Spring is in the air! Or maybe just in my heart… Where I live it feels like I’m trapped in a snow globe. With temps still below thirty and still lots of snow it doesn’t quite feel like spring yet but I’m embracing the spirit of spring. Tulips, spring cleaning, a spring break getaway for some much needed vitamin D and seasonal eating.
While I love soup season I’m ready to start incorporating some new meals into the rotation with fresh in-season spring fruits and vegetables. Eating seasonally has a few benefits. Eating in-season produce provides more nutrition and more flavor. Fruits and vegetables in season spend less time from farm to table, so they maintain much of their nutrition and flavor. Seasonal eating is also more sustainable because locally grown seasonal food takes less resources to transport and store food.
Here’s a list of some U.S. seasonal spring produce:
- Asparagus
- Apricots
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Leeks
- Radishes
- Mushrooms
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
Here are some recipes I gathered to help you incorporate in-season produce.
Spicy Pesto, Asparagus, and Ricotta Pasta with Crispy Proscuitto
Seasonal Vegetable: Asparagus
I love Half-Baked Harvest. Her meals are always delicious and never too complicated. If you’re still living in a snow globe like me and want something warm but with spring ingredients this recipes looks delicious.
Crisp and Crunchy Chicken Salad
Seasonal Vegetable: Radishes
This recipe looks delicious and refreshing with a variety of vegetables. Growing up I never really cared for radishes until I learned about pickling them with vinegar which changed the whole flavor for me. For this meal I might opt for chicken breast instead of thighs but that’s just to make it slightly healthier with leaner meat.
Rhubarb Galette with Buckwheat Crust
Seasonal fruit: Rhubarb
Nothing says spring to me like Rhubarb.Impress your dinner guests with a homemade dessert. The recipe says this is the perfect dessert for amateurs and makes you look like a pro.
One Pot White Wine Pasta with Mushrooms and Leeks
Seasonal Vegetable: Mushrooms, leeks
More pasta. What can I say. Who doesn’t love a good pasta and this recipe only requires one pot so there’s minimal clean-up. This also includes two seasonal vegetables mushrooms and leeks. I think the recipe looks delicious as is but if you want to make it healthier you could try a wheat pasta alternative like Banza which is a chickpea based.
Warm Barely and Caramelized Mushroom Salad
Seasonal Vegetable:Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of my favorite vegetables so I included two recipes. This warm barley and caramelized mushroom salad sounds delicious, hearty and simple. This is also a great recipe to familiarize yourself with barley which has lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Hope you enjoyed these recipe picks and they get you in a spring mood.
-Paige