Eat More Vegetables: Making the Most of Your Seasonal Produce

When the farmers’ markets start in earnest in April and May, Minnesotans’ pent-up desire for fresh, flavorful produce is answered immediately by rhubarb, spring onions, and tender lettuces. Within just a few weeks, the bounty has expanded exponentially and, before too long, those connected to a crop share or whose market basket is perhaps a bit too accommodating may be wondering: Just what should I do with fennel? And how can I possibly consume all of this spinach?
Tricia Cornell comes to the rescue in Eat More Vegetables, 135 recipes arranged seasonally to correspond with our northern plenty, from a refreshing cold beet soup in the heat of summer to a healthy and comforting butternut squash chili for cold winter nights; from zucchini fritters any kid will love to an adults-only melon-vodka slushie. But this book brings value far beyond creative recipes. Introductions to the many vegetables, fruits, and herbs stacked on farmers’ tables and in the grocery store help home cooks see delicious possibilities in kale, cabbage, or tomatoes, while tips for preparation and storage encourage us to make the most of our growing season and extend the goods through fall and into winter, until the markets open up once again.
Tricia Cornell is a writer for The Heavy Table online food magazine and for Twin Cities Business, a former editor for Minnesota Parent and Minnesota Good Age, and a veteran CSA subscriber to Hog’s Back Farm of Arkansaw, Wisconsin.