There’s always a sense of renewal and excitement at this time of year as the days get brighter and longer. In just a matter of months we’ll be enjoying the summer bounty of fresh local produce. Already, even though not quite summertime, if you look around your local markets, you’ll see the variety of fruits and vegetables beginning to expand. Yippee! It’s almost asparagus season, which starts in May here in Canada followed closely by beets, broccoli, potatoes, and rhubarb... to name just a few! This is really the perfect season to troll your local markets for fresh produce. Let the variety inspire you to try new things! Some yummy examples….

• Fresh leeks and potatoes in a soup, scalloped potato dish or with bell peppers in colourful breakfast frittata.

• Bright green fiddleheads lightly steamed and drizzled with Parmesan and fresh lemon or simply brushed with olive oil and grilled.

• Many types of crisp lettuce including spicy arugula and colorful radicchio to bring new life to your lunch or dinner salads.

• Fresh herbs from basil and dill to rosemary and chives to jazz up sliced tomatoes, potato salads and baked potatoes.

• Bok choy, one of THE best vegetables around, in stir-frys or even just lightly steamed sprinkled with a little sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
Yum!

Not only are fresh, local vegetables delicious and good for us, they’re good for the environment. Because they don’t have to be trucked across the continent, gas emissions are reduced. Besides, it just simply makes sense to eat what naturally occurs in the local environment that feels like home to you.

To maximize the benefit from the fresh produce you bring home and reduce any nutrient losses during cooking, always take the following measures:

• Peel vegetables only when necessary. The skin can be rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. But do be sure to scrub them well to remove any dirt.

• Avoid letting vegetables soak in water when washing because water can cause them to lose some minerals. Washing vegetables is an important step in the cooking process and should not be skipped, but consider running them under a sliver of water instead of letting them soak.

• If possible, use steam to cook vegetables. Steam cooking prevents them from being in contact with direct heat for too long and is better than boiling (which can cause a loss of nutrients).
• Avoid frying vegetables in too much oil. This can add unnecessary fat and calories to your dishes. Lightly stir-frying on the other hand, no problem!

Fruits and vegetables are bursting with goodness, giving us extra energy and even hydration whether playing in the sun with the kids or running errands. So much of the research into disease prevention, managing high blood pressure and weight loss emphasizes a diet loaded with fresh vegetables and fruit. You’ve heard me say it before and you’ll hear it many more times… most of the time, we want half of our plate covered with vegetables or fruit!

Keep in touch with your favourite ideas for enjoying local, fresh spring fruits and vegetables!

We always enjoy hearing from you!

Patricia

P.S. We're busy planning our next season of what's cooking. Let us know what you’d like to learn about! If you’re curious about any specific food or nutrition topic, do be in touch! Just comment right here on this blog.

Keywords : arugula, bok choy, colourful produce, fiddleheads, fruits and vegetables, keeping all the nutrients in your vegetables, leeks, new vegetables, radicchio

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