With the spring harvest right around the corner, it is important to know which vegetables to look out for and how to use them. After months of cooking meat and potato kind of dishes it is time to great fresh, bright, and creative with spring vegetables.
This post is going to be all about which spring vegetables you want to eat this year and just how to eat them.
Asparagus
Asparagus is an exciting spring vegetable, and everyone looks forward to its season’s arrival.
The beauty of asparagus is that you can make it really simple, and it still comes out delicious. Tossing a bunch of asparagus in a good quality olive oil, salt, pepper, and a good bit of red pepper flakes for a little bite and roast it in the oven until it is tender never disappoints.
Check out these other asparagus recipes to try this spring
Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
Watermelon Radish
These root vegetables get their name from their striking resemblance to watermelons. They have a white outer circle and a pink center so when they are cut they look like a slice of watermelon. This makes them a perfect garnish for just about any salad.
Try these salads that utilize watermelon radishes.
Artichoke
Artichoke can scare off just about anyone but take the time to learn how to prepare them correctly and you will be rewarded with a delicious green vegetable. The edible part of the artichoke is the flower bud in the center of all the hard outer shells. Watch this video to learn how to correctly trim and cook artichokes so you do not have to miss out on this spring veggie.
Also try these artichoke dishes once you’ve mastered the basic preparation practice.
Fennel
For a spicy and fresh bite, you are going to want to grab some fennel this spring. Not only is fennel delicious it also has great nutritional value. Fennel is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and a good source of potassium. Try adding more fennel to your diet this spring for an exciting addition to your palette and for a good health boost.
Try these unique preparations for fennel.
English Peas
Peas were boring for so long. Don’t fret though, they are exciting again. If you get fresh English peas this spring and prepare them in a bright way, they will not disappoint. Simply add them out of the shell and uncooked as a main ingredient in a salad and you are going to have an added unique texture and flavor that you didn’t have before.
Eat peas all spring long with the following recipes.
Leeks
Leeks are a crucial spring vegetable. They can add an amazing flavor to almost any braised dish. They can also stand alone as the main ingredient in a dish and hold its own texturally and taste wise. When making leeks use the white end of the stalk for your finished product cooking, but don’t waste all the extra green bits you trim off. Instead try using them in vegetable stock or make a leek top pesto.
Use the recipes below to kick off your spring leek cooking.
Now that you have a list of amazing spring vegetables, along with recipes to try them with go out to your local farmers markets and get picking.
