Seasonal Produce – Spring Edition
Ah, it’s that glorious time of the year when the days stretch longer, the birds chip louder and the hope for a fresh Spring is within us all. Spring is time for rebirth and with that, the opportunity to eat fewer wintery comfort foods and opt for lighter, fresher fare. As such, the bountiful options for Spring’s seasonal produce allow us all to begin eating less starchy foods, while enjoying the vivid colors of the season & benefit from all the extra sunlight nature provides.
Spring denotes a huge change in the environment as well as your plate. You’ll notice that light green little buds begin forming on the trees, giving way to vibrant leaves covering the hillsides. Also, you’ll see WAY more green items at the grocery store or farm market this season. The color of Spring is green and so is the seasonal produce it provides!
Seasonal eating is one of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy diet. Why? This practice offers the consumer the opportunity to consume fruits and vegetables at their peak of ripeness. Nutrients are lost the longer a vegetable is in transit or sits on a grocer’s shelf. Same with fruit. It’s important to eat seasonal foods, because these are the fruits and veggies that your neighborhood farmers can grow for you. They never take a cross country journey or sit for months in a grocer’s stock room ripening. These items are picked when they are ripe, passing on the gift of fresh & healthy fruit/veggies to you. Plus, you’ll enjoy a major cost savings when buying seasonal produce, as the ingredients are all plentiful.
Read along to fully understand what’s naturally available to you from March through May every year.
Familiar fruits that are plentiful in the Spring months are:
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
- Mangoes
- Pineapple
- Rhubarb
- Strawberries
Fruits are an easy way to calm your sweet tooth while not caving into your urge to tackle that cake or devour a bag of cookies. Some fruits can be quite high in natural sugars. Just watch your portion sizes and you’ll be fine.
Grapefruit
Hopefully, you enjoyed this multi-seasonal fruit throughout the Winter! But it’s back this Spring for an additional Vitamin C punch. Remember, this seasonal produce item also contains tons of fiber, plus over a dozen vitamins and minerals. So, if you are looking to shed a few of the winter pounds we all acquired recently (thanks comfort foods!), consider incorporating grapefruit to your regimen.
This fruit gives off a slightly sour taste but is full of flavor and compliments a healthy salad beautifully. Consider eating a half of a grapefruit in the morning as part of your breakfast to boost your immune system & promote appetite control throughout the day. In my opinion, the best grapefruit comes from Texas where the fruit is daker pink/red and sweeter. Those that have a lighter flesh tend to be less sweet & sharper in flavor. Typically, later in the season, once the fruit has been left on the vines longer, all varieties are sweeter.
Lemons
Lemons are also a continuation from winter. This seasonal produce favorite remains plentiful through Spring, allowing you to experiment with even more recipes!
My favorite way to use lemons in the Spring is via a lemon vinaigrette. I’ll mix 1 part lemon juice with 2 parts olive oil, add in a little salt and pepper and dress my tender spring greens. For a heartier salad, I might add in a dollop of Dijon mustard or even honey to give this light dressing more body.
Lemons are a permanently stocked fruit in my kitchen. I drink lemon water every day, I use lemon juice & zest in my baking, and I even use the old lemons wedges to freshen up my garbage disposal. In the spring, lemons perfume most of my veggie sides – from tender green beans to roasted asparagus to grilled fish. Lemons are literally in every dish. And my all-time favorite lemon dish – simple lemon pasta from the magnificent town of Amalfi.
Mangoes
The widest range of varietals for this seasonal produce gem can be found in Spring. Unfortunately, my region doesn’t grow these glorious fruits very well, so I tend to overload on vacation. Nonetheless, if you live in a climate that is kind to mangoes, there are so many options to enjoy. First, eat it straight up. This sweet fruit has a tender flesh you’ll love, once you clear out that pesky pit. Add it to smoothies for a special breakfast treat or make it into a chutney to flavor your grilled meats. Mangoes mix beautifully with pineapples for a refreshing salsa or puree the flesh for your next fruity margarita. Want to enjoy mango for dinner? Pair with chicken or shrimp for light lettuce wraps.
Pineapples
You’ll find pineapples in your grocery store much of the year, but the freshest, juiciest, sweetest pineapples are available March through July. In my opinion, the very best pineapples come from Hawaii and are called Maui Golds. These amazing fruits are super sweet, less acidic and SO full of flavor. They smell like pineapples, have tender flesh and pair well with EVERYTHING. If you are lucky enough to live in Hawaii, you already know this. If not, consider having a few shipped in from time to time to really understand how good a pineapple can taste. The inflated price is worth it!
Pineapples can be made into amazing salsas, grilled for a simple side dish or topped with vanilla bean ice cream as a dessert. Add them to your grilled shrimp or chicken the next taco night. Pineapples can be used in various dessert cakes, trifles, or popsicles for a sweet treat. Our very favorite twist on a pineapple comes from French Polynesia. The smaller, more round varietals grown in that region pair exceptionally well with a few squirts from a Persian lime. Neither are very acidic and this combo can be enjoyed for an incredible snack throughout the day.
Rhubarb
This incredibly versatile veggie is one seasonal produce gem you won’t find outside of spring. However, it’s treated like a fruit, so we’ll keep it in this category. So, enjoy it when you see it, as the growing season is quite short. This fruit/veggie looks like red celery and is very tart. But beware – the leaves, when consumed in large amounts can be toxic. The stalk is fine, though most folks may not enjoy it unprepared/raw.
The quintessential pairing is rhubarb and strawberries. Both are Spring favorites, and they balance out each other. The sweetness from the strawberries chills out the tart rhubarb and the rhubarb makes sure the strawberries don’t make any dish too cloyingly sweet. To many, it’s simply a match made in Heaven. This pairing can be made into pies, jams/jellies, & crisps. Add rhubarb to a spinach salad, a rice dish or even as a BBQ sauce component for a more savory flavor.
Strawberries
Strawberries are another fruit that can be found year-round in every grocery store, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should buy it. The Spring is the natural growing season for strawberries, producing red-fleshed, sweet, and juicy morsels that beat out any grocery store fruit, hands down. This Spring, I challenge you to find and purchase locally grown strawberries. Cut one open, notice how the beautiful red color spreads all the way through, leaving your fingers and plate juicy. Now place a piece in your mouth and really taste the fruit. That’s what strawberries are supposed to taste like. The strawberries you buy in Costco in November can’t hold a candle to these guys. Sure, they are larger and probably perfect looking, but their insides are white, the flesh is bitter/sour and they aren’t juicy at all. Save your money.
Enjoy your ripe strawberries raw, topped with whipped cream or sliced on your breakfast waffles. Add them to your fruit salad, pair with apples & kiwi for an amazing salsa or incorporate them into your next cake. Looking for something savory? Add to your next steak salad, make into a sauce to top a pork tenderloin, or mix with herbs for a grilled salmon garnish. Your options are plentiful!
Familiar vegetables that are plentiful in the Winter months are:
- Arugula
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Carrots
- Fava beans
- Fresh herbs
- Kale, collard, mustard & turnip greens
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Morels
- New potatoes
- Peas, sugar snaps & shoots
- Radishes
- Ramps
- Spring onions & green onions
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
Arugula
Arugula is known as rocket lettuce in Italy due to its peppery flavor. This spicy lettuce is perfect as an easy side salad paired with a simple lemon vinaigrette and shaved slices of sharp asiago cheese. Top your veggie pizza with these fresh greens, mix it up into a spicy pesto or serve in your choice of lunch pastas or breakfast egg dishes. Your options are endless, really.
Artichokes
While many of us are familiar with the jarred hearts, the entire artichoke is truly a seasonal treat. This edible member of the thistle family is most common in the Springtime, though you’ll remember it from our Fall seasonal produce article. It’s a favorite at Easter dinner for families with Mediterranean ancestry. The most common preparation involves roasting the entire artichoke, after stuffing heaps of buttery, parmesan-y breadcrumbs into every nook and cranny. To eat, you remove one leaf at a time, scrapping the meat from the leaf with your teeth. You’ve gotta try this at least once in your lifetime.
