Delicious and Nutritious Early Spring Veggies to Add to Your Meal Plans

spring vegetables at a farmers market

Spring has finally arrived, the weather is warming up, and we can finally get excited about fresh spring vegetables hitting the market!

That’s right! Although it may seem a bit early for planting gardens and harvesting crops, early April is actually peak season for many delicious veggies.

If you’re tired of microwaving frozen green beans or purchasing canned corn, listen up! We’re about to share with you our top 5 favorite early spring vegetables that you can buy fresh in your local grocery today!

Check them out…

#1 – Artichokes

artichoke

Artichokes are the buds of a plant that comes from the thistle family. They have been given their name due to a small, inedible, fuzzy center of the vegetable that would likely cause you to choke if you attempted to eat it.

The peak growing season across the U.S. is typically in March, and they can be harvested anytime from April through May.

Artichokes contain up to 28% of your recommended daily fiber intake, which make them a great vegetable for keeping your system clean and regular.

They also contain high levels of vitamin C and K.

Recommended Cooking Strategy: We personally recommend roasting artichokes. Simply clean the vegetable, toss in oil, salt and pepper (or your favorite seasoning), and bake until the artichoke is tender and delicious.

#2 – Asparagus

asparagus

Asparagus is a herbaceous, perennial plant and is native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia.

This particular veggie enjoys growing in cooler climates and is ready to harvest in most places, including the U.S., starting in February.

Because April is the peak season for this vegetable, you may notice prices on this pricey veggie begin to drop. If you’re looking to pinch some pennies, we suggest buying the veggie in bulk when it’s cheap, blanching it, and then storing it in your freezer for a later date.

Asparagus is low in calories and sodium. This makes it a great side dish option if you’re watching your waistline.

It’s also a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber and protein.

Recommended Cooking Strategy: We believe that asparagus tastes best when cooked on the grill. Marinate this veggie in a little oil, salt and pepper, and then throw it on your grill for 15 minutes, and it will be ready to eat.

#3 – Beets

beets on a cutting board

Beets are a root vegetable that have been enjoyed in food dishes since the Middle Ages.

Fun fact: During the middle of the 19th century, wine was often colored with beetroot juice.

Like most root vegetables, beets prefer the cool seasons of fall and spring. They are typically ready to harvest in the U.S. by late March or early April.

Besides tasting great, beets are often eaten due to their unique source of betaine–a nutrient that helps protects cells, proteins, and enzymes from environmental stress.

They are also high in immune-boosting nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium.

The only downside to eating beets is that they are high in sugar. For this reason, we recommend you eat them in moderation.

Recommended Cooking Strategy: Steaming beets is one of the best ways to preserve the vegetable roots’ nutrients. Simply steam this vegetable in a veggie steamer and follow your veggie steamer’s guide for optimal results.

#4 – Chicory

Chickory growing in rows in a field

Chicory is member of the endive family.

Because chicory is a leafy green vegetable, it grows best during the cool seasons and is often planted so that it can be harvested in the early spring.

This leafy veggie contains a natural source of inulin, a strong prebiotic. For this reason, many people consume chicory in order to ease their digestion problems and heal their guts.

Chicory leaves also contain a large amount of vitamin K–a vitamin that’s essential for healthy bone growth.

Recommended Cooking Strategy: Get the most out of consuming chicory leaf by simply adding it to a salad. Be sure to add in other leafy greens and veggies as this veggie often has a bitter taste when left unbalanced with other veggies.

#5 – Rhubarb

rhubarb stalks

Believe it or not, most rhubarb that we eat in the U.S. is grown in hothouses and is called “hothouse rhubarb.” Every year growers plant hothouse rhubarb in the fall, and it’s ready to harvest and sell to consumers in early spring.

The reason this veggie is grown in abnormal conditions is because, when it’s grown in a hothouse over the winter months, the rhubarb stalk ends up becoming sweeter and less bitter.

In the past, the Chinese would often use rhubarb for medicinal purposes. Today, many people enjoy eating it roasted, in pies, or shredded on top of salads.

Rhubarb is full of antioxidants. In fact, it’s a fantastic source of beta-carotene and other polyphenolic compounds that work to protect the skin and eyes from free radicals.

Aside from antioxidants, it’s also packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy diet.

