Ripe for the Pickin’: Fresh Springtime Recipes

It’s spring once again which means growth, greens, and getting to snack on seasonal fruits and veggies! Nothing compares to freshly grown produce when it’s perfectly ripe — it’s one of life’s simplest pleasures. But each region has their own locally grown goodies, so it’s good to know what you can find within your area.

Thankfully, someone has thought of that and created an interactive guide to see what fruits and vegetables are readily available where you live:

See what’s in season in your region here.

But if you’re going to eat seasonally, you’re going to need a few spring-inspired recipes to get you started. Today, we’ll feature a handful of recipes that highlight the produce itself, so you can really enjoy the flavors of the season.

Savory Springtime Asparagus:

Fun fact: asparagus crops take about three full years before they’re ready to harvest. But we think it’s well worth the wait.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch bites
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

1.  In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
2. Add asparagus, add cover and cook for 3-5 minutes until crisp yet tender.
3. Drain and place in a large bowl.
4. Add tomatoes, cover and keep warm.
5. Add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, onion, salt and paprika in a food processor and blend while adding oil in a steady stream.
6. Toss with asparagus mixture.
7. Cook almonds in a skillet over low heat until browned.
8. Top with almonds and cheese.

Beautifully Balsamic Glazed Carrots:

Fun fact: Carrots can come in a variety of colors, from the well-known orange variety to white, yellow, red and purple.

• 10 carrots, peeled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• Fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. On a large baking sheet, drizzle carrots with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until evenly layered.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until carrots are tender.
5. In a small saucepan, add balsamic vinegar and honey.
6. Stir and simmer until reduced by half for about 15 minutes.
7. Drizzle carrots with balsamic glaze and garnish with parsley.

Spicy Strawberry Salsa

Fun fact: The average strawberry has about 200 seeds. Try counting them someday!

Ingredients:

• Juice from 1 lime
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• Pinch of salt
• 1 pint of strawberries, hulled and diced
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Black pepper, to taste
• Corn tortilla chips

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine lime juice, honey and salt.
2. Mix in the strawberries, serrano pepper, onion and parsley.
3. Add pepper to taste and mix well.
4. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
5. Serve with chips!

Red Rhubarb Relish

Fun fact: Although we eat the stalk, rhubarb leaves are actually poisonous. So beware!

Ingredients:

• 12 cups finely chopped rhubarb
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Sanitize 4 2-cup freezer containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
2. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours or until mixture thickens. Stir occasionally.
4. Fill all containers 1/2 inch from the top with mixture.
5. Wipe edges of containers and cover with lids.
6. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 12 months.

Snackable Radish Sandwiches

Fun fact: The word “radish” comes from the latin word “radix” which means “root.” So you could say it’s the truest root vegetable!

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf whole wheat bread
• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 bunch chives
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch crushed red pepper
• 1 hard-boiled egg

Instructions:

1. Cut bread into thick slices and toast it.
2. Chop radishes into thin slices.
3. Chop the chives into 1/4 inch long pieces.
4. Spread cream cheese on each piece of toast.
5. Top with sliced radishes and chives.
6. Slice hard-boiled egg lengthwise.
7. Top with egg slices and season with crushed red pepper and salt.

Here’s hoping you try a few of these recipes and let us know which flavors are your favorite! Does your family have any traditional spring recipes you’re looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.