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Wednesday 8 May 2019

Some Foods In Season During May


What's in season in May. 

May is a bountiful month for fresh seasonal fruit and veg. Make the most of the short asparagus season by steaming, griddling or roasting the tender stems. Add fresh colour to your meals with red peppers and sweet Piccolo tomatoes, while leafy spinach and spring greens are perfect for using in soups or vegetarian pies. Iceberg lettuce is a staple of salads, but this month try grilling it for smoky, charred flavours... 

Asparagus 
The British asparagus season officially runs from the 23rd April to the 21st June – so make the most of it while you can! The name ‘asparagus’ comes from the Persian word for sprout, as the spears force themselves upwards out of the soil at such a fast rate: there are reports of them growing more than 10cm in 24 hours. Stalks should be crisp and firm, with tight, closed buds at the tip. Prepare by bending to find the natural break, then snapping off the woody ends.
How about trying:
Asparagus Crustless Quiche - see more details here
Asparagus Wrapped With Prosciutto - see more details here 

Peppers 
Bright, sweet and versatile, bell peppers (Capsicums) are a firm favourite in lots of Mediterranean dishes. Yellow, orange and red peppers are generally the sweetest, while green ones have a more bitter flavour. Chargrill peppers to give them a delicious smoky flavour that packs a punch. 
How about trying:
Red Peppers Stuffed With Cod - see more details here
Sicilian Baked Red Peppers - see more details here 

Spring greens 
The very first cabbages of the year, spring greens, like kale, have loose leaves without the hard centre of more mature cabbages. Fresh greens have large, dark leaves and a mild, slightly bitter taste. They are picked before they reach full maturity, to stop the leaves turning thick and tough.
How about trying:
Herby Spring Greens - see more details here
Punchy Spring Greens - see more details here 

Spinach 
Leafy spinach is a handy veg to keep in the cupboard for adding to soups, stews or simply raw in salads. Baby spinach has a milder flavour, but in all varieties you should look for bright green leaves and crisp stems. Spinach cooks quickly and shrinks dramatically, so you often need more than you might think. 
How about trying: 
Cauliflower Spinach Chicken Alfredo - see more details here
Spinach and ricotta lasagne with courgette pasta - see more details here 

Piccolo tomatoes 
Piccolo tomatoes, grown in Britain, have a great balance of tangy tartness and sweetness that add a pop of colour and flavour to any dish. Aside from snacking on by the handful and packing into lunchboxes, try cooking with them to bring out the sweetness.
How about trying:
Red Lentil and Roasted Piccolo Tomato Soup - see more details here
Tomato tricolore salad (use Piccolo tomatoes) - see more details here 

Iceberg lettuce
Crisp, cool and sweet, iceberg lettuce is a classic addition to salads. Although usually eaten raw, this variety is also delicious cooked. Iceberg lettuce is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C. It is also a good source of thiamine, vitamin B6, and folate (vitamin B9). When shopping for iceberg lettuce look for heads that appear fresh, with leaves that are green and crisp-looking—not brown or limp. The leaves should also be tightly wrapped to form a solid, round shape, and not loose. 
How about trying:
Iceberg Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, a Vegetarian Dish - see more details here
Iceberg lettuce with salmon, tomato, radish and spring onions - see more details here

I wonder what would be your favourite from these six? 

You will find a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas within this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy ... but please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

39 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

I always enjoy these months where fruits and veggies are in such abundance. Valerie

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

The veggies look so colorful and pretty. I enjoy them all. Have a happy day!

Miss Val's Creations said...

My favorite from this bunch would be asparagus. So delicious when roasted with a little salt and pepper!

Jo said...

I enjoy all this seasonal food, we had spring greens with our meal last night.

Christine said...

love the sweetness of tomatoes!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I enjoy all the foods you mentioned! Even though I bake a lot with my granddaughter, I do watch my carbs. I checked your asparagus crustless quiche, and the prosciutto wrapped asparagus. Thank you for sharing!

Iris Flavia said...

So sad I don´t like (fresh) asparagus - so healthy and hubby enjoys it every weekend now. I wonder why I like when coming from a glass...

Anonymous said...

I love them all but fresh local asparagus cannot be beat!

CJ Kennedy said...

Waiting for June and strawberry season here

Jeanie said...

Bell peppers, all colors, are my fave but asparagus comes a close second. Actually, all of these are favorites!

JFM said...

I love peppers and tomatoes. I use little tomatoes as a snack.

Mary Kirkland said...

I like all of those things.

kathyinozarks said...

Love everything! thanks Happy Wednesday

Debbie said...

beautiful foods...all foods i love!!!

Tom said...

...I may have to wait until June.

NCmountainwoman said...

Asparagus. Steamed, microwaved, roasted, grilled. I just love asparagus.

Sandi said...

I have never seen piccolo tomatoes. I'd like to try some! Maybe a specialty shop.

mxtodis123 said...

I love the spring and summer months when veggies and fruit are at their peak. Bought some cherry tomatoes the other day and they were so sweet.

Sue said...

I'm very lucky in that I do enjoy healthy foods - I think I just need chocolate aversion therapy! Have a very happy week, Sue x

Lowcarb team member said...

Sandi said...
I have never seen piccolo tomatoes. I'd like to try some! Maybe a specialty shop.

Hello Sandi
Piccolo tomatoes are a type of cherry tomatoes ...

You can read more about piccolo tomatoes here
https://www.piccolocherrytomato.co.uk/

and a little about the different growers here
https://www.piccolocherrytomato.co.uk/copie-de-history-1

If you can't find piccolo, I'm sure there are equivalent substitutes.

All the best Jan

VENTANA DE FOTO said...

Productos muy naturales, todos ellos muy beneficiosos para el organismo.

Besos

HappyK said...

Not only good but pretty too.

Bill said...

Tomatoes are my favorite.

Elephant's Child said...

Eating in season is always a win - for taste, for reduced air-miles, for the budget.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Everyone you have chosen here are delicious; especially the green peppers. Any colour really. Great in salads.

God bless.

Sandra said...

I love red and orange peppers, and iceberg lettuce, though it's been forever since I've had good lettuce:(

William Kendall said...

That's definitely ahead of our spring.

Pom Pom said...

I love peppers (all colors!) and asparagus is so yummy grilled with olive oil and garlic. Mmmmmmmmm. I'm ready for summer fruits.

My name is Erika. said...

I wonder if your piccolo tomatoes are what we call cherry tomatoes or perhaps what we call grape tomatoes. Oh those veggies look really good! Happy mid-week. Hugs-Erika

Martha said...

My favourite would be the peppers!

Margaret D said...

We have asparagus in the supermarkets a t the moment, makes tasty soup with a dash of lemon juice..

Angie said...

Asparagus by far would be my favorite, but I do enjoy a hearty wedge salad with a pungent blue cheese dressing!

Sussi said...

very nice selection, like them all!

mamasmercantile said...

Love them all but asparagus just pips the post as my favourite.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Asparagus, spring greens, peppers of all colors, spinach, and cherry tomatoes are my dream meal in spring. However, eating iceberg lettuce is like eating cardboard, in my opinion. Thanks for sharing these veggies I LOVE to live on.

Conniecrafter said...

I am pretty excited that my spinach and romaine lettuce is coming up, peppers are doing real good too, love all those goodies fresh from the garden!

carol l mckenna said...

Thanks for the May reminder of 'in season vegetables' ~ love Spinach!

Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Bob Bushell said...

Everything is nice, I love May.

Teresa said...

Los espárragos me encantan y también todo lo demás. Besitos.