My Favorite Spring Vegetables
Who doesn’t love spring time? The sun is shining brighter and the days are becoming longer, not to mention the farmers markets are flourishing with delicious fresh produce. Spring time is the start of all my favorite vegetables coming back into season. Don’t get me wrong, I love my winter squashes, but there is something about cooking with ingredients that shine bright in flavor and color wether they are raw or roasted! Below you will find a list of my favorite spring vegetables + how I like to prepare them!
Spring Time Harvest
Peas
There are two delicious types of peas.
Garden peas: these require shelling + Sugar snap peas: which yield edible pods.
No matter which you one you chose, both these little spring vegetables are an excellent source of iron, protein, vitamin C and soluble fiber. My favorite way to enjoy peas is by simply blanching them in boiling water for 60 seconds or until they turn bright green + are cooked all the way through. Next I drain the peas and spray them with Braggs liquid aminos. Yes, you can use frozen peas, but I promise once you try peas fresh you will never go back to buying frozen peas, well unless they aren’t in-season.
Kohlrabi
This is a rare vegetable to find in peoples homes. I find most people are intimidated by this vegetable because of how it looks, I know I was the first time I saw it. I once heard someone say “kohlrabi looks a bit, well, odd—like a garden alien.” Instead of being scared of this vegetable focus on kohlrabi’s mild, sweet flavor, which is delicious in a stir-fry, soup or stew. I have a yummy recipe for a truffle slaw using kohlrabi + fennel.
Chard
If you want your dish to be vibrant with colors use rainbow chard! Chard is one of the most beautiful vegetables in my opinion and very versatile in how you prepare it. It is great tasting and high in its nutritional value. Chard is also very easy to grow in your back yard, it is very low maintenance . I enjoy chard best when sautéed in olive oil with garlic with a pinch of maldon salt.
Asparagus
There are multiple types of asparagus. I love purple, white, and the original we all know, green. Asparagus is a nutrient dense vegetable. It is a great source of antioxidants, improve your digestion, can help lower blood pressure, and is high in protein. Try grilling, sautéed, roasting, or eating your asparagus raw! Best eaten raw in spring when asparagus is in season. Just shave it finely and toss with a dash of EVOO, pinch of salt, and lemon zest.
Broccoli
This is a hit or miss vegetable for most people. Some people love broccoli and some people cant stand it. If you’re not the biggest fan, try a different type of broccoli, such as: broccolini, broccoli raab (rapini), or romanesco. I love to roast each type with a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let the vegetable sing! Broccoli is very high in vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
Spinach
I would say I eat more spinach than any other vegetable. I try to eat as many leafy greens as possible, especially when they are in-season. I like to blend spinach into my smoothie, juice it, sauté it, or eat it in a salad! Spinach is very high in antioxidants, vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, iron, folate, and potassium.
Brussel Sprouts
I go in and out of phases of eating brussels. Right now my favorite way to enjoy this vegetable is my balsamic roasted brussel sprouts recipe! This recipe makes perfectly cooked brussels with a delicious sweetness from the balsamic vinegar. I also love to use this exact recipe on asparagus! Brussels are higher in protein then expected and contain loads of vitamins.
Radishes
These have been a new found love for me. I love all types of radishes (breakfast radish, watermelon radish, daikon radish, black radish, etc) When radishes are in-season, I love to shave them very thin and toss with lemon juice, evoo, and salt. Another way to prepare them and help remove some of the sharp spicy bite to them is to roast them. Typically, I slice to radish into chunks and toss with evvo + salt, then roast at 375 for 20 minutes. They become melt in your mouth good!
