At The Market This Spring: What to Buy and How to Cook It Now

Food and Family

Spring is finally here and that means the markets will soon be in full bloom with fresh, local greens, veggies abound, and brightly colored fruits. It also means that, in my kitchen at least, nature will be doing the heavy lifting as we descend into salad season, simple grilled and roasted sides, brightly colored pasta platters, and of course, fruity baked desserts made from scratch. Right now, find these items at local markets where they are as fresh as the spring buds, made even more delicious with a couple of extra ingredients and some easy to follow recipes.

Asparagus

One of the first bright bursts of green for the season, asparagus comes in early with a lot of flavor and vitamin packed fury. Easy to blanch, bake, or sauté, this punchy little spring spear is best dressed with some citrus, tossed in a salad, mixed with pasta, or roasted to crispy perfection.

Crispy Veal Scaloppine Topped with Asparagus and Corn Citrus Salad

Quick Fire Leek & Asparagus Risotto

Lemony Green Spring Baked Rice Pilaf

Ginger Herb Roasted Asparagus with ‘Shrooms

Leafy Greens and Spring Lettuces

We all know how good lettuces are for your diet. But what we dont always focus on are which lettuces are in season and why that matters. Spring and early summer is harvest for most of our favorite leafy green varieties, like spinach, arugula, gem, butter, and many more. This means we should all be taking advantage of salad season because its taste will be at its best and have the most nutritional value. Unfortunately, lettuce life at the market is short, so quickly stock your fridge with fresh bright bunches for springtime salads, sautéed or grilled greens, and easy to make (and store) nutty pestos. Here are some of my favorite ways to green up my kitchen.

Fresh Veggie & Salami Salad with Yogurt Cashew & Herb Dressing

Raw Cashew and Spinach Pesto & Meatballs

Roasted Carrot, Leek, and Avocado Salad over Arugula

Pear & Pepita Spinach Salad with Champagne-Mustard Vinaigrette

Lizzie’s Grilled Romaine, Radicchio, and Endive Salad

Thai Ginger – Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Scallions

Most likely, no one has ever said, “make sure to eat your onions”. While I am here to tell you, “make sure to eat your onions, especially the seasonal, farm fresh kind”. These spring varieties are one of the best ways to get a vitamin kick with a crunch. I love them raw and garnished on a zillion different dishes, but I am also a big fan of bringing out their sweet flavor sautéed, grilled, and topped on a warm buddha bowl. Colorful, sweet, and versatile, stock up on scallions while you can because they just taste different when local and in season.

Korean Beef Bulgogi & Quick Pickled Cucumber and Scallion Salad