Eating Seasonally - Spring Recipe Roundup
When considering options for eating healthier, you might try eating more vegetables, cutting out excess sugar, or buying organic meat and produce. One simple way to boost your nutrition is eating seasonally - focusing your meals on foods that are currently in peak season. Not only does this ensure you’re getting the best nutrients available, but it also saves you money (hello, buying local!) and it’s better for the environment!
Spring is an exciting time of year - the grass is growing, trees are budding, flowers are starting to bloom, and farmer’s markets are starting back up. As the days grow longer and warmer, the variety of in-season produce also grows in abundance! These are some fruits and vegetables you’ll likely find in peak production through the spring season:
Apricots
Artichoke
Asparagus
Butter and Red Leaf Lettuce
Cabbage
Carrots
Collard Greens
Fava Beans
Fennel
Green Beans
Honeydew Melon
Kale
Limes
Mangoes
Morel Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Peas
Pineapples
Radicchio
Radishes
Rhubarb
Spinach
Strawberries
Swiss Chard
Vidalia Onions
Spring is the perfect time to expand your palate - try a new fruit or vegetable, or simply work on incorporating more seasonal produce into your cooking rotation. When you cook with in-season produce, you’re guaranteeing peak nutritional value - these foods are packed with nutrients like vitamins A, B, C, and K, as well as fiber potassium, and calcium. We’ve included some mouthwatering recipes that highlight spring produce - which one will you try first?
Asparagus
Rich in vitamins A, K, folate, and fiber, asparagus shines during the early half of spring and it’s a delicious and versatile side for any meal! The Castaway Kitchen boasts two asparagus recipes that we’re loving right now.
Asparagus Salad with Fried Garlic
Carrots
Carrots are rich in vitamins A. K, potassium, and fiber, and they make the most delicious sweet and savory addition to just about any entree. If steamed or raw carrots aren’t your thing, give these crispy roasted carrots a try!
The Castaway Kitchen's Crispy Roasted Carrots
Fennel
Fresh fennel is rich in vitamin C and fiber, but it may not be at the top of your list of new vegetables to try. While it’s a popular seasoning in sausage and other pork dishes, it’s also delicious starring in its own salad. Try this refreshing take on a bright spring salad at your next cookout.
Celery, Fennel, and Apple Salad with Walnuts
Honeydew Melon
The sweet honeydew melon, rich in potassium and vitamin C, can be absolutely delicious on its own when picked during peak ripeness. For a refreshing drink on a warm spring day, whip up this easy, naturally sweetened agua fresca.
Honeydew Melon Agua Fresca with Lime
Peas
Rich in protein, peas are a spring staple. Sweet and crunchy when raw, comforting and soft when mashed, peas can be a divisive veggie - either you like them or you really don’t. But they can be transformed into the most delicious, simple spring soup, served warm or chilled. Give this recipe a chance the next time you find fresh local peas on sale. (Note: the recipe calls for frozen peas, but only out of necessity. Fresh peas work beautifully here!)
Rhubarb
Another “you love it or you hate it” spring offering, rhubarb is a spring vegetable we typically prepare more like a fruit. Popular in pies and crumbles, tart rhubarb balances well with sweet seasonal strawberries to create the perfect sweet-tart dessert. Rhubarb is also rich in vitamins A, B, and K, and when combined with the rich vitamin C found in strawberries, you’re making a dessert that nourishes! We think this recipe can convert even the strongest rhubarb-avoiders. Plus, it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and only uses natural sugars!