Welcome 2012

Okay - quick show of hands, who has made a New Years resolution to lose weight and get in shape?  Yeah, that is what I thought.  A whole ton of you did.  Second question, how many of you make this same resolution every year but abandon it by mid-January because it is too hard?  Yeah, I was right about that too. 


Why is it so hard to eat healthy?  I really don't know but I do know that it does seem so much harder and more inconvenient to eat healthy.  I have always hated coming through the door from work and facing 30 minutes of preparation before I can even begin to get dinner on the table.  


I realized in the last few months that we are all in the same boat.  I am the demographic that is most of our customers at Cascio's so I figured the same issues that I face in caring for my family is the same that most of you are wrestling with in your own homes.  


For me getting food on the table as quickly as possible is the key to eating better.  Personally, I have always stayed away from processed food.  I did this for two reasons, 1. I don't like chemicals in food and 2. I always had fresh food at my finger tips and it was faster for me to just make healthy food then it was to run to the store and buy Hot Pockets.  (Don't get me started on Hot Pockets!  Have you ever read the label on those things? - UGH!) 


For a while I was on Don's back to bring the pre-made salads in a bag that are available in most major grocery stores.  But Don wouldn't bring them and had a lot good reasons why.  I was stuck and knew that most of you (our customers) were buying these products for the ease of being able to just grab a salad and put it on the table.  We needed a nice alternative to this product.


This past year we have made a commitment to making fresh salads and having fresh fruit cut  and ready for you at lunch time and after work.  We add no preservatives just fresh product.  It couldn't be easier then that.  Grab a salad at lunch or pick up salad on your way home from work.  


For me personally I grab a salad and some of our froze salmon, and in the time it takes me to cook the salmon in some olive oil I have the salads on plates and dinner is ready to go.  Eating a fresh spinach salad and a piece of salmon makes you feel good. You are satisfied without too much food and you can relax because it is all healthy.  

One of the easiest things we carry are fresh snack packs. Carrots, celery and cucumbers with a side of light ranch dip.  Have these for your kids for after school or put one in their lunch box.  Easy and ready to go.  You will be surprised how much you get for 1.89!

And finally, fresh cut fruit.  Most people love fresh pineapple but they don't want to wrestle with a pineapple when they are in a hurry and some customers tell us that they have no idea how to cut a pineapple.  Let us do that for you too.  We cut pineapples daily and have them in our cooler ready to go. Sometimes we add other fruits to the mix and sometimes you can just get the pineapple.  Easy!  


My favorite word:  Easy!  I need things to be easy.  I want to eat well, I want to feed my family the freshest and healthiest food I can find, but it has to be easy.   Trust me, we have the easy part down to a science.  We understand that making that stop on your way home from work costs you plenty in time.  If you want to be sure there are salads for you, call ahead.  We will put your name on one and it will be waiting for you on your way home from work. Again, what could be easier?


One last thought I will be committed to fast and easy and healthy recipes on this blog through out January.  Check our archives for crock pot recipes and lots of tried and true recipes that make dinner a breeze.  That is my kind of cooking!


Here is one of my favorites.  I created this recipe after Don and I had a similar meal in an Italian restaurant in Chambersburg and loved it.  This is one of the easiest meals to make and very healthy.  Enjoy!

Pasta with Chicken and Fresh Spinach

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (bite size)
3 mushrooms (sliced)
3 cups fresh baby spinach
olive oil
fresh garlic
1 fresh lemon
parmesan cheese (to taste)
salt & pepper 
dried basil flakes

1# cooked spaghetti

In hot olive oil saute fresh garlic and add chunks of chicken. Cook chicken with fresh mushrooms and garlic until done. Season with salt, pepper, and dried basil to your personal taste. Squeeze the juice of one fresh lemon over chicken and allow to cook for another minute or two. Remove from olive oil with slotted spoon and set aside. Remove stems from fresh spinach and toss in olive oil and chicken juice in pan until wilted, add chicken back to spinach and remove from heat.

Place hot spaghetti in large pasta bowl and top with chicken and spinach mixture. Add parmesan cheese and serve!

Excellent!!