It’s finally warm enough to move meals outdoors. Even if grilling is year ‘round at your home, this is the season to enjoy it before the summer heat makes the indoors seem more appealing! Values are in place as regionally grown produce finally appears. Salads and lighter meals have appeal, but that doesn’t mean the slow cooker goes away. This cooking style is still a good way to save time and money.

• Pick up a beef brisket and place it in the slow cooker for some great eating. Brown the brisket. Add some broth or water to about one inch on the bottom of the slow cooker, a large onion, cut into chunks and a few pieces of celery and carrots if you wish. Place the meat on the vegetables, add seasonings, cover and cook six to eight hours or following your slow cooker directions. Adding potatoes and carrots about one hour before you are ready to serve means you have a flavorful pot roast with vegetables. Tomorrow, shred the beef, add some barbeque sauce and you have another meal.
• Honor mom with a family brunch with everyone helping! If the family “chefs” are up for omelets, dress up some scrambled eggs adding pepper jack cheese chunks or chopped turkey and finish with Giant Eagle^® salsa on top. Add some fresh cut fruit, whole grain bread toast or some muffins… and of course a card and some fresh flowers.
• Need a gift for your favorite mom? What about an assortment of herb or flower seeds or an already planted garden assortment that fits nicely on a patio, porch or window sill? Even the person without a “green thumb” can enjoy herbs or flowers within reach.
• Check out your grill and grilling equipment. Clean your grill racks and rub vegetable oil on them for some protection. Inventory your equipment. A grill cleaning brush, foil, a spray bottle for water (good for putting out the mini fires), grilling planks (if you like the flavor of grilling this way) and disposable grill pans are just a few items that makes life easier. Of course, plenty of charcoal and a long butane lighter is also basic equipment.
• Do a quick inventory of your pantry and refrigerator to be salad-ready at a moment’s notice. Canned tuna or salmon, mayonnaise or salad dressing and pickle relish combine quickly for sandwiches or salads. Pinto beans, chick peas and other beans combined with some oil, vinegar and a touch of sugar make a quick bean salad. And don’t forget the hard-cooked eggs that add protein to any meal. Of course, standards in your refrigerator should include celery, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, lettuce, or other greens. Add some rolls and you have a meal.
• Need a quick springtime dessert? A dash of vanilla or balsamic vinegar on sliced fresh strawberries is a low calorie taste treat!

Have a question for Judy about this article or need some other meal and snack solutions to meet your budget? Send her an e-mail at nutrition@GiantEagle.com.

May 2010