Seasonal Picks: 3 Foods You Should Try This Spring
Spring is when we shake the snow off and finally start to thaw out after a long, cold winter. Along with the thaw comes a crop of flavorful and healthy vegetables that you should consider adding to your diet. Much like our seasonal picks for the fall, we’ve selected a few of our favorites that are readily available. There may be some you haven’t utilized yet during their prime time!
Artichokes
Artichokes are an undervalued vegetable due to their daunting preparation, prickly appearance, and perhaps, a lack of familiarity in the United States (short of an artichoke-spinach dip). Throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, however, the artichoke is a widely used ingredient, celebrated for its delicate and flexible flavor.
Throughout the world, the artichoke is a widely used ingredient, celebrated for its delicate and flexible flavor.
It doesn’t hurt that artichokes are also very healthy for you and linked with lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Artichokes are also rich in antioxidants, folate, numerous vitamins, and dietary fiber!
How to Pick Them
Choosing a fresh artichoke is actually pretty easy. A good artichoke should feel heavy, especially compared to its size. Most importantly, look at the leaves. A fresh artichoke will have tightly closed leaves and be blemish-free. Don’t forget to lightly pull back a leaf and check the inside for any black marks, too!
How to Use Them
When preparing artichokes for cooking, it’s important you do it right. That means cutting the leaves to remove the thistles on the ends. Once it’s ready, you can fry them like the amazing Roman recipe for Carciofi alla guida, stuff them, boil them, or make them into a healthy dip!
Peas
Green peas are a legume that many of us are more familiar with, since many of us grew up with parents telling us to finish our peas! Spring is the best time to get fresh peas, and you don’t have to fear them like you might have as a kid! In fact, peas are incredibly versatile and can add a little something to almost any dish.
Peas are incredibly versatile and can add a little something to almost any dish.
By a little something, we don’t just mean flavor, either. These little green garden balls pack a surprisingly nutritious punch. For such a low-calorie side dish, they’re high in fiber, protein, and several key vitamins and minerals. They are also good sources of antioxidants and have other health benefits as a result.
How to Pick Them
Finding peas at your local grocery store is very simple. While it’s possible to find peas frozen and canned, this article is about finding the best of the best and the freshest ingredients. Part of the worry about canned peas is that they often have added sodium, decreasing the health benefits. You can quickly identify healthy, fresh peas by looking at their pods, the external shell. You want a bright, healthy-looking pod that appears plump or full.
How to Use Them
As we mentioned before, peas are very easy to use in a variety of different ways. The simplest way is by boiling or steaming the pods and eating them just like that. You can also enjoy them in a split pea soup, with pasta, or as a fresh flavor to an otherwise rich dish like our cottage pie recipe. Some people even eat them raw, straight from the garden, after washing them, of course!
Spinach
Spinach, while available year-round, is also in its prime during the spring, especially in warmer regions. This doesn’t have to be the creamed spinach or limp, steamed spinach many of us are familiar with. Fresh spinach can actually be a delicious, vibrant ingredient that is both nutritious and flavorful.
The nutritional value of spinach is no joke.
One of the earliest superfoods, spinach has health benefits that makes it a great addition to your diet. This leafy green has long been associated as the source of Popeye the Sailor Man’s immense strength, but the nutritional value of spinach is no joke. While the myth behind spinach and Popeye may be due to a typo, spinach is truly rich in iron, folate, protein, calcium, and fiber!
How to Pick It
Fresh spinach at the grocery store should pass the look and feel test. A good sign of fresh spinach may also have a strong smell.
How to Use It
Spinach is simple to add to your diet. It can replace lettuce in most cases to give an extra nutritional edge to salads, burgers, or sandwiches. You can also use it as one of many veggies in a healthy vegetable lasagna. By combining it with artichokes, you can get spinach-artichoke dip, which is perfect for parties! Finally, you can really impress friends by using spinach to make a spinach pasta dough that’s a bright green and has a fresh taste!
● ● ●
Spring is a time of renewal and refreshing green as we move out of the cold winter and into the warmer months. By embracing these seasonal treats in their prime, you can enhance your dishes and your health!
Featured Blogs
- Learning to Ski
- The Stories Behind Classic Christmas Carols
- 4 More Tips to Make Christmas Tree Hunt Less Stressful
- Why Do We Celebrate That? Other Festive Holidays
- A Senior Guide to Boston
- A Senior Guide to Edinburgh
- How Does Medicare Cover Osteoporosis?
- What are Ulcers?
- Medicare's Coverage of Parkinson's Disease
- What is a Cognitive Screening?
- Spooky Spots for Halloween 2023
- 4 Ways to Keep Trick-or-Treating Safe
- 10 Classic Horror Books for Halloween
- Here's What Medicare Costs in 2024
- 10 Safety Rules for Seniors Who Enjoy Hunting
- Medicareful Living is Changing Its Name — Here's Why
- CMS Releases 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Costs
- Can You Keep Your Medicare Plan Each Year?
- A Senior Guide to Lucerne
- Is Expensive Cookware Worth It?
- The Drug Prices Medicare Can Directly Negotiate
- Does Medicare Ever Cover Cosmetic Surgery?
- A Senior Guide to Barcelona
- How Does COBRA Work with Medicare?
- Different Ways Medicare Can Cover Drug Costs
- Medicareful Living is Changing Its Name — Here's Why
- CMS Releases 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Costs
- Can You Keep Your Medicare Plan Each Year?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Lucerne
- Is Expensive Cookware Worth It?
- The Drug Prices Medicare Can Directly Negotiate
- Does Medicare Ever Cover Cosmetic Surgery?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Barcelona
- How Does COBRA Work with Medicare?
- Different Ways Medicare Can Cover Drug Costs
- All About Enrolling in Social Security
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to the Madrid
- Does Medicare Cover Open-Heart Surgery?
- Exercise Tips for Summer
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Lisbon
- Hosting a Safe Summer Barbecue
- Senior Summer Barbecue Tips
- Does Medicare Cover Biopsies?
- 5 Foods to Avoid if You Have High Blood Pressure
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to the Finger Lakes
- Does Medicare Cover Endoscopies?
- Ways Seniors Can Recover from a Workout
- Is Chocolate Healthy for You?
- Understanding Adult ADHD
- How Does Medicare Cover Hypertension?
- The Symptoms and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
- How to Determine What Temperature to Use When Cooking
- Eating Healthy on a Budget
- Keeping Fit on Vacation
- Is Your Tonsillectomy Covered by Medicare?
- Tips for the Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Kitchen First Aid Tips
- What Does FDA-Approved Mean?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Guide to New York City
- How to Caramelize Onions
- Why Do We Celebrate That? April Fools’ Day
- Medicare and Powers of Attorney
- The Essential Role of Eggs in Cooking
- What are Different Types of Complementary
and Alternative Medicine? - Tips for Remembering to Take Your Medicine
- What is Medicare Part E?
- Building Your Basic At-Home Senior Gym
- How to Make Stovetop Popcorn
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to New Orleans
- How to Navigate & Read Academic Articles
- Phytonutrients: What Plant Color Says About Nutrition
- How to Prevent or Reduce Inflammation
- Osteoporosis: Risk Factors, Signs, and Treatment
- How to Make Homemade Pretzels
- Researching Your Ancestry and Family Tree
- How Medicare and Social Security Work Together
- What is Nordic Walking?
- Food Questions You've Been Embarrassed to Ask
- How Medicare Changed for 2023 and Beyond
- Tips for Using a Microwave
- How to Clean Your Ears Safely
- Skiing as a Healthy Hobby for Seniors
- 3 More Great Places to Celebrate New Year's Eve
- Why Do We Celebrate That? More New Year's Eve Traditions
- Panettone, the Italian Christmas Dessert
- A Simple Homemade Gingerbread Recipe
- How to Make Christmas Decorating Jollier
- The Science of Winter Weight Gain
- Seasonal Picks: 3 Foods You Should Try This Winter
- 5 Tips to Make Getting Your Christmas Tree Stress-Free
- Show-Stopping Potato Side Dishes for Thanksgiving
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Boeuf Bourguignon
- Holiday Travel Tips to Reduce Stress
- Does Medicare Cover Pain Management?
- Is Hunting a Healthy Senior Hobby?
- Ways You Can Get More Politically Involved
- What are Medicare's Lifetime Reserve Days?
- Spooky Spots for Seniors Halloween 2022
- How to Make Soul Cakes for Halloween
- Jack O' Lantern Carving Tips for Halloween
- Easy Ways to Peel a Potato
- 2023 Social Security COLA Largest in Decades
- Exercise Tips for Autumn
- How to Make Candy Apples at Home
- Why are Medicare Insurance Sales Calls Recorded?
- Here's What Medicare Costs in 2023
- CMS Updates Medicare Enrollment Rules for 2023
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to London
- Does Medicare Cover Insomnia Treatment?
- Healthy and Easy Homemade Dog Treats
- The FDA Finalizes Ruling to Increase Access to Hearing Aids
- What the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Means for Medicare
- Tips to Make Flying and Airports Less Stressful
- CMS Projects Lower 2023 Part D Average Costs
- The 15 Golden Rules of Airplane Etiquette
- How Often Should You Shower?
- What are Medicare Pilot Programs?
- How to Care for Your Cast Iron Cookware
- Confronting a Loved One About Hurtful Behavior
- What Does Creditable Coverage Mean for Medicare?
- Using Za'atar in Your Cooking
- Dealing with Canceled Flights
- Protecting Your Vacation from Flight Disruptions
- Do Pre-Existing Conditions Affect Medicare Coverage?
- Which is Better: A Bath or Shower?
- Are Weight Loss Medications Healthy?
- Healthy Strategies for Anger Management
- The Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- The Difference Between Common Cooking Papers and Foils
- What are Medicare I-SNPs?
- Identifying Toxic Relationships in Your Life
- Healthy Ways to Spice Up Your Water
- All About Medicare Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans
- Medicareful Travels: A Senior Guide to All-Inclusive Resorts
- Does Medicare Cover Occupational Therapy?
- Lower 2023 Medicare Part B Premium Could Be on the Way
- Which is Better: Natural or Artificial Sweeteners?
- Tips for Vacationing with Pets
- Is It Better to Work Out Harder or Longer?
- Tips for Traveling with Your Pet
- Are Medicare Part B Giveback Plans Worth It?
- Introducing the Medicareful Living Family Cookbook!
- Medicare Coverage for Treatment of PTSD
- The Causes and Treatments of Nasal Congestion
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Spring Rolls
- Medicare Freezes Late Enrollment Penalties for Qualifying Enrollees
- What is a 5-Star Medicare Plan?
- What is PTSD?
- What is Inflammation?
- What is Medicare's Secondary Payer Program?
- What You Should Know When Buying Cast Iron Cookware
- What Does MACRA Mean for You?
- What to Do If You Receive a Terminal Diagnosis
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Homemade Lobster Ravioli
- Reading and Understanding Your Blood Pressure
- How to Be a Snowbird in Retirement (18 Questions to Ask!)