By Cookie and Kate

My May produce guide is finally here! Citrus is on its way out, as are cool-weather crops like cabbage and beets. Berries will start showing up in southern states soon. Growing seasons vary around the country so your best bet is to visit a farmers’ market and see what your local growers have to offer.

Thanks again to Becky for letting me base this resource on her “Eat Seasonal” monthly seasonal produce lists. You can download her free screensaver for May produce over here. For more seasonal inspiration, follow my boards on Pinterest!

Asparagus

Asparagus is really only worth eating in the springtime. It’s lovely with lemon and mint. Shaved asparagus is great in salads and roasted asparagus makes a perfect springtime side dish. Asparagus elsewhere:

• Asparagus and Sweet Potato Hash with Chimichurri by House in the Hills
• Grilled Asparagus Plate with Cilantro Pepita Pesto by Sprouted Kitchen
• Pistachio Crusted Asparagus with Feta by Joy the Baker
• Sesame and Almond Asparagus Salad by Love and Lemons

Avocado

Good gracious, how I love avocado. Avocado on toast is almost impossible to beat, but it’s also a fantastic addition Mexican meals and fresh green recipes of any kind, really. The avocados you’ll find in stores now are probably from Mexico, where avocados are in season year-round, but California avocados are starting to come around, too. Avocado elsewhere:

• Avocado Cilantro Hummus by What’s Gaby Cooking
• Avocado, Mozzarella, and Jalapeño Chimichurri Grilled Cheese by Naturally Ella
• Black Bean and Avocado Breakfast Burritos by Gimme Some Oven
• Garlicky Avocado Grilled Cheese with Tomato Pesto by Foodie Crush

Beets

I’m slowly changing my tune about beets. I like them raw in salads (like this one and this colorful quinoa salad!) and even in my juice. I’m still learning to appreciate roasted beets, though. Beets are tremendously earthy and can be eaten fresh, cooked or roasted. Some, like the golden variety, are pretty sweet. Beets elsewhere:

• Baked Rosemary Beet Chips by Minimalist Baker (featured above!)
• Beet Bourguignon by Green Kitchen Stories
• Penne Pasta in a Roasted Beet Sauce by Bev Cooks
• Warm Kale, Quinoa and Balsamic Beet Salad by The First Mess

Broccoli

As it turns out, broccoli is totally irresistible once roasted with olive oil and sea salt. Like all brassicas, broccoli goes great with garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and other bold flavors. Select small, tightly packed florets with minimal brown spots. Broccoli elsewhere:

• Asian Quinoa Broccoli Slaw by Mountain Mama Cooks
• Ginger Broccoli with Forbidden Rice by A House in the Hills
• Roasted Broccoli Grilled Cheese by Two Peas and Their Pod
• Simple, Salty, Sweet + Nutty Broccoli Soba by The First Mess

cauliflower

Cauliflower: Trendy since 2012, good for you since forever! Roasting cauliflower with olive oil and sea salt transforms the cruciferous vegetable from bland to French fry irresistible. You can also pulse raw cauliflower in the food processor to give it a rice- or couscous-like texture. I was skeptical about cauliflower crust pizza, but it can actually be pretty good! Cauliflower elsewhere:

• Cauliflower and Roasted Garbanzo “Rice and Peas” by The First Mess
• Raw Cauliflower “Couscous” Greek Salad by Vintage Mixer
• Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos by Two Peas and Their Pod
• Shaved Cauliflower Salad by Happyolks

Thank goodness for spring greens. You might be able to find local arugula, spinach, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard and/or watercress now, depending on where you live. I love them every which way: in salads, as pesto, tossed in pasta and sautéed with garlic. Greens elsewhere:

• Garlicky Swiss Chard and Chickpeas by Foodie Crush
• Skinny Spinach Lasagna by Pinch of Yum
• Spicy Cashew Lettuce Wraps by A Couple Cooks
• Spring Salad and Arugula Hummus by Love and Lemons

Herbs

Fresh herbs often make the dish. Although they’re available year round at stores, now might be a good time to plant your herb garden. Herbs that are coming into season now include chervil, chives, dill, scallions, sorrel and thyme. Herbs elsewhere:

• Carrot, Dill and White Bean Salad by 101 Cookbooks
• Chilled Parsley and Pea Soup by My New Roots
• Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumbers, Lemon, Dill, & Feta by Two Peas and Their Pod

Kale

We all love kale, and for good reason! It’s tremendously good for you and totally delicious, given the right preparation. Chop kale for stir-fries or a side of greens (sauté in olive oil and garlic), or massage it with a dash of salt for salads (see any of my kale salads for further instruction), or lightly coat roughly chopped kale with olive oil and roast it for kale chips. You can also blend kale into smoothies or juice it. Kale elsewhere:

• Kale, Spinach and Pear Smoothies by Joy the Baker
• Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Garbanzo Bean Croutons by Mountain Mama Cooks
• Kale with Japanese Sesame Dressing by Yummy Supper
• Mushroom and Kale Grilled Cheese by Foodie Crush

Leeks

I’ve cooked with leeks before, but they haven’t made it to the blog yet. Leeks are related to onions and garlic and have a mild, oniony flavor. They grow in bundled “leaf sheaths” that look similar to celery stalks. You probably won’t want to cook with the dark green parts, which are pretty tough. They’re pretty difficult to clean because dirt gets in between the sheaths. Here’s how to clean them. Leeks elsewhere:

• Braised Leeks and Muscovado Lentils by Sprouted Kitchen
• Lemony Leeks with Chickpeas and Feta by My New Roots
• Quinoa with Leeks and Herbs by A Couple Cooks
• Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Soup by Love and Lemons

Mango

Mangos are like tropical peaches and they are awesome. They can seem a little tricky to work with at first, but you just slice off one-third of each side, longways, from the top down, then dice the mango like you would an avocado. Mango elsewhere:

• Mango and Cilantro Guacamole by Two Peas and Their Pod
• Mango Habanero Black Bean Tacos by Love and Lemons
• Mango Jalapeño Margaritas by How Sweet Eats
• Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint by Smitten Kitchen

Mushrooms are weird. They’re fungi! Edible, earthy mushrooms can be eaten raw, cooked, and so forth. They pair well with garlic, shallots, olive oil, pepper, dry red wine and herbs like flat-leaf parsley, chives, rosemary, tarragon and thyme Mushrooms elsewhere:

• Creamy Poblano Mushrooms with Polenta by Pinch of Yum
• Mushroom, Farro and Fontina Salad by What’s Gaby Cooking
• Mushroom and Quinoa Lettuce Wraps by Love and Lemons
• Pizza Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms by Foodie Crush

Peas

I’m so glad I gave peas a chance. Peas get sweeter with a little heat, but they don’t need much more than that. They go great with a little butter and salt, maybe with some garlic or mint, too. You might be able to find sugar snap peas around now, too. Peas elsewhere:

• A Real Mess of Peas by The First Mess
• Green Pea Soup by Green Kitchen Stories
• Pesto Pea Pizza by What’s Gaby Cooking

Radishes

How I love radishes! Raw, chopped radishes lend a spicy crunch to salads and makes a great garnish for fresh Mexican meals. I often prefer radishes to raw red onion, which can easily overwhelm other raw ingredients. Whole, raw, spicy radishes served with butter and flaky salt are an incredibly simple and delicious appetizer. I also love pickled radishes, but the verdict is still out on roasted radishes. Radishes elsewhere:

• Breakfast Tacos with Avocado Radish Salsa by The Year in Food
• Charred Corn Tacos With Zucchini-Radish Slaw by Smitten Kitchen
• Radish and Egg Salad Sandwiches by A Couple Cooks
• Super Simple Radish Salad with Crème Fraiche by Yummy Supper

Rhubarb

Hooray! Rhubarb season is here! Rhubarb is an oddball vegetable related to buckwheat. Rhubarb tastes more sour than sweet and pairs marvelously with strawberry. Rhubarb leaves can be high in oxalic acid, so don’t eat them (and keep them away from your dog, too!). Rhubarb elsewhere:

• Rhubarb Upside Down Yogurt Cake by Green Kitchen Stories
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pop Tarts by Minimalist Baker
• Strawberry Rhubarb Soda by Smitten Kitchen
• Vegan Rhubarb Cheesecake by A House in the Hills