Asparagus
The quintessential Spring veggie. The tender stalks of this vegetable pair perfectly with nearly every meal and cuisine. My favorite raw application is an Asian-inspired chicken salad, though I also loved cooked asparagus too. Add a chopped handful to your next omelet, frittata or scrambled eggs for breakfast. Add to gemelli along with fresh sweet peas for a delicious lunch item. Or create an easy one-pan dinner by roasting alongside shrimp & lemons. Add that to the arugula salad from above and you’ve got a healthy feast! Or if you are looking for a simple side dish, roast thick stalks at 400°F until crisp tender, about 20-25 minutes, after seasoning with EVOO & salt/pepper.
Beets
Hopefully you enjoyed this sweet veggie throughout the Winter! Beets are a deliciously, sweet multi-season veg that can be roasted for a warm side dish, pickled with vinegar for a cold side dish or grated into a salad for a crunchy (& colorful) salad ingredient.
Carrots
Here’s another multi-season veggie. Carrots are synonymous with Spring, in part due to their connection to a certain hippity-hop that is the official mascot of the season. Even though you can find these guys year-round, carrots grow best in the cool temps of Spring. In fact, carrots are especially coveted in Spring due to their incredible sweetness.
The next time you go to a farmer’s market, I challenge you to purchase their carrots. The ones with a little dirt still on them, maybe with or without their leafy tops. If you eat a carrot directly from the farm, you’ll suddenly appreciate what real carrots actually taste like! Those mini carrots you find in bags in the grocer’s are definitely handy – but did you notice how they taste like dirt? I have a container of (real!) carrot sticks in my fridge every week, ready for snacking. Alone or dunked in hummus, it’s a healthy treat. Larger carrots can be cut on the diagonal and thrown into your Instant Pot for a quick (3 minutes!) and sweet dinner time side dish. Carrots are a part of nearly every soup base – a perfect comfort food for a cold, wintery day!
Fava Beans
While a popular bean for all of the Silence of the Lambs fans out there, this legume (also known as a broad bean) has incredible nutritional value. It is an excellent plant-based protein, providing 13g per cup! It also provides 40% of your DV in folate, leading to reduced birth defects. This bean also has TONS of iron, along with other minerals that play a vital role in your immune system and cardiovascular health. Combined with chickpeas, fava beans make an excellent falafel. Or you can add a handful to your next pasta dish or even combine with other spring veggies (asparagus, artichokes, peas) for a verdant side dish.
Fresh Herbs
Hands down, the very best way to reduce your salt intake is to cook with herbs! The bright and/or complex flavor additions from these amazing edible plants is a game changer. You’ll never feel the same way about a dish than after you’ve added some fresh herb to punch up the flavor. Bummer though – grocery store herbs are SO expensive. Great news, affordable herbs can be purchased from your local farmer’s market OR you can plant your own! I’ve been SO successful growing herbs in my Earth Boxes for over a decade. They grow so prolifically, adding months of amazing flavors to the meals with only a tiny investment of time and plants. Even if you live in a tiny home or apartment – figure out where you can put an Earth Box and fill it up with herbs. You won’t be disappointed! Check out more on herbs HERE.
Kale, collard, mustard & turnip greens
These greens were popular and prevalent throughout the Winter months, but great news is that you can continue to enjoy them this season too! These beautiful greens are SO HEALTHY for you. They are chock full of vitamins A, B6, C & K, along with copper, manganese & calcium. Most of these bitter greens are best when braised. Because of their tough nature, if you cook them low and slow in some type of flavorful liquid, the result is delectable. This super food is also super affordable – helping you keep on track with your food budget this month. Kale, in particular, is a great option for a make ahead salad. The firmness of the leaf holds up well to dressings. In fact, it often tastes better the longer it sits.
Kohlrabi
This cruciferous vegetable is a member of the cabbage family. This veg is an excellent source of Vitamin C and a good source of fiber and B6. This beautiful example of seasonal produce often has a purple bulb, with long leafy green sprouts growing from it. You can enjoy this fun veggie by spiralizing it into noodles, shaving it into a crisp salad or roasting it for your next side dish.
Lettuce
To me, there aren’t many things more reminiscent of my childhood with my paternal grandparents than a bowl of fresh leaf lettuce. Garden lettuce is so tender and simple, it creates the best refreshing salad after a hearty Mediterranean lunch. Tossed with a little olive oil and vinegar, in my opinion, this is what Spring tastes like. The lettuce you buy in the chain grocery stores doesn’t taste anything like this stuff. Join a CSA or head to your local farm market to taste what real, fresh leaf lettuce should be.
Morels
This spring treat is a mushroom grown in the wild and sought after by foragers and chefs alike. As such, they are expensive and a hot commodity. These pair beautifully with asparagus for a nice spring risotto or can even be sauteed in butter for a simple side dish. These mushrooms are pretty strange looking – to me they look like those brain corals you’d find snorkeling.
New Potatoes
New potatoes are a younger (immature) version of the familiar potatoes you already know. They are generally smaller in size with a thinner skin. New potatoes are great for recipes requiring roasting or boiling.
Peas, sugar snaps & shoots
Even if you aren’t a fan of peas, you need to try spring peas. Who likes those gross, mushy peas from a can we all ate as kids? Not me. But fresh peas in Spring put everything you’ve eaten prior to shame. These veggies are so bright in flavor & vivid in color, you’ll question what you’ve been eating your whole life. Add to salads or pasta with any of the other green veggies above or sauté with a little butter for a sweet side dish on their own. I actually love sugar snap peas raw, dipped in a little hummus for my midday snack.
Radishes
Radishes provide a spicy heat to anything you add it to. You’ll often see the red radishes with the white interior shaved into salads. But did you know that radishes come in a variety of colors? The watermelon radish is my favorite. It has this beautiful light green skin with a light pink interior. Throw a handful into your next salad, pickle some for your next picnic or consider roasting a bunch on a sheet pan. Radishes are actually pretty nutritious for you too. They have a ton of Vitamin C and their fiber load will keep you fuller longer. Plus, all of the other minerals radishes contain have been linked to optimal heart & skin health.
Ramps
Ramps are a wild onion with beautiful leaves well known throughout the Appalachian region. These relatives to the scallion have an onion-like flavor and can be used similarly in cooking. Toss them in salads, add to a vinaigrette or combine them with eggs for a delicious breakfast treat.
Spring onions & green onions
Spring onions are a brightly flavored member of the onion family, sporting a small white bulb at the base of a long green stalk. Every part, minus the root, is edible, though the white part is a bit stronger in flavor. Spring onions remind me of Easter also, as we’d often have a plate of fresh, raw Spring onions for all of the older family members to munch on during the dinner.
Spinach
Fresh spinach is delicate and tender, yet it pairs well with a variety of stronger flavors. Create a healthy lunch salad by combining with juicy strawberries, a couple spoonfuls of feta crumbles, a sliced spring onion and a handful of roasted slivered almonds. Or go the more sinful route with crispy bacon, blue cheese, a hard-boiled egg, & sliced red onion tossed in a warm bacon dressing. Yum.
Cooked spinach is a cinch too. Sauté a little garlic in olive oil, then add the spinach, turning until wilted. It takes only a few minutes & it’s one of the healthiest side dishes you’ll ever make. Spinach is fat-free, has almost no calories and is packed full of Vitamin K. It also has high amounts of folate, manganese and Vitamin A. This seasonal veggie also contains iron, calcium and potassium. It’s like a green multivitamin that tastes good. Be like Popeye – eat your spinach.
Swiss chard
Swiss chard is not only one of the most nutritious leafy greens you’ll ever eat, but it’s beautiful too. The stalks often come with vivid red, yellow or orange coloring and the leaves are a dark green. This dark leafy green is low in calories but very high in nutrients. If you never eat any other leafy green but this one again in your life, you’ll live a very healthy life. Swiss chard contains extremely high amounts of Vitamins K&A, along with excellent levels of Vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, iron, & potassium. It also has 3g of protein per cup, along with nearly 4 g of fiber. Try Swiss chard this spring – it’s so good for you and it tastes great. To eat, blanch first (stalks then leaves), then sauté in olive oil & garlic. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.
There you have it – the best seasonal produce of Spring. And a veritable feast! You now have 6 fruits and 18 vegetables to try this season. I challenge you to try one new fruit or vegetable each week! I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up liking (more than!) a few and adding them to your regular rotation.
Good luck and happy eating!
P.S. If you join the Seasonal Produce Challenge, send me a note and share your experience!
Additional Resources:
EarthBox® | Successful Container Gardening Systems (I’m not an affiliate for Earth Box. I have no financial stake in this product – I just love it! And recommend it.)
