Spring ProduceEating seasonally is great for your body, the environment and the economy. By picking foods that are in season and locally produced, you reduce the food travel, maximise nutrient retention and support local farmers.

The wide availability of veg in our supermarkets can make it hard to figure out what is actually ‘in season’. You can get winter vegetables in summer and autumn vegetables in spring. It can also be hard to know what to do with all of the different seasonal produce. Many people fall into the habit of eating carrots and broccoli all year round because that’s all they know how to cook. So we have compiled a few veg that are at their peak in spring, and included some ways you could cook them up!

Asparagus

Asparagus is chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals. One cup of asparagus will give you two times your daily Adequate Intake of Vitamin K, which is an important nutrient for blood health. 

How to prepare:

You don’t have to boil your asparagus into a soggy mess. There are lots of ways to cook it up. Remember to snap the woody base of the stalk off!

  • Steam: Steaming for 3-5 minutes will soften the exterior of the asparagus while leaving a light crunch.
  • Sauté :You can sauté the asparagus in a pan with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.
  • Grilled: Lay it diagonally on a grill to give the asparagus lines of golden brown.
  • Zap: If you are running low on time pop your asparagus in the microwave for 2 minutes! Done!

New Ideas:

Asian greens

Bok choy, choy sum, pak choy, gai lan, wombok. These green leafy’s are a rich source of vitamin A, a vital nutrient for vision, immunity, bone health and skin health.

How to prepare:

Rinse and drain your asian greens well. Chop them to your preferred size and you are ready to go!

New Ideas

  • Finely chop your asian greens and add them to your next soup, try our Asian Style Chicken Broth
  • Whip them into an asian salad with some carrot, capsicum, coriander, lime, chilli and peanuts.
  • Stir fry them with delicious flavours like garlic, ginger and chilli. Or try our Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry.

Beetroot

beetroot 1 serveTurn up the Beet! Beetroot is a sweet root vegetable which will brighten and improve the nutritional quality of any meal. Beetroot has high levels of nitric oxide which improves circulation by helping your blood vessels relax. The leafy green tops of this root are also a good source of iron, folate, potassium and fibre.

How to prepare:

Chop off the leaves (save those for a salad or sandwich) and give the beetroot a good scrub under running water to remove excess dirt. Place the whole beetroot in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer the beetroots until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and rinse beetroots under cold water and allow to cool. Peel the outer layer of skin. You can also buy beetroots peeled and ready use or canned, both of which are just as high in nutrients!

New Ideas

  • Add some sliced beetroot to a homemade pizza
  • Grate up some cooked beetroot to make beetroot roti or beetroot burgers
  • Keep it simple and pair your cooked beetroot with some feta cheese in salad with the beetroot leaves.

Broad beans

These little used legumes pack an amazing nutrition punch. They are a high fibre source of carbohydrate, a high quality source of protein and a rich source of vitamins A and K. Broad beans also contain a small amount of omega 3 fatty acids which are beneficial for heart health. It’s true that ‘beans beans are good for your heart, the more you eat….’

How to prepare:

If you have purchased broad beans in their pod you will need to do a little bit of prep to enjoy these little green dynamos. Simply split the pod open to remove all the individual beans which have a white skin around the outside. Pop the beans into some boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse them in cold water. This will make the white skins easy to peel off. They are then ready to be enjoyed in pastas, salads and dips.

You can also purchase frozen and canned broad beans which have been pre blanched and peeled and are ready to add to a variety of dishes.

New Ideas:

  • Try roasting your broad beans for an alternative to crisps. Spread the cooked, dry beans on a tray with baking paper. Season with some Moroccan seasoning or some rosemary and thyme. Bake in a moderate oven for 15 minutes. Voila!
  • Mix 1 teaspoon of mint jelly through 2 cups of broad beans and serve as a delicious side to your next lamb roast
  • Add a cup of cooked broad beans to your next salad. They pair vey well with a little bit of feta or haloumi cheese.

Carrots

dutch carrotsThe humble carrot is a nutrition power house and can be a versatile tool to get your five serves of veg a day. Carrot is one of the richest sources of vitamin A, a nutrient important for vision – So your mum was right, carrots will help you see in the dark!

How to prepare:

There is very little you cannot do to a carrot. Have it raw, boiled, steamed, stir fried, sautéed, pureed, roasted, grilled or blended. Grab a carrot and start experimenting.

New Ideas:

  • Swap your packet of crips for some crispy baked carrot chips. Shave 2 carrots with a peeler and coat with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Place the carrots on oven trays lined with baking paper and sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes at 180 degrees celsius.
  • Grate them into your next salad.
  • Next time you’re making mashed potato, boil up some carrots and blend them into the mix. It will be a brightly coloured mash that’s high in fibre and lower in energy.
  • You might like to tray our Salmon, Crispy Potatoes and Garlic Almond Vegetables for some delicious sautéed carrots.

Green beans

egg and bean saladWhen they are not boiled into a soggy mess, green beans are a flavour rich source of vitamins and minerals.

How to prepare:

Cooking green beans quickly at high heat is the best way to retain the colour and flavour of the beans. Try blanching them in boiling water for a few minutes, steaming them for 2-3 minutes or stir frying them.

New Ideas:

  • Blanch a large batch of green beans and use them as a crudites (vegetable sticks) to dip in hummus as a snack or pop them in a salad for lunch. Try our Egg and Bean Salad for a quick easy lunch idea.
  • Roast them on a baking tray with some red onion and parmesan sprinkled over the top.
  • Stir fry your green beans with some sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Globe Artichokes

There are two varieties of globe artichokes; one with deep green leaves and another with elongated purple leaves. Both variety have a similar flavour and are a great source of folate, fibre and minerals such as phosphorus and potassium.

How to prepare:

Artichokes can feel like an intimidating vegetable to cook. But they don’t have to be! Simply, trim the tip and the base of the artichoke. Then, using scissors, cut the tips off the outer petals of the artichoke. Give it a good rinse under cold running water.

Steam the artichoke whole for 25-45 minutes or until the petals can easily be pulled off. Alternatively you can cut the artichoke in half length ways, brush with olive oil and roast them in the oven for 30- 50 minutes.

To get to the artichoke heart, peel off all the petals and remove the fury ‘choke’. You can then use the heart in any pasta or salad you prefer.

New Ideas:

  • Dip the base of petals into some aioli and scrape the white fleshy part off with your teeth. A delicious snack to share.
  • Blend artichoke hearts us with some spinach, low fat cream cheese, garlic and parmesan for a delicious dip.

Mushrooms

mushrooms & thymeHere at The Healthy Eating Hub we are a big fan on mushrooms. I was even interviewed by the local news network about the benefits of mushrooms for vitamin D intake. When mushrooms are exposed to UV light there is a dramatic increase to their vitamin D content. Putting your mushrooms in the sun for about one hour will help you meet your vitamin D requirements.

How to prepare:

Mushrooms can be prepped in a few different ways. Once you have rinsed any excess dirt off, you can have them raw, sauté them, roast them or pop them on the BBQ.

New Ideas:

  • Top some low fat puff pastry with lots of mushrooms, some mixed herbs and a little bit of feta for an amazing mushroom tart.
  • Grab some really large mushrooms and roast them, whole, in the oven for 20 minutes topped with basil pesto – AMAZING!
  • Pop them into a pasta like our Mushroom Feta and Spinach Pasta

Enjoy your spring vegetables!

If you’d like further help with your nutrition please click below: