Recipe: Spinach Orzo Salad

I hope everyone is enjoy the amazing Spring (Summer) weather! This weather reminds me of how much I love living in BC - I spent 3 years out East and the weather is always too cold, too humid or too hot. Spring is the season for growth, we have planted our first garden with our 6 months old. I want him to learn and appreciate where food comes from at an early age - great family activity on a sunny day! He didn't help much but he got to sit on and explore the grass (and almost ate some too) I'm hoping to share a lot more recipes as my garden grows, so stay tune!

The warm weather makes me want to eat lighter - salad is light yet refreshing, it is packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This beautiful Spinach Orzo Salad has all four food groups in it, you can enjoy it as a side or as an entree salad!

Spinach Orzo Salad

Recipe: Spinach Orzo Salad - 6 servings

• 6 cups Spinach, chopped

• 2 cups Orzo Pasta, cooked, drained, rinsed with cold water

• 1 cup Sunflower Seeds, toasted

• 1/2 cup dried Cranberries

• 1/2 cup Red Onion, diced

• 1/2 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled

• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

• 1/4 cup Olive Oil

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tsp dried Basil (optional)

1. Mix Spinach, Orzo pasta, Sunflower seeds, Red onion, Feta cheese together.

2. Mix Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper and dried basil together, Toss with Salad and serve immediately.

Note: Replace dried cranberries with 1 cup of chopped fresh berries for Diabetes.

I would to love see pictures of your creations! Tag @chowdownnutrition or #amychowrd for a chance to have your pictures featured.

Dietitian Tip of the Week :

Glycemic Index is a ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods, based on the food's direct effect on blood sugar compared with a standard reference food. Most fruits have a low glycemic index (GI) because of their fructose and fiber content. However, some fruits such as melons and pineapple and dried fruits such as dates, raisins, and sweetened cranberries have higher glycemic indexes.

A lot of diabetic patients are worried about consuming fruits because of their sugar content. Tips to enjoy fruits as part of a healthy diabetic diet - 1. Enjoy no more than 2 servings of fruits daily 2. Eat fruits with foods that are high in protein or fiber to help slow down the sugar absorption 3. Choose whole fresh fruits instead of dried and canned fruits or juice 4. Be cautious of portion sizes!

Reference: http://www.diabetes.org/