Ripe Now: Seasonal Produce Spotlight Mar 2020

After the long winter, nothing compares to the beautiful bounty of spring fruits and veggies. Our produce department is filled with an abundance of nutrient-rich fruits and veggies ready for you to take from the store to your plate. Enjoy them as snacks or incorporate them into your favorite dishes to add a burst of color, texture and nutrition.

Asparagus
Available in green, white and purple varieties, asparagus provides vitamins A, C, E and K, folate and two grams of fiber per five-spear serving. Wrap it with bacon, prosciutto or smoked salmon, toss it into risottos, omelets, salads, pastas or stir-fries, or follow the Sautéed Asparagus with Garlic recipe for a simple, garlicky side dish.

Grapes
Where do our grapes come from during early spring? The country of Chile! As the top exporter of table grapes in the world, Chile grows more than 100 varieties and ships the finest red, green and black seedless grapes to the US. Chilean grapes are a rich source of polyphenols, and a good source of Vitamins B and K as well as copper. Take these pop-in-your-mouth delicacies on the go. Enjoy them alongside meals with pork, chicken or fish. Add them to salads, cheese platters or desserts.

Beets
Beets supply folate, manganese, potassium, vitamins A and C and fiber. Savor their earthy, nutty, raw flavor in salads or slaws, blended into beet juice and added to smoothies, or spiralized into beet noodles topped with goat cheese and pecans. Use nutritious beet greens to complement salads or sauté them with garlic and olive oil.

Kiwi
Kiwis are packed with a powerhouse of nutrients, including vitamins C (more than is found in an orange!) E and K, fiber, folate and potassium. Cut kiwis in half and scoop out the sweet, tart flesh to enjoy on its own or incorporate into parfaits, salsas, salads, tacos and desserts. The skin is also edible and full of fiber, making this nutrient-dense fruit even more nutritious.