When it comes to nutritious foods, we know it can often be hard to get your family to eat their veggies! When you take advantage of in-season produce, you can be sure you’re giving all of your meals not only great taste, but also a fresh boost of nutrition. Plus, it’s much easier on your wallet, as in-season picks are often the most economical options available.
In this article, we’ll go over the entire seasonal spring vegetables list, while also highlighting our top 5 favorite veggies to add into all your meals right now – for crowd-pleasing recipes that will convert even the most firm veggie-opposers. Feel free to experiment with various recipes and try out complementing flavors to all of the veggies mentioned below… Before you know it, you may find that you’ve developed a taste for a particular spring veggie that you never gave much thought to before!
Expand your palate, support your healthiest weight, and promote strong immunity by utilizing the following spring produce we recommend right now…
Spring Vegetables List: 5 Scrumptious Veggies To Color Your Plate
1) Green Peas
There aren’t many veggies as versatile and protein-packed as the small but mighty green pea, which has almost 8g of protein per cup. It’s also one of the best fiber-packed veggies, containing about 8g of fiber per cup, which can be beneficial for digestive health.
Nutrition: Peas are known for being a source of magnesium and zinc, and also contain a variety of vitamins, including A, C, K, thiamine and more.
How to Enjoy: Peas have a slightly sweet, earthy flavor and are fun to include in a variety of recipes fit for the entire family. Hint: Kids often love them!
- Toss cooked peas into salads, soups and pastas
- Make a delicious green pea spread or dip
- Hide the veggie in baked green pea fritters
Recipes To Try:
Broccoli, Cheddar And Green Pea Fritters
2) Carrots
Carrots are another versatile, delicious, and “naturally sweet” veggie that can be used in main courses, side dishes, snacks, and even dessert and smoothie recipes. They also come in a variety of fun and exciting colors, including yellow, white, orange, red and purple.
Nutrition: Carrots are best known for containing beta carotene, an antioxidant that gives carrots (and other veggies) a yellow, orange or red hue. Your body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A - which is an important vitamin for eye health, immunity, and more.
How To Enjoy: This bright veggie has a crisp, crunchy taste and can even help satisfy your sweet tooth in a nutritious way. They can be enjoyed raw or cooked!
- Roast carrots with olive oil and fresh or dried herbs
- Make healthy baked carrot chips
- Add shredded carrots into healthy muffins and smoothies
Recipes To Try:
3) Radish
Next, the radish is a bold, spicy veggie on the spring produce list that adds excitement and flavor to dishes, while providing equally exciting health benefits. Though there are different kind of radishes, the most popular type, white radishes, come into season in spring, and can be used in everything from your main dish to a fancy appetizer.
Nutrition: Radishes are known for their vitamin C content, which can offer benefits to the immune system. In addition, rad radishes contain an antioxidant compound called anthocyanins – which is studied for its positive effects on heart health and cardiovascular disease, among other benefits.
How To Enjoy: This is another veggie you can enjoy both cooked or raw, and is a wonderful addition to a variety of dishes, for whenever you want some added nutrition and tang!
- Thinly slice raw radishes to add to soups, salads, pastas and even tacos
- Roast radishes with coconut oil and sea salt
- Cut up raw radishes in chunks to add excitement to veggie platters
Recipes To Try:
Roasted Radishes With Lemon And Butter
5) Broccoli
Next, broccoli is one of the most family-friendly veggies out there, and you can enjoy it at its freshest and most flavorful in the spring, hence why it makes our “top 5” on the spring vegetables list. Though most people enjoy this cruciferous vegetable cooked, you can also have it raw in salads and veggie platters!
Nutrition: Broccoli is another fiber-packed veggie that contains immune-supporting nutrients. In fact, one cup of chopped broccoli contains around the same amount of vitamin C as an orange! In addition, it also contains a compound called sulforaphane, which is studied for its anti-cancerous properties - although more studies are needed.
How To Enjoy: Whether you have raw or leftover cooked broccoli in your refrigerator, there are a ton of different ways you and your family can enjoy it. In fact, once you steam broccoli, it’s a veggie that can be re-purposed in many other recipes that same week. Plus, you can also freeze it to have for future recipes, or buy it frozen – it’s equally good for you.
- Steam broccoli and top with garlic and olive oil
- Roast broccoli and top with lemon
- Top leftover cooked broccoli with melted cheese or a cheese sauce as a side dish
Recipes To Try:
5) Asparagus
Asparagus is another yummy spring veggie that’s super-easy to make. It also pairs well with a variety of flavors, including healthy, high-fat ingredients like coconut or olive oil, full-fat cream sauces, and various cheeses. You can use this veggie to make a satisfying side dish or to make a main dish more nutritious and flavorful.
Nutrition: Asparagus is packed with fiber, both insoluble and soluble. In addition, this veggie is packed with vitamin K and A, among others.
How to Enjoy: Whether you pan fry, bake, or grill asparagus, you want to enjoy this crunchy, slightly bitter veggie cooked, and spring is the best time to add it to a variety of different dishes!
- Add baked asparagus to pasta along with other spring produce
- Top grilled asparagus with lemon and olive oil
- Pan fry asparagus with coconut oil and melt cheese on it
Recipes to Try:
Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Now that you know our top 5 favorite veggies on the spring produce list, here are some additional ones that you can use to add awesome flavor, texture, and abundant nutrients to all of your meals!
Spring Produce: More Spring Veggies to Enjoy this Season
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Artichoke
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Arugula
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Beets
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Boy choy
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Fava Beans
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Fresh Herbs (basil, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
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Garlic
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Leeks
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Mustard Greens
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Red Leaf Lettuce
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Rhubarb
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Scallions
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Snow Peas
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Spinach
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Swiss Chard
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Turnips
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Vidalia Onions
Ready to get cooking?! If you’re interested in which spring produce options there are in your particular area, because you would like to buy as local as possible, check out this seasonal food guide by state! Plus, get additional articles on how to live a healthy lifestyle, along with tasty and nutritious recipes on the 310 Nutrition Blog.
Sources:
https://foodrevolution.org/blog/spring-vegetables-fruits/
https://www.foodandwine.com/vegetables/spring-vegetables
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-a/art-20365945
https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030314p20.shtml
https://www.canceredinstitute.org/sulforaphane---its-chemistry-and-anti-cancer-properties.html
http://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/top-10-lists-for-gardeners/top-10-spring-vegetables/?5
https://www.thespruceeats.com/fresh-spring-fruits-and-vegetables-2217705
