Food and Beverage
Manage Busy Spring Schedules with Simple, Nutritious Bowls
To manage busy spring schedules, prepare simple, nutritious bowls at home instead of relying on takeout. Recipes like Chicken and Rice Bowls with Peanut Sauce and Greek-Inspired Power Bowls are quick, customizable, and packed with flavors. Visit DudaFresh.com for more healthy recipes that fit your family’s tastes.
Last Updated on April 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Manage Busy Spring Schedules with Simple, Nutritious Bowls
(Feature Impact) When jam-packed calendars and seemingly constant takeout orders get you down, diving into a fresh way to rethink homecooked meals can get you and your loved ones into a better-for-you routine.
Close your favorite food delivery app and instead break out the bowls for simple yet nutritious recipes that are equal parts filling and fresh. Easily prepped ahead of time, dishes like Chicken and Rice Bowls with Peanut Sauce provide powerful protein and flavor without the hassle. For added pizzazz, drizzle with extra peanut sauce and squeeze a dash of lime juice.
Or put a tangy twist on a traditional chicken bowl with these Greek-Inspired Power Bowls featuring homemade tzatziki made with Dandy Celery, a naturally sweeter, crispier and less stringy alternative to other celeries. Celebrating its 100th anniversary, it delivers the ultimate snack time (or dinner) crunch and flavor, offering a satisfying complement to sliced chicken, mixed greens, whole-grain quinoa and Kalamata olives.
An added bowl-inspired bonus: These family-friendly recipes can be personalized for taste preferences so no one goes hungry.
Rethink your family’s menu with more quick, nutritious recipes to alleviate the stress of hectic schedules by visiting DudaFresh.com.
Chicken and Rice Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Recipe courtesy of The Produce Moms
Prep time: 7 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 2
Creamy Peanut Sauce:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Bowls:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 cup cooked brown or jasmine rice
- 1 cup Dandy celery, julienned
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1/2 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
- lime wedges, for serving
- To prepare peanut sauce: In small bowl, whisk soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar and honey. Add peanut butter and sesame oil. Whisk vigorously until sauce is completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- To prepare bowls: In nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until simmering. Add shredded chicken and about 3 tablespoons peanut sauce. Stir constantly to coat chicken and heat through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To assemble rice bowls: In deep serving bowls, add cooked rice. Top with warm chicken covered in peanut sauce. Arrange celery, carrot and cucumber around chicken. Top with peanuts.
- Drizzle remaining peanut sauce over bowls. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over bowls.
Greek-Inspired Power Bowls
Recipe courtesy of Anastasiia de la Cruz
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2
Celery Tzatziki:
- 1 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Dandy celery
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Bowls:
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 1/3 cups cooked, gluten-free, whole-grain quinoa
- 2 large grilled chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), sliced
- 1/2 cup hummus
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- fresh herbs, for garnish
- To make celery tzatziki: Mix yogurt, celery, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and walnuts, if desired. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir well. Chill.
- To assemble bowls: In two bowls, layer greens and cooked quinoa evenly. Top with grilled chicken.
- Spoon 1/4 cup hummus on side of each bowl. Add olives, 2-3 tablespoons tzatziki and drizzle with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
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Cool Down This Summer with a Sweet Slushie
(Family Features) Each season throughout the year seems to
have its own “flavor,” and summer is no exception. Hamburgers and hot dogs off
the grill, refreshing watermelon at snack time and cool, delicious ice cream on
warm evenings.
While many people think of sweetpotatoes during the
holidays, you can make this sweet vegetable a key ingredient all year-round –
including summertime. As one of the most versatile veggies you can find,
they’re easy to add to a variety of recipes while enhancing flavor and boosting
nutrition content.
Sweetpotatoes can be your summer staple in both simple and
elevated recipes alike, as well as in both sweet and savory dishes. They can be
cooked or prepared in several ways: on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled or
slow cooked.
Or, for an easy way to cool down in the heat, try them in a
creamy drink like this Sweetpotato Summer Slushie. It may surprise you, but
sweetpotatoes are ideal for sipping – smoothies and cocktails are both
crowd-pleasers, especially during sweltering summer days. This refreshing treat
can be made with or without the boozy kick; just break out the blender and kick
back in the sunshine.
To discover more ways to cook and enjoy sweetpotatoes all
summer long, visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5xyuKDlklQ?si=JiKNgtk78Vc8NiMU&controls=0]
Recipe courtesy of the North
Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
- 1 cup cooked,
mashed North
Carolina Sweetpotatoes - 1 cup
pineapple juice - 1/2 cup orange
juice - 1/4 cup lemon
juice - 1/4 cup coconut
milk - 2-3 tablespoons
simple syrup or honey (adjust to taste) - 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract - 2 cups crushed
ice - 2 ounces
spiced rum, coconut rum or bourbon (optional) - pineapple
slices or orange wedges, for garnish (optional)
- In blender, blend sweetpotatoes, pineapple juice, orange
juice, lemon juice, coconut milk, simple syrup or honey, vanilla extract and
ice until smooth and slushy. - Pour into glasses and serve.
- For alcoholic version: Add spiced rum, coconut rum or
bourbon after blending. Pulse in blender or stir after blending for layered
effect. - Garnish with pineapple slices or orange wedges, if desired.
SOURCE:
Food and Beverage
McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie Returns June 23—A Limited-Time Summer Throwback
McDonald’s is bringing back its OG Fried Apple Pie starting June 23 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide—plus a 35-foot pie photo stop on Route 66 near Chicago.
Summer tends to fly by, but certain bites slow time down. McDonald’s is betting its Fried Apple Pie is one of them.
According to a new announcement from McDonald’s USA, the OG Fried Apple Pie returns to participating restaurants nationwide starting June 23 for a limited time. The classic dessert is described as featuring a signature filling made with 100% American-grown apples, wrapped in the same golden, crunchy, flaky fried crust longtime fans remember.
Why the Fried Apple Pie comeback matters
McDonald’s is framing the return as a nostalgia play with a patriotic twist, tying the seasonal rollout to the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday. If you grew up hearing people talk about “the fried pies,” this is the moment they mean: hot, sweet, and unmistakably old-school.
And if you’ve never tried it? McDonald’s is positioning June 23 as your entry point—an “if you know, you know” menu item that’s meant to feel like a summer memory in dessert form.
A classic that started as a family recipe
The company also shared a bit of origin story: the Fried Apple Pie traces back to the 1960s, when East Tennessee McDonald’s Owner/Operator Litton Cochran created a fried apple hand pie that became a local favorite. Over time, it made its way into McDonald’s history.
Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator, said the pie is one of those foods that “take you back,” and credited his grandparents—Litton and Jo Cochran—with helping shape the recipe when McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was looking for a dessert that would resonate with customers.
The 35-foot Fried Apple Pie (yes, really)
To make the return feel like a road-trip moment, McDonald’s is also unveiling a giant roadside installation: The McDonald’s Largest Fried Apple Pie, a 35-foot version of the dessert placed along Route 66—built to be a photo stop.
Fans can snap a selfie and pick up a McDonald’s souvenir map at:
- 920 N Broadway St., Joliet, IL 60435 (just outside Chicago)
If you’re near Chicagoland, here are the dates
- Kickoff event (June 23): 3:30–6:00 p.m. CT, with live music, an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and complimentary Arch Cards
- June 23–July 4: The installation remains up through the holiday stretch
How to get it
McDonald’s says the Fried Apple Pie will be available all day at participating restaurants nationwide, and can also be ordered via the McDonald’s App, while supplies last.If your summer plans include a long drive, a late-night snack run, or just chasing a little nostalgia, June 23 might be the date to circle. Some menu items are built for convenience—this one is built for the detour.
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Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Pair Summer Favorites with a Simple
Potato Salad
(Family Features) Ideal for
neighborhood cookouts, quick family dinners and anything in between, potato
salad is a tried-and-true summer favorite. This version from Cookin’ Savvy
comes together in a snap so you can spend more time enjoying the sun and less
time in the kitchen. Pair this easy potato salad with more warm-weather recipe
inspiration found at Culinary.net.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhUIPGWfbrw?si=UJ2zY8g_aHMcWTsV&controls=0]
Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 3 pounds
potatoes - 4 boiled
eggs, coarsely chopped - 2 dill
pickles - 1 tablespoon
garlic powder - 1 tablespoon
onion powder - 1 package
(2 1/2 ounces) real bacon pieces - 2 cups
mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
mustard - salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- smoked paprika, for garnish
- Coarsely chop potatoes. In Dutch
oven, boil until fork tender. Drain then add coarsely chopped eggs and pickles. - Add garlic powder, onion powder,
bacon pieces, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Mix well. - Transfer to large bowl and
refrigerate 1-2 hours. Garnish with smoked paprika.
SOURCE:
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
