Spring is a time for rebirth, renewal and, for many people, a chance to get back on track with good eating habits.
In our search for inspiration and new ways to enjoy the wonderfully fresh fruits and vegetables of spring, we talked with Vanessa Edwards, outreach coordinator for the Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op in downtown Everett, which is celebrating its 14th birthday this year.
Edwards, whose chef husband, Ryan, periodically teaches cooking classes at the co-op, shared her favorite spring vegetables and ideas for making them new again.
Most of the following foods will become available from local farms in March, April or May.
Asparagus
“It’s a really easy thing to cook and the best way to do that, as the Italians would say, is al dente,” Edwards said. “I like to grill it. You can just simply saute it with garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper.”
Al dente asparagus is tender but not mushy, Edwards said.
“My rule of thumb is to poke it with a fork. The fork should struggle a little bit, because when you take it off the heat, it continues to cook.”
Baby greens
These super-young, oh-so-tender baby lettuces, which typically come in mixes, are not to be missed, especially when in season in the cool Northwest.
Spinach, red-leaf and green-leaf lettuces and other greens shine when used in salads or on sandwiches, Edwards said.
“It’s really velvety,” Edwards said of the texture. “I just like olive oil and salt and pepper and little bit of balsamic vinegar. You could toss the asparagus in right along with it.”
Peas
“Sugar snap peas are awesome just raw,” Edwards said.
“They’re great in risotto because of the creaminess. You add the peas at the end and it adds a little crunch to it. And it adds that fresh spring feeling. It just accents it nicely and it goes really well — the color and the texture.”
Onions
There are two kinds of spring onions: green onions, which are long and skinny and mostly green, and small bulb onions.
“A lot of our local onions are nice and sweet,” Edwards said, citing the popular Walla Wallas. “You can use them as an accent in a salad or reduce them down with some balsamic vinegar and caramelize them.”
Don’t forget to add vegetables to your sandwiches and pizzas, said Edwards, who recommends raw or sauteed onions on a baguette with a strong blue cheese such as a Stilton or gorgonzola.
Strawberries
Don’t blink or you’ll miss the local strawberry season. It starts sometime in late May and lasts about three weeks.
Edwards, who likes to freeze local strawberries to extend the season, also saves some of them to eat fresh and in salads.
When it comes to dessert, she goes beyond shortcake and cream.
“I usually like to do tarts: I put them right on top, or I make a lemon curd and I put strawberries right on top. It’s great.
“You get a little bit of the tart from the lemon and the sweetness of the strawberries. The colors alone, it just makes you want to take a bite out of it.”
Sno-Isle Co-op
2804 Grand Ave., Everett; 425-259-3798; www.snoislefoods.coop.
Would you like to learn more about local farms, eating local food and the nuances of co-op shopping? The co-op offs free monthly informational tours this year.
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