Kandi S.

About

Kandi S. wrote her first short story at nine-years-old and has been a lover of the written word ever since, which makes The Publix Checkout one of her favorite things about working for Publix! Starting as a cashier in 2005, Kandi has since incorporated her love for writing and social media with her passion for the company focused on customer service. She enjoys fitness, writing, live music and local food and beverages. Kandi hopes you walk away from our blog each day with a new-found appreciation for the grocery store where shopping is a pleasure.

Posts by Kandi S.

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April is the month for jokesters. But did you know it’s the month for delicious artichoke recipes, too? This budding thistle is at its season’s peak right now, so grab your taste buds and check out some fun and exciting  reasons to enjoy artichokes this spring!

 

A Historic Plant

Many often wonder if an artichoke is a vegetable, a fruit, or something else. In fact, an artichoke is an immature thistle, also known as a prickly, flowering plant. Artichokes have been written about and eaten for 4.19_Produce_SW_Artichoke_image 2 resizethousands of years, dating back to as early as 371 B.C., when they were being grown in Italy and Sicily. Wealthy Romans used to enjoy this plant dipped in honey and vinegar. After the fall of Rome, the plant became scarce but reemerged during the Renaissance.

In 1806, artichokes were brought to the United States, where they were cultivated in Louisiana. Today, almost all artichokes in America are grown in California.

FUN FACT:

Mythology says the artichoke was once a beautiful girl who was seduced by Zeus and made into a goddess. After becoming homesick and returning to the mortal world to visit her family, Zeus scolded her for her “un-goddess-like” behavior and hurled her back to earth to live as this prickly plant forever.

 

Tasty and Versatile

Artichokes are not only scrumptious, they also provide important nutrients. A half cup serving of cooked artichoke hearts is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K and folate. They also contain fiber, which helps support a healthy digestive system. Overall, artichokes are a great addition to your diet and are pretty tasty to boot!

FUN FACT:

Artichokes were illegal in New York for one week in the 1920s due to a member of the mafia monopolizing the market and causing “artichoke wars”.

 

Get Cookin’

Now that you know a little more about artichokes, try your hand at whipping up some recipes featuring this delicious thistle. Our Aprons Recipes are a great place to start!

What is your favorite way to enjoy this delectable plant? Share your ideas in the comments.

nutritious breakfast

When you’re trying to start your day off right, it can be tough to find easy, on-the-go breakfasts that don’t crash your nutritional goals for the day. If you’re tired of the processed pastries, greasy fast food bags, and sugary bowls of cereal, check out these good eats recommended by Publix Nutrition Specialist, Berenice H. Marin, RDN, LDN. These meal hacks are easy to fix and even simpler to eat on the run!

KS_Post 1_Image 2_EBA Smooth, Cool Treat

What’s more on-the-go than breakfast in a to-go cup? “One of my favorite breakfasts is a delicious smoothie,” Berenice says. “You can easily bag up all the individual ingredients in small plastic snack bags and then just pop them in the blender in the morning before pouring into your favorite tumbler or thermos.”

Another benefit to smoothies? You can knock out a lot of nutritional goals along with getting a great-tasting treat! Try mixing in banana, spinach, strawberry, low-fat yogurt, water, and a scoop of protein or peanut butter. You can also substitute low-fat plain Greek yogurt instead of the low-fat plain yogurt to get even more protein!  Yummy and filling? Yes, please!

An Eggscellent Grab-n-Go

When you’re meal prepping, why not bake up an easy breakfast that can last all week? Berenice shares this tip:

“For egg lovers, you can do eggs mixed with vegetables like peppers and onions along with low-fat cheese. Bake it in muffin tins the night before or when you do meal prep. Then you have a little muffin you can eat on the go!”

Toss in a slice of whole wheat toast and you’re set for eggscellence. (We’re so punny!)

The New GOATKS_Post 1_Image 3_EB

You’ve probably heard of the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), but what about GOATmeal? No, this has nothing to do with the cute furry animal, but rather whipping up a fast, easy-to-take-with-you bowl of oatmeal greatness. Similar to your smoothie hack, it’s easy to pack up all the ingredients for your oatmeal into little plastic snack baggies and just pour hot water over them at work or at the house before leaving.

“Another trick is Overnight Oats,” adds Berenice. “Just put all your ingredients in a bowl, milk and all, and let it sit in the fridge overnight so they’re ready to eat by morning. For instance, try a half cup of low-fat milk with bananas, oats, nuts, and cinnamon. This is a remix on the hot treat, too, as you eat your Overnight Oats cold.”

The Roll-Up-And-Roll-Out

“Breakfast burritos are a great on-the-go option, just make sure you have the right ingredients,” Berenice advises. “For instance, for a Mexican style, try adding scrambled eggs with some salsa, beans, and low-fat cheese. Roll it up in a whole wheat wrap and you’re ready to go!”

A great benefit to this breakfast wrap is you can mix it up every day if you’d like, which will make it easy to avoid those boredom blues that come with eating the same thing over and over. In addition, it’s an easy way to pack in your veggies. Score!

Pancake Magic

Sometimes you just need those sweet, home-style favorites – like pancakes! For those with a sweet tooth, Berenice suggests buying a whole wheat variety of your favorite frozen waffles or pancakes. Instead of syrup, try tossing some yogurt, fruit, nuts, and cinnamon on top to finish it all off. Eat before leaving the house or pack up ingredients separately to toast and prep at work and – voila! You’ve got pancake perfection that people will have to see to believe.

 

There you have it, five new breakfast solutions to integrate into your morning routine. Which one are you most excited about trying? Share your thoughts in the comments below.