Recommended Cooking Strategy: If you have a sweet tooth, we advise you to try making a rhubarb pie. Not only will it be sweet and delicious, but your will also be able to feel good about eating a pie that’s made out of veggies!

Click here to check out one of our favorite rhubarb pie recipes!

What is your favorite spring vegetable? Let us know in the comments below!

Delicious and Nutritious Plants for Your Spring Vegetable Garden

Spring has officially sprung, and it’s time to start planting your spring garden, packed with delicious and nutritious veggies. Yum!

If you’ve never planted a vegetable garden before, or are looking for some new ideas for your existing garden, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re going to share some of our favorite veggies that thrive in gardens during the cooler spring months.

Even better, we’re going to share some delicious recipes you can use once your veggies are mature and ready to harvest.

Keep reading to discover the best types of veggies to plant this time of year and a variety of different recipes you can use to make these nutritious veggies taste great!

Lettuce

From iceberg to romaine, spring is the prime season for growing lettuce. In fact, it’s the best time you should have this leafy vegetable in your garden.

That’s because as soon as the weather gets hot, lettuce wilts and dies. So, start planting now!

We recommend growing romaine lettuce in your garden. The darker-colored lettuce varieties tend to have more vitamins and nutrients, like manganese, potassium, biotin, vitamin B1, copper, iron, and vitamin C, and are a very good source of dietary fiber.

Once you’ve harvested your lettuce, try out this delicious lettuce wrap recipe!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
  • 1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup julienned green onions
  • 12 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

#1. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes; drain. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and ginger; cook 4-6 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink. Drain and set aside.

#2. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and remaining oil. Stir in the carrots, onions and chicken mixture.

#3. Spoon onto lettuce leaves; sprinkle with almonds. If desired, fold sides of lettuce over filling and roll up. Yield: 6 servings.

Recipe source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-lettuce-wraps 

Broccoli  

Broccoli is another hardy cool weather veggie, which makes it perfect for springtime planting.

The best part—it’s a very low maintenance plant to grow. As long as you plant it in an area with full access to sunlight and water it every day, you’ll have beautiful broccoli stalks shooting up in your garden before you know it.

Tip: Broccoli does not like hot weather. For this reason, we advise you to pick up partially grown stalks from your local plant nursery so it has time to mature before summer hits.

Once harvested, each stalk is packed with dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B1, vitamin A, potassium, and copper. All of these nutrients are vital for a healthy body.

When your broccoli is ready to eat, we recommend trying out this broccoli salad recipe.

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5-6 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 pound of florets)
  • 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
  • 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
  • 1/4 cup of red onion, chopped
  • 1 cup of frozen peas, thawed (or fresh peas if you can get them)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey

Directions:

#1. Bring a large pot of water, salted with a teaspoon of salt, to a boil. Add the broccoli florets. Cook 1-2 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the broccoli. 1 minute will turn the broccoli bright green, and leave it still pretty crunchy. 2 minutes will cook the broccoli through, but still firm.

#2. Drain the broccoli and immediately put into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. After the broccoli cools, drain it well before dressing it in the next step.

#3. Combine broccoli florets, almonds, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, and peas in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cider vinegar and honey.

#4. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Recipe Source: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/broccoli_salad/

Asparagus

Asparagus is a delicious and hardy spring vegetable. The only downside—this type of produce tends to be expensive when you buy it from a grocery store.

The solution: Grow your own at home and save big!

Because asparagus is typically grown from asparagus crowns that you buy at your local garden store, this veggie is pretty easy to grow. It’s also low maintenance, which makes it the perfect vegetable for those who are new to gardening.

On top of being easy to grow, it’s also very nutritious. It’s a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K. It also contains chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.

Pretty neat!

Personally, my favorite way to consume asparagus is by cooking it on the grill.

Simply coat the asparagus stalks in a little bit of olive oil, then lightly salt and pepper.

Throw the stacks directly on the grill, or use a grill pan, and cook for about 10-15 minutes. The longer you cook the stalks, the softer they will become.

Super easy and delicious!

Tip: You can add whatever seasoning you like to asparagus. Experiment with different seasoning combinations until you find the flavoring you like best!

Do you have a favorite spring vegetable?

Let us know in the comments below!