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5 Spring Fruits and What to Make With Them

Sara Yoo — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:45:24 PDT

Summer may be creeping around the corner, but it's still officially Spring, which means you can still enjoy the bounty of fresh fruits that sweeten up the season. Just like with peak Spring vegetables, enjoying these treats can be as easy as taking a juicy bite, but we've rallied together five recipes that highlight each fruit's delectable essence.

Can You Identify Spring Produce?

Susannah Chen — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:56:08 PDT

Spring is definitely in the air and we're pumped - not only for a newly sparkling kitchen (thanks to Spring cleaning!), but also, in particular, for the colorful and diverse produce that the season brings with it.

Perhaps you're as enthusiastic about the new crop as we are, and you know your vernal vegetables and fruits inside and out.

Can you spot the Spring produce at farmers markets? Let's find out when you take this quiz.

Take the Quiz

Taste the Rainbow: Yellow

Camilla Salem — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:28:56 PDT

We're moving on to the yellow produce part of our journey. When I think of yellow fruits and vegetables, I immediately taste lemons. But beyond lemons, crookneck squash happens to be one of my favorite vegetables to cook with. Golden delicious apples are often overlooked for fancier varieties, even though they boast a unique and refreshing flavor. And yes, you guessed it, we're looking at more bell peppers! For some colorful recipes using all of these yellow ingredients, keep reading.

Taste the Rainbow

Camilla Salem — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:00:49 PDT

In honor of Eco Month, we want to take this week to appreciate all of the colorful, nutritious, flavorful produce that we get to enjoy. Last week, we scoured the shelves of our local Whole Foods Market for the most colorful ingredients, from bright red bell peppers to deep purple cabbage. We're going to be taking a look at all of the colors of the produce rainbow and chatting about our favorite ways to enjoy them. Keep checking all week long for lots of colorful culinary inspiration.

5 Healthy Squash Recipes That Celebrate Winter

Michele Foley — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:17:50 PST

You know us; we're always trying to keep it farm fresh around here. Besides apples and pears, squash is one of my favorites when it comes to cool weather produce. With squash it's all about variety - there are more than a few to choose from, and they are really versatile when it comes to preparation. They also taste great - sweet, creamy, and hearty with a big side of nutrition. Squash is an amazing source of vitamins A and C, with a good amount of calcium and iron, too. Here are five healthy recipes I'll definitely be cooking up this season!

Source: Flickr User swanksalot

5 Fall Foods and What to Cook With Them

Susannah Chen — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:42:36 PST

Before Fall's gone entirely, don't forget to enjoy the best of the moment's fruit and vegetable bounty. Here are five affordable, versatile favorites to seize before the season's over and some of our recommended ways to cook with them.

The Lowdown on Produce: Dirty Dozen vs. Clean 14

Lizzie Fuhr — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 06:36:42 PDT

With all of the information overload about the state of our current agriculture system, sometimes it's hard to keep the most basic rules straight. Whether you've been buying local produce for some time or you're finally getting serious about avoiding all the crazy pesticides, the Environmental Working Group makes it its job to inform people about which produce is best organic and where you can skip and save some extra dough.

The EWG compiled two lists: Dirty Dozen, which you should always buy organic, and Clean 14, where conventional will do just fine Some of the picks on each list may surprise you! Keep reading to learn the lowdown on pesticides and produce.

In Season: Figs

Nancy Einhart — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:45:00 PDT

Fig season is like pre-Fall in the fashion world, a tasty little teaser that helps bridge the gap between Summer and Autumn. Perhaps it's partly because the season is so fleeting that this fruit tastes so sweet, but when figs are just right, they taste downright sinful. When people tell me they don't like figs, I say, they just haven't had a good one yet.

This soft, fleshy fruit with a thick but edible skin comes in many colors and forms. In North America, the most common types are Mission figs, Brown Turkey, and Brunswick, which have dark skin and a pink-purple middle; Calimyrna, the green-and-pink beauties like the fig pictured above; and Kadota, another green-skinned variety.

Keep reading to learn how to select fresh figs, and how to prepare them.

In Season: Gooseberries

Susannah Chen — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:07:41 PDT

Considering our obsession with berries, it's hard to believe that there are still quite a few out there that I've never tried. This week, I had my first encounter with a gooseberry: a fruit smaller than a blueberry with a round-meets-oblong shape (similar to that of a green grape) and a fuzzy, veiny, green apple-colored exterior. I couldn't ignore my intrigue and impulsively picked up a carton to experiment with at home. My initial observations of the fruit, when you keep reading.

10 Summer-Friendly Corn Recipes

Susannah Chen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:52:12 PDT

There's nothing I like better on a hot Summer day than enjoying fresh, sweet corn on the cob. If you're looking to take advantage of this in-season vegetable, I've rounded up 10 of my favorite corn recipes for your warm weather enjoyment.