Spruce Up Your Dinner Table With These Spring Vegetable Recipes

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The Cookie Cups may have started out baking desserts, but we love our savory dishes, too! We especially love cooking with seasonal veggies – and spring offers tons of delicious produce, like artichokes, asparagus, beets, leeks, scallions, and spinach.

We're taking some inspiration from this springtime vegetable list in our upcoming Sweets & Eats cooking class (Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m.), where we'll make cheesy artichoke dip cups and spinach sunrise brunch cups, among other things. In the meantime, here are a few of our favorite recipes that use vegetables in season right now.

Beet and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

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A staple of Eastern European cuisine, beets are a tasty root vegetable that pair well with sweet and savory flavors. We're topping warm, toasty baguette slices with the classic combo of beets and goat cheese for our take on bruschetta. Some other great topping options for spring: olive tapenade with goat cheese, or fresh tomato and mozzarella.

Why we love beets: Beets have a ton of nutritional benefits. They're low in calories, but very high in vitamins and minerals. They also help regulate blood pressure and digestion, may improve athletic performance, and support brain health.

Ingredients

• 1 baguette (we like French bread)
• 1 14.5 oz. can of beets (we prefer canned because it's easier, but 2 or 3 fresh beets will work here, too!)
• 4 oz. goat cheese (a log is more spreadable than the crumbles)
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Honey or balsamic reduction for topping

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.       Cut baguette into 1/4 inch slices.
3.       Place baguette slices on a baking sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil.
4.       Bake for 4 – 5 minutes until golden and toasted.
5.       While bread is toasting, finely chop the beets.
6.       Spread goat cheese on toasted bread and top with chopped beets.
7.       Bake another 4 – 5 minutes, or until goat cheese melts a little.
8.       Drizzle with honey or balsamic reduction.

Baked Avocado with Bacon and Parmesan

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Avocado is pretty much always in season. Most avocados sold in the U.S. are imported from Mexico, where the crop is produced consistently year-round. Even domestic avocados – most of which come from California – have a relatively long growing season (February through September), so we think this delicious fruit is perfect for a springtime appetizer. We like to stuff it with crispy bacon and Parmesan cheese and throw it in the oven (or on the grill – your choice!).

Why we love avocado: Avocado packs a lot of nutritional bang for your buck. It's high in heart-healthy fats, offers tons of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and can even help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of cancer.

Ingredients

•       2 – 3 slices of bacon
•       1 ripe avocado
•       1 – 2 stalks of green onion/scallion
•       ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
•       Olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook bacon on a baking sheet pan for 12 to 15 minutes until crispy. Cool, then chip into bite-size pieces.
3. While bacon is cooking, prep avocados by cutting them in half and removing the pit. Remove the skin and place cut side up on a baking sheet pan.
4. Chop green onion.
5. Mix cooked bacon with green onion and Parmesan cheese.
6. Stuff avocado with bacon mixture and drizzle with olive oil.
7. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes. Cool and enjoy as is, or season to taste with salt and pepper.

Teriyaki Meatballs

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Okay, we know beef isn't a vegetable – but what’s better than teriyaki? This recipe perfectly complements our other two springtime dishes. Want to stick with a seasonal vegetable? You can substitute the ground beef with this fava bean "meatball" mixture.

Ingredients

•       1 lb. ground beef or meat/veggie patty mixture of choice
•       1 12 – 16 oz. bottle of your favorite teriyaki sauce
•       1 egg
•       ½ cup breadcrumbs
•       Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pour teriyaki sauce into a small pot and heat on low while you prepare the meatballs.
3. In a bowl, mix ground beef with breadcrumbs and eggs. Season to taste and roll into bite-sized meatballs.
4. Place meatballs on a baking sheet pan and brush sauce on each one.
5. Bake about 15 to 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
6. Top with extra teriyaki sauce or use as a dipping sauce on the side. 

Want to learn some more delicious recipes? Let's cook together! Sign up for one of The Cookie Cups upcoming cooking classes. Contact us or stop by the store for more details.