Hi everyone, good morning!! đ
How are you doing? Itâs almost the weekend!
(Image Credit)
This dog accurately represents my struggle throughout the week. đ
But the weather has been so gorgeous lately, and I canât wait to soak some of it up this weekend! Iâm planning on making dinner with a dear friend of mine on Friday, and we thought that a colorful and veggie-packed dish would be a fabulous way to celebrate spring!!
So thank you, Kailey, for inspiring the content of this post. đ
Bright flavors (and colors) are an obvious reason to embrace the spring season, and eating fresh spring produce is perfect for doing just that!
The following graphic is from Greatist, because this was way too good to pass up.
(Credit: Greatist)
Alright, letâs break it down a bit.
So weâve got your greens: arugula, watercress, and dandelion greens.
These bad boys pack in the Vitamin A and K, and are best during the early spring when theyâre bright and green.
How about some fennel, radishes, and leeks?!
Fennel is not only where licorice gets its flavor, but just 1 cup is equivalent to 17% of your recommended Vitamin C intake. Not too shabby! Radishes are delicious on salads and are rich in Vitamin B and potassium. So, a leek is similar to an onion, but they have a subtler sweetness. These green beauties are available year-round, their flavor is best during the spring and fall.
Ramps? Artichoke? Asparagus?
These next three are staples of your spring produce! If youâve ever had ramps, they have a pretty garlicky flavor. Use your own judgment. Artichoke and asparagus are perfect anywhere. I always top my salads with them if theyâre available!
Now for an interesting trio: rhubarb, fava beans, and sugar snap peas.
Though technically a vegetable, rhubarb can complement fruit in desserts all spring long. Fava beans are best in soups and stews, available in early March. The sugar snap pea is edible as a whole, pod and all. Theyâre a great source of vitamin C!
The last three vegetables feel like they belong in Harry Potter or something: fiddlehead ferns, morel mushrooms, and Vidalia onions.
Fiddlehead ferns are pretty rare, but they slightly resemble coiled asparagus in texture and flavor. Morels add that nutty mushroom flavor to any dish, but theyâre not cheap. For special occasions only haha! Lastly, Vidalia onions are super sweet and originate from Vidalia, Georgia. (Make more sense now?) Store them somewhere cool and well-ventilated for best flavor! đ
Feeling a little more inspired to cook now? Me too.
I hope you have a thrilling Thursday! Eat your veggies!
XOXO
P.S. Red velvet is SO last year, Blue Velvet is whatâs hot!!
My âBlue Velvetâ Oatmeal from yesterday. đ