What’s in Season? June Produce Guide.

June brings us a bounty of new produce to look forward to. And if you’re a fan of berries, you’re in heaven this time of year. June brings us plump strawberries, juicy cherries, and sweet blueberries, along with refreshing cucumber, snappy green beans, and some other healthy veggies. The freshness this time of year brings is inspiring, so I hope this guide gets your gears turning on what to make with your grilled meats and salads.

Here’s what to look for this month.

Avocado

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Avocados. We’re obsessed. We want it with chips, smashed onto toast, tossed into salads, and stacked onto sandwiches. Avocado is the perfect addition for those who love everything that is rich and creamy, but want to make smarter choices. This fruit is high in fiber, heart-healthy fats, and it offers up a ton of vitamins. It also contains more potassium than bananas!

Try avocado in my Grilled Tuna Steak Salad with Wasabi Vinaigrette!

Or try these other recipes:

1. Citrus Avocado Salad by Fork in the Kitchen
2. Spiced Flank Steak Tacos by The Original Dish
3. Mexican-Style English Muffin Pizzas by Kitchen @ Hoskins

Beets

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A lot of people dislike beets because of their earthy taste; because they “taste like dirt”. But roasting them brings out a richness and sweetness that works really well in a hearty salad or as a side dish! It also has great health benefits. This nutritious root veg can help keep blood pressure in check, act as an anti-inflammatory, and improve digestive health. You can also blend it up and use it as food coloring, thanks to its natural bright fuchsia tone.

Try beets in my Fall Harvest Wild Rice Medley!

Or try them in these other recipes:

1. Beet and Dill Lentils by The Nourished Mind 
2. Roasted Beet Salad by Waves In the Kitchen
3. Vegan Beetroot Risotto by Lazy Cat Kitchen

Blueberries

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Anytime blueberries are mentioned, my mind goes straight to the nostalgic smell of warm blueberry muffins on a summer morning. (Okay, or blueberry vodka.) This antioxidant-rich berry is well-known for its impact on bone health, skin health, heart health, and so much more. Whether you bake it into goodies or top your yogurt with it, make sure to take advantage of it this season.

Try my Blueberry Banana Oat Crumb Muffins!

Or try blueberries in these other recipes:

1. Blueberry Peach Quinoa Salad by Crumb Top Baking
2. Slow Cooker Blueberry BBQ Sauce by My Kitchen Love
3. Blueberry Ice Cream by Grandbaby Cakes

Cherries

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Cherries are a favorite in this house. Whether they’re a tart or sweet variation, you can do so many different things with them. Admittedly, we usually just eat them by the bowlful. Which is totally okay since these tiny stone fruit are packed with fiber, minerals, and vitamins, making them a healthy snack choice. And like most berries, they lend themselves to dishes both sweet and savory.

Try them in my Almond Cherry Oatmeal!

Or try these other cherry-filled recipes:

• Cherry Pie Kombucha by Brew Buch
• Cherry Pretzel Tart by White Kitchen Red Wine
• Tender Kale Salad with Goat Cheese, Cherries, and Almonds by Hungry Haley

Cucumbers

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Cucumbers are amazing! They’re so crisp and refreshing. Whether you’re tossing them into a salad or placing them into your seltzer water, they’ll cool you right down, which makes them the perfect veg for these scorching summer months. Though cucumbers seem like nothing more than crunchy flesh and water, they’re high in nutrients, antioxidants, and could help lower blood sugar. Naturally, they also promote hydration. This is one of the easiest veggies to add to your diet this season, so make sure you load up.

Cool off with my Cold Sesame Noodles with Shaved Cucumber and Mango Salad!

Or try cucumbers in these other recipes:

1. Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles by With Spice
2. Green Goddess Sandwiches by Rhubarb and Cod
3. Cucumber Tomato Salad by George Eats

Green Beans

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Did you know that there are over 130 varieties of green beans? Don’t worry, we won’t go through them all. We’re just here to encourage consumption because green beans are packed with the good stuff. Think vitamins A, C, and K. They’re also a low FODMAP food, a heart-healthy option, and they contain protein. Wins all around!

Try green beans with our sheet pan Baked Hoisin Salmon!

Or try these other green bean recipes:

1. Quick Pickled Green Beans by Fork in the Road
2. Warm Cauliflower, Green Beans, and Chickpea Salad by the Healthy Hunter
3. Green Beans Almondine by The Modern Proper

Greens

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Spring greens are about to sprout and our salads are about to get a whole lot brighter! Spinach, lettuce, arugula, and swiss chard are fantastic on their own or blended together. Don’t forget that these nutrient-dense greens aren’t meant for salads exclusively. You can twirl them into your pasta, toss them into soups, and blend them into your smoothies.

Try my Lemon Pasta with Arugula!

Or try these other recipes:

1. Spinach Pasta Salad with Feta and Tomato by Peas and Crayons
2. Giant Beans and Greens on Toast by With Spice
3. Thai Lettuce Wraps by Cupful of Kale 

Herbs

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It is too easy to go overboard with fresh herbs this time of year. Especially if you’re growing your own. You can throw them into your pasta sauce, use them to garnish grilled meats, toss them with roasted potatoes—you name it. Fresh herbs give everything an extra dose of freshness, not to mention a beautiful punch of green.

Try them in my One Pan Herb and Garlic Chicken with Rice!

Or try them in one of these other recipes:

1. DIY Garden Herb Salt by A Life Delicious
2. Green Shakshuka by The Crooked Carrot
3. Falafel Flatbread by Downshiftology

Kale

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Remember when kale was the star of the superfoods? Kale chips, kale smoothies—kale was everywhere. Various other vegetables have stepped into the superfood spotlight since, but kale still holds a secure spot in the nutritional world with its rich source of vitamins, folate, manganese, and dietary minerals.

Try my Soothing Lemon Chicken Soup With Kale!

Or try kale in these other recipes:

1. Chickpea Kale Caesar Wrap by Cait’s Plate
2. Loaded Veggie Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce by A Simple Palate
3. Squash and Caramelized Onion Pasