Recipe Rescue: What’s the Best Produce to Buy This Spring?

Living in the middle of the country, more or less, it's a produce free for all. In Colorado we can get just about anything we want for our recipes, but what is the best produce to buy in Colorado or anywhere in the spring. The freshest produce is the produce that is in season verses forced grown, which usually has very little flavor. Hopefully this guide brings flavor (included some recipes to help) back to your dinner table.

THE BEST PRODUCE TO BUY THIS SPRING:

• Cauliflower, don't forget mashed cauliflower is a great substitution for mashed potatoes and a healthier choice, plus it is delicious roasted with just some salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil-bake at 425 degrees till tender
• Artichokes, I grew up with artichokes, don't let them intimidate you, they're a great alternative to ordinary. Clean well, get into the nooks and crannies, chop off the stem, place in water that comes up to about half way (you may need to add water during the cooking process) drizzle with olive oil and either sprinkle with garlic powder or throw in three whole garlic cloves. Cook until the leaves easily pull away, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon on each of them before serving and serve with melted butter or my favorite, mayonnaise.
• Asparagus, full of goodness and easy to make, I like to throw mine (after I've cut off about an inch off the stalk) on a baking dish drizzled with olive oil, salt and lemon, sometimes I squeeze the lemon over the asparagus and then slice the lemon and add to the baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees until desired tenderness, I cook mine slightly al dente, I like them to have a little crunch.
• Strawberries, not only are they super good plain they are great if you clean and cut them, add a 1/3 cup of sugar, put in fridge and in about half an hour drizzle them on pound cake or ice cream. And one cup of strawberries is a daily recommended dose of Vitamin C
• Cherries, what's not to love, they're an easy take along snack and they are loaded with potassium, fiber and tons of antioxidants.
• Rhubarb, it's growing like crazy in my yard and is a great companion to strawberries, try making a Strawberry-Rhubard pie-amazing!

Happy shopping and if you have any great recipe ideas for any of the 'spring' items on this list, share with us, we'd love to start cooking together.