows you how to portion out your food to keep the calorie counts reasonable.
• Whether you are at risk of heart disease or not, you should be eating heart-healthy foods. EatingWell.com has a list of 15 such foods to get you started.

Get started eating healthier by placing a delivery order with Country Pride Food Service today. We can be reached at (410) 648-2341.

Seasonal Menu Planning: Fruits and Veggies to Indulge in This Spring

It is a common practice among gourmet chefs to use the freshest in-season produce in all of their meals. Even if you’re not a gourmet chef, you can still make home-cooked meals like one by following this simple philosophy. Here are some of the fresh, all-natural fruits and vegetables that you can incorporate into your cooking this spring:

Broccoli

You can tell if this dark green vegetable is at its peak freshness by looking at its florets: if they are tightly set and have a slight purple tinge, the broccoli is ready to be eaten. Broccoli can be eaten raw, blanched in boiling water, or roasted at a high temperature with olive oil, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and grated Cheddar cheese.

Zucchini

Ripe, sweet zucchini will feel heavy for their size, and have unblemished green skin with tiny yellow speckles or stripes. They are a great source of riboflavin, which is a B-vitamin needed for breaking down carbohydrates and producing red blood cells. Zucchini are delicious sautéed in olive oil with sweet onions and Parmesan cheese.

Pineapple

Pineapples contain high amounts of bromelain, an enzyme that has been found to suppress inflammation in almost the same way as ibuprofen. A ripe pineapple will be as sweet as candy, as indicated by vibrant green leaves and a sweet aroma wafting from its base.

Mangoes

Many diners have yet to taste this tropical fruit, whose flavor is truly exquisite. Mangoes that are ready to be eaten should have red skin with yellow patches – not the other way around – and will have flesh that is soft to the touch. Those who eat them are rewarded with vitamins A, B6, and C, along with a good dose of fiber.

Country Pride Food Service is proud to deliver only the finest and freshest all-natural produce to its customers. In addition to our produce, we also deliver top-quality meats and gourmet brand-name groceries right to your door! Call us at (410) 648-2341 if you have any questions about the products we offer.

Super-food Spotlight: Heart Healthy Salmon

For some diners, salmon is an acquired taste, but everyone can benefit from including this fish in their diets. Beyond being healthy, salmon is also a very versatile fish with which to cook all-natural meals at home. Read on to learn more.

Health Benefits

Salmon is one of the world’s best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown in countless studies to lower your risk of heart disease. These essential fats are to your arteries what drain cleaner is to your pipes – a substance that clears out dangerous clogs. In your pipes, clogs could lead to a backup. In your arteries, clogs could lead to a heart attack or stroke, which is why many health authorities stress the importance of fatty acids. Because omega-3-rich salmon is also high in protein and low in saturated fats, it is a great food to include in any weight loss diet.

Preparing Salmon

If the salmon you buy is fresh enough, you may be able to eat it raw, as sashimi. Fresh raw salmon – especially sashimi-grade – is soft, slightly sweet, and almost melts in your mouth like cream. If you truly want to experience the natural flavor of salmon, try it raw and taste the difference. Salmon also tastes delicious when it is char grilled. This fish’s flavor is robust enough on its own, meaning that all you have to do is season it with salt and pepper before tossing it on the flame. For an extra punch, you can also marinate the fish with your favorite sauces or dressings, such as teriyaki sauce or balsamic vinaigrette. Grilled salmon is perfect for flaking over a crisp green salad or serving as a main course with wild rice and vegetables.

The salmon delivered by Country Pride Food Service is sashimi-grade, meaning that it is at its peak of freshness. It’s perfect for serving on its own or pairing with our other all-natural food selections for a complete meal. To place an order today, call (410) 648-2341 to speak with a member of our friendly team.

How to Prepare Artichokes When They Are in Season

Preparing artichokes for cooking may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Once you know how to rid them of their thorns and inedible sections, it is very easy to cook these delicious spring vegetables to soft, tender perfection.

In this video, a chef demonstrates how to prepare artichokes for cooking. You can see that the process is very simple, requiring only kitchen scissors and a serrated knife. If you are not using the artichokes right away, you will also need a plastic storage bag.

Country Pride Food Service delivers many different types of fresh, all-natural produce, including artichokes, as well as top-quality meats and a variety of brand-name grocery items. To learn more about our grocery delivery service, call us today at (410) 648-2341.

Learn to Get More Flavor Out of Your All Natural Ingredients With These Recipes and Articles

When you use an all-natural food delivery service, you won’t have to pick through large heaps of produce or wait in long supermarket lines to buy fresh groceries. Call Country Pride Food Service at (410) 648-2341 and we will bring all the ingredients you need directly to your home, so that you can cook hearty and nutritious meals right in your own kitchen. Click on the links below for some great cooking tips:

• To accompany our Sterling Reserve beef steaks, prepare of these easy steakhouse side dishes from Williams-Sonoma.
• This article from Simply Recipes will tell you how to store fresh herbs in your kitchen.
• View this slideshow from the Mayo Clinic to learn how to serve nutritionally balanced meals with correct portion sizes.
• When you don’t have a lot of time to cook, you can still prepare quick, healthy meals with help from this article at Fitness Magazine.
• Not all steak dinners have to be the same—this article from the Huffington Post will show you ten different steak dinner ideas for any occasion.