25 ways to prepare late spring produce

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As spring turns into early summer in the great Northwest, the produce selection starts to get interesting again.

You might wander through your backyard garden or local farmer’s market. Maybe you pick up a CSA farm share each week or just run into the grocery store on the way home from work. Growing or buying produce in season is one thing. Knowing what in the world to do with it once you get it home can be another.

Those beautiful bunches of beets and strange stalks of chard. That impulse buy of radishes or delivery of kale. Without a plan, a frugal decision in the produce department can turn into a waste of money (and a soggy mess) in your refrigerator.

I’m hoping to take some of the mystery out of the fruits and vegetables you will currently find in farmers markets, farm shares, or grocery stores by compiling a list of some favorite seasonal dishes from my kitchen and those of my friends and family. All of these recipes have been tested and approved, meaning they got the thumbs up from our families and will be hitting our dinner tables again.

Late Spring/Early Summer Produce and Recipe Ideas

Asparagus

• Broiled Asparagus with Balsamic-Butter Sauce
• – I double the sauce and use whole grain spaghetti noodles. This is delicious with any vegetable and/or meat.

Beets & Carrots

• Roasted Beets- Peel & quarter beets. Toss with olive oil & salt. Roast for 20+ min. at 425. The beets are done when they can be easily pierced with a fork. Toss with feta or goat cheese for a simple, beautiful side dish.
• – My friend’s kiddo loves these. It’s a tasty, unique way to sneak in some vegetables.

Chard

• – Quiche using frozen puff pastry dough.

Green Beans

• – Crazy combination. Crazy good.

Kale

Radishes

Rhubarb

• Rhubarb Cobbler
• – The biscuit topping is delicious. I double the fruit and sugar in the filling.
• – 3 ingredients, 10 uses
• – This recipe is from Nigella Lawson’s Feast. It’s good with any summer fruit.

Spinach

• – I doubled all of the vegetables: spinach, mushrooms, garlic, and onions. My family of four gobbled up a huge pan of this lasagna for dinner and leftovers. I actually preferred it to the meat variety I normally make.
• Green Smoothies – Toss a handful of fresh spinach into your favorite fruit smoothies.
• – I hate cooked spinach, but I adore creamed spinach. It’s amazing what heavy cream and Parmesan cheese can do for a dish. This is also a great way to use up a large amount of spinach because it cooks down so much.
• – I actually haven’t tried this one, but it looks good & uses basic ingredients.

Strawberries

• Basic Fruit Muffins with Streusel
• – This easy dessert is bright & gorgeous. Tastes good, too.
• – using spelt flour & oats

I hope this inspires you to try new things in your local produce market and your own kitchen.

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