Spring-Clean Your Meal Plan With These In-Season Fruits and Veggies

Everyone knows that the springtime is one of the best times of the year when it comes to produce. From ripe, juicy fruits to lush, green vegetables, lots of your favorite foods come back into season in the spring. Here are just a few of the fruits and vegetables that you have to look forward to.

  • Strawberries. Whether you choose fresh fruit salads or a decadent pie, you can use strawberries in lots of delicious recipes that are perfect for warm weather days.
  • Asparagus. Looking to add a side of greens to your dinner? Asparagus tastes its best from March through June.
  • Cherries. With a great deal of fiber and potassium, sweet cherries are some of the springtime's tastiest and healthiest fruits.
  • Radishes. If you're looking for a unique veggie to add some color to your salads, radishes are the perfect choice (and they're also packed with Vitamin C!).
  • Apricots. Add them to yogurt or simply bite right in, because apricots deliver a healthy dose of potassium, Vitamin C and fiber.
  • Artichokes. Once it's warm enough to fire up the grill, your guests will love a side of char-grilled artichokes with their main course.

Spring Produce Guide [Food Network]

What Are Logic Mazes? Find Out Here!

If you love mazes and other types of tricky logic problems, logic mazes will take your hobby to the next level. These advanced mazes, sometimes called "mazes with rules," have special rules that extend far beyond simply navigating around a two-dimensional maze. In a logic maze, the participant must abide by the rules in order to reach the finish line, and they sometimes even include multiple states of the maze or the navigator.

Here are a few of the most common logic mazes.

  1. Area mazes. These are mazes in which the area of tile traveled must alternately increase and decrease with each step.
  2. Rolling dice mazes. A die is rolled with each turn based on a number of different rules.
  3. Number mazes. A grid of numbers is traveled by moving the number of spaces shown in the current square.
  4. Multi-state mazes. The rules in this type of maze change depending on the person's navigation.

To find out more about logic mazes, click here.

These Dairy-Free Substitutes Have All the Flavor of Cow’s Milk

Many people choose to cut milk out of their diets, whether it’s because of a food allergy or a vegan diet. Luckily, dairy-free milk substitutes make it easy to continue eating and cooking the foods that you love. Here are a few of the best milk substitutes.

  1. Almond milk. Almond milk is a wonderful milk substitute because it has a thick, creamy consistency just like real milk. Its taste is nutty and slightly toasted, but it’s not enough to overwhelm your cooking or baking. Almond milk is also completely free of dairy and has only around 60 calories per cup.
  2. Soy milk. Soy milk is the original milk substitute, and likely the one that you’re most familiar with. It’s made with thickeners that give it the milk-like consistency that’s necessary for baking, and its taste is creamy and a bit sweet.
  3. Coconut milk. Newly popular coconut milk has a slightly thinner texture than cow’s milk, but its light flavor is very tasty. This isn’t the best option for baking because it could produce breads or cakes with a gummy texture, but it is delicious on cereals or to drink straight.

Common Ingredient Substitutions [AllRecipes]
Meet the Milk Substitutes [Cooking Light]
Substituting Milk and Dairy Ingredients [Kids With Food Allergies]

Kickstart Your Spring Exercise Program With These Tips

After hibernating all winter, it can be difficult to find the motivation to get back to the gym. Bathing suit season is fast approaching, however, and it’s time to set your spring exercise plan in motion. These simple tips can help you get off the couch and onto the treadmill.

  1. Pace yourself. If you’ve relaxed your exercise routine all winter, it’s important to start slowly once you get back at it. Take a few slow jogs or do some gentle yoga classes to get your body ready for exercise.
  2. Schedule your yearly check-up. If you usually visit the doctor once per year, try to schedule your appointment in the springtime. This will ensure that you’re healthy enough for exercise.
  3. Invest in comfortable workout gear. Pack away the insulated jackets and warm running pants and purchase workout clothing made of lightweight, breathable fabrics instead. A waterproof rain coat is also a good idea if you run outside because you can expect a few spring showers.
  4. Get outdoors. If you normally work out at a gym, opt to get your cardio in outside when the weather is nicer. Spending time outdoors is a great incentive to work out, and mixing things up always makes you feel more motivated to exercise.
  5. Have fun! Whether you work out with a friend or join a community soccer league, warm weather offers lots of options for making your workouts more fun.

10 Spring Fitness Tips [She Knows]
Spring Back into Your Exercise Program [WebMD]

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