Fruit and Vegetables: What's In Season this Spring?
Eating seasonally helps you enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables when they are at their seasonal best.
Say goodbye to monotonous meals, take a look at what’s in season this spring and plan your shopping to suit!
1. Asparagus
Often considered to be one of the delicacies of the vegetable world, asparagus is in season between May and July. With a nutritional profile that is next to none, this cultivated lily plant contains high levels of vitamins A and C, potassium, iron and calcium.
Asparagus not only packs a nutritional punch, it also brings a distinct, intense savoury flavour to any dish. One of our favourite ways to eat this spring vegetable is with a sprinkle of sea salt, a little oil and roasted in the oven. Serve with some parmesan shavings and a spritz of lemon juice for a delicious starter plate.
2. Pepper
Full of flavour and back in season until mid-October, peppers team well with garlic, herbs, olives and tangy cheeses.
You may be surprised to know that the colour of a pepper relates to how long it has been allowed to ripen. Green peppers are the youngest and the sharpest, while red peppers have been left to ripen a bit longer, and are the sweetest.
When choosing your peppers, look for a glossy, firm skin which is evenly coloured with no soft patches.
3. Spinach
Popeye’s favourite vegetable comes back in season during late April.
Used in almost every cuisine, spinach is a good source of dietary fibre and contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals.
Spinach has a distinctive bitter taste, and teams well with most dairy products or eggs. When buying this popular green vegetable, look for leaves that are vibrant green in colour, have a fresh smell and have no wilted, yellow leaves.
4. Radishes
Whether sliced raw for a salad or served as a side dish, radishes peppery flavour and crisp, crunchy texture adds a zing to your plate.
In addition to their fiery taste, radishes are packed full of vital nutrients including folic acid, potassium and vitamin B6.
When choosing your radishes, ensure they have a firm skin, with no blemishes and that the leaves are still fresh, green and perky.
5. Rhubarb
Seeing the pink stalks of rhubarb is a tell-tale sign that spring is here.
Rhubarb’s tart, tangy flavour makes it the perfect paring with anything sweet; think crumbles, tarts or trifles.
When choosing your rhubarb go for firm, crisp, plump stalks with fresh leaves that are blemish free. Just remember, the leaves of rhubarb are toxic; remove these and wash your stalks before preparing to cook.
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