What’s in Season? April Produce

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Hello, April! Bring on the watermelon. (Ha, sorry, produce joke.) These seasonal produce guides are getting tricky because local spring produce is slowly becoming available depending on your location. Think of these guides as broad indicators of what’s in season and shop accordingly. Before we get to the produce, here are a few links I’ve been meaning to share:

Podcast! I recently chatted with sweet Marly about becoming a full-time blogger and she made a podcast out of it. I had a cold and said some dumb stuff about shoes, which she may or may not have included in the final cut. I couldn’t tell you since I’m too sissy to listen to it.

Food photography guides! I wrote some guides for eBay: food photography gear recommendations, as well as finding your style/shopping for props and lastly, how to put it all together and emulate three popular food photo styles. Whether you’re a food blogger or an aspiring food photographer or just plain curious, please check them out!

Easter! If you’re looking for recipes, I think you’ll find quite a few Easter-appropriate recipes over here. A few of my top picks: baked asparagus frittata, green goddess hummus, Greek broccoli salad, lemon-parsley bean salad and last but not least, spring pea and asparagus pasta.

Thanks again to Becky for letting me base this resource on her “Eat Seasonal” monthly seasonal produce lists. You can download her free screensaver for April produce over here. For more seasonal inspiration, follow my boards on Pinterest!

Asparagus

Asparagus is really only worth eating in the springtime. It’s lovely with lemon and mint. Shaved asparagus is great in salads and roasted asparagus makes a perfect springtime side dish. Asparagus elsewhere:

• Asparagus and Sweet Potato Hash with Chimichurri by House in the Hills
• Grilled Asparagus Plate with Cilantro Pepita Pesto by Sprouted Kitchen
• Pistachio Crusted Asparagus with Feta by Joy the Baker
• Sesame and Almond Asparagus Salad by Love and Lemons

View more C+K asparagus recipes ↣

Avocado

Good gracious, how I love avocado. Avocado on toast is almost impossible to beat, but it’s also a fantastic addition Mexican meals and fresh green recipes of any kind, really. The avocados you’ll find in stores now are probably from Mexico, where avocados are in season year-round, but California avocados are starting to come around, too. Avocado elsewhere:

• Avocado Cilantro Hummus by What’s Gaby Cooking
• Avocado, Mozzarella, and Jalapeño Chimichurri Grilled Cheese by Naturally Ella
• Black Bean and Avocado Breakfast Burritos by Gimme Some Oven
• Garlicky Avocado Grilled Cheese with Tomato Pesto by Foodie Crush

View more C+K avocado recipes ↣

Beets

I’m slowly changing my tune about beets. I like them raw in salads (like this one!) and even in my juice. I’m still learning to appreciate roasted beets, though. Beets are tremendously earthy and can be eaten fresh, cooked or roasted. Some, like the golden variety, are pretty sweet. Beets elsewhere:

• Baked Rosemary Beet Chips by Minimalist Baker (featured above!)
• Beet Bourguignon by Green Kitchen Stories
• Penne Pasta in a Roasted Beet Sauce by Bev Cooks
• Warm Kale, Quinoa and Balsamic Beet Salad by The First Mess

 

broccoli

As it turns out, broccoli is totally irresistible once roasted with olive oil and sea salt. Like all brassicas, broccoli goes great with garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and other bold flavors. Select small, tightly packed florets with minimal brown spots. Broccoli elsewhere:

• Asian Quinoa Broccoli Slaw by Mountain Mama Cooks
• Ginger Broccoli with Forbidden Rice by A House in the Hills
• Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese by Two Peas and Their Pod
• Simple, Salty, Sweet + Nutty Broccoli Soba by The First Mess

View more C+K broccoli recipes ↣

Brussels Sprouts

My beloved Brussels sprouts are still in season! These poor baby cabbages have been maligned for years because someone decided to boil them to soggy, sulfurous deaths. I absolutely love roasted, caramelized Brussels and super crispy fried sprouts that I order at restaurants every chance I can get. I like to shred sprouts in my food processor and use them in slaws—they’re more fine and less watery than their full-sized cabbage cousins. Brussels Sprouts elsewhere:

• Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Hazelnuts by Two Peas and Their Pod
• Brussels Sprouts Potato Gratin by Cafe Johnsonia
• Maple Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Love and Lemons
• Super Food Bowls by Vintage Mixer

View more C+K Brussels sprout recipes ↣

cabbage

So, cabbage is in season all year long! Cousin to broccoli, this potent anti-cancerous cruciferous vegetable is great raw, in slaws, roasted in pieces, or chopped and sautéed with olive oil and garlic. Select cabbages with compact heads that feel heavy for the their size. Cabbage generally keeps for a pretty long time in the vegetable crisper, so it’s a good ingredient to keep on hand. Cabbage elsewhere:

• Kale and Cabbage Coleslaw with Marcona Almonds by Foodie Crush
• Pasilla Chile and Lime Cabbage Slaw by Sprouted Kitchen
• Sesame-Crusted Avocado and Cabbage Spring Rolls by Naturally Ella
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Cabbage Slaw by Mountain Mama Cooks

View more C+K cabbage recipes ↣

cauliflower

Cauliflower: Trendy since 2012, good for you since forever! Roasting cauliflower with olive oil and sea salt transforms the cruciferous vegetable from bland to French fry irresistible. You can also pulse raw cauliflower in the food processor to give it a rice- or couscous-like texture. I was skeptical about cauliflower crust pizza, but it can actually be pretty good! Cauliflower elsewhere:

• Cauliflower and Roasted Garbanzo “Rice and Peas” by The First Mess
• Raw Cauliflower “Couscous” Greek Salad by Vintage Mixer
• Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos by Two Peas and Their Pod
• Shaved Cauliflower Salad by Happyolks

View more C+K cauliflower recipes ↣

Citrus fruits

Citrus shows up every year when we need it most. You can find some great kumquats, limes, oranges and more in stores right now. I use lemon in my favorite salad dressing. It tastes so fresh! Citrus fruits elsewhere:

• Beet, Kale, and Kohlrabi Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette by A Couple Cooks
• Kale Citrus Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing by Edible Perspective
• Preserved Lemon Quinoa with Shaved Brussels and Toasted Walnuts by Simple Bites
• Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria by How Sweet Eats

View more C+K lemon recipes ↣

Greens

Thank goodness for spring greens. You might be able to find local arugula, spinach, lettuce, Swiss chard and/or kale now, depending on where you live. I love them every which way: in salads, as pesto, tossed in pasta and sautéed with garlic. Greens elsewhere:

• Garlicky Swiss Chard and Chickpeas by Foodie Crush
• Skinny Spinach Lasagna by Pinch of Yum
• Spicy Cashew Lettuce Wraps by A Couple Cooks
• Spring Salad and Arugula Hummus by Love and Lemons

View more C+K arugula recipes ↣

Leeks

I’ve cooked with leeks before, but they haven’t made it to the blog yet. Leeks are related to onions and garlic and have a mild, oniony flavor. They grow in bundled “leaf sheaths” that look similar to celery stalks. You probably won’t want to cook with the dark green parts, which are pretty tough. They’re pretty difficult to clean because dirt gets in between the sheaths. Here’s how to clean them. Leeks elsewhere:

• Braised Leeks and Muscovado Lentils by Sprouted Kitchen
• Lemony Leeks with Chickpeas and Feta by My New Roots
• Quinoa with Leeks and Herbs by A Couple Cooks
• Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup by Love and Lemons

 

mushrooms

Mushrooms are weird. They’re fungi! Edible, earthy mushrooms can be eaten raw, cooked, and so forth. They pair well with garlic, shallots, olive oil, pepper, dry red wine and herbs like flat-leaf parsley, chives, rosemary, tarragon and thyme Mushrooms elsewhere:

• Creamy Poblano Mushrooms with Polenta by Pinch of Yum
• Mushroom, Farro and Fontina Salad by What’s Gaby Cooking
• Mushroom and Quinoa Lettuce Wraps by Love and Lemons
• Pizza Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms by Foodie Crush

View more C+K mushroom recipes ↣

Peas

I’m so glad I gave peas a chance. Peas get sweeter with a little heat, but they don’t need much more than that. They go great with a little butter and salt, maybe with some garlic or mint, too. You might be able to find sugar snap peas around now, too. Peas elsewhere:

• A Real Mess of Peas by The First Mess
• Green Pea Soup by Green Kitchen Stories
• Pesto Pea Pizza by What’s Gaby Cooking
• Spinach and Pea Fried Rice by Naturally Ella

radishes

How I love radishes! Raw, chopped radishes lend a spicy crunch to salads and makes a great garnish for fresh Mexican meals. I often prefer radishes to raw red onion, which can easily overwhelm other raw ingredients. Whole, raw, spicy radishes served with butter and flaky salt are an incredibly simple and delicious appetizer. I also love pickled radishes, but the verdict is still out on roasted radishes. Radishes elsewhere:

• Breakfast Tacos with Avocado Radish Salsa by The Year in Food
• Charred Corn Tacos With Zucchini-Radish Slaw by Smitten Kitchen
• Radish and Egg Salad Sandwiches by A Couple Cooks
• Super Simple Radish Salad with Crème Fraiche by Yummy Supper

View more C+K radish recipes ↣

Sweet Potatoes

I used to hate sweet potatoes! Then I tried a savory sweet potato fry and changed my tune. I still don’t enjoy sweetened sweet potatoes (marshmallow sweet potato casserole, no thank you), but I could live off of salted, caramelized, roasted sweet potato. I especially love Mexican-style sweet potatoes with black beans, salsa verde and hot sauce! Sweet potatoes elsewhere:

• Crispy Sweet Potato Roast by Smitten Kitchen
• Miso-Maple Sweet Potato Tacos by Love and Lemons
• Sweet Potato Granola by Minimalist Baker
• Vanilla Bean Sweet Potato Waffles by Joy the Baker

View more C+K sweet potato recipes ↣

Looking for an ingredient that didn’t make the list? Check my ingredient index for relevant recipes.

More resources you might appreciate: 16 recipes that pack well for lunch (see also, lunch packing tips), 14 simple weeknight dinners and your 10 favorite recipes from 2014.