blueberry yogurt recipe

Easy Spring Recipes With Seasonal Produce

Now that spring is finally here, it's time to look at cooking with seasonal spring produce.  Most of the fruits and vegetables in season now can be found year round at grocers around the country, but they reach their full potential during the spring.  Artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beets, blueberries, fava beans, peas, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, spring lettuce, spring onions and strawberries are some of these tasty fruits and vegetables that peak in the spring.  Check your local farmers market to find out what produce is available in your area. 

 

Cooking with these fresh seasonal ingredients brings out a stronger and/or sweeter taste to your recipes that you would not experience at any other time of the year.  So go to your local farmer's market or grocer, pick up some seasonal produce, and try out some of these quick and easy spring recipes.

 

 

Jen's Asparagus

 

 

What you need:

 

3 bunches of asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces

2-3 squirts of lemon juice

1/4 -1/2 stick of butter (2 T - 4 T)

Salt

black pepper

lemon pepper

garlic salt

 

What you do:

 

Heat butter in a large dutch oven, skillet or wok.  Add asparagus and lemon juice.  Add salt, garlic salt, black pepper and lemon pepper to taste.  Stir fry on medium heat until asparagus is tender; serve. 

 

 

Bacon Avocado Dip

 

 

What you need:

 

5 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

2 medium avocados, pitted and peeled

2/3 c sour cream

2 t minced onion

2 T lemon juice

1/2 t salt

 

What you do:

 

Mash avocados with fork.  Combine with sour cream, onion, lemon juice and salt; mix.  Refrigerate until chilled.  Mix in bacon and serve.

 

 

Blueberry Muffins

 

 

What you need:

 

2 c flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 c butter

3/4 c milk

1 c fresh blueberries

1/2 c sugar

2.5 t baking powder

2 T vegetable oil

1/2 t salt

 

What you do:

 

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix eggs, butter, milk and oil; add to flour mixture and mix until moist.  Fold blueberries into batter.  Take muffin tin(s) and fill 12 cups with muffin paper.  Evenly distribute batter to all cups.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

 

 

Easy Spinach Salad

 

 

What you need:

 

10 oz package or 6 c fresh spinach, washed with stems off

6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1-2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c radishes, sliced

1/2 c red onion, chopped

3 boiled eggs, sliced

1 carrot, grated

vinegar and oil based dressing

 

What you do:

 

Combine all ingredients except dressing and toss.  Serve with dressing per taste.

 

 

Rhubarb Cake

 

 

What you need:

 

31/2 c fresh rhubarb, diced

1 package yellow cake mix

1 c sugar

2 c whipping cream, not whipped

 

What you do:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare cake mix per box directions.  Pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan.  Add rhubarb on top of cake mix.  Evenly distribute sugar on top of rhubarb.  Pour cream over rhubarb and cake.  Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

 

 

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

 

 

What you need:

 

2 c strawberries with the tops cut off

2 large bananas, peeled and sliced

1 c vanilla yogurt

3/4 c milk

4 ice cubes

 

What you do:

 

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth; serve.

About the Author

For more recipes, cooking articles and food related links, visit Easy Breezy Recipes at http://www.easybreezyrecipes.com .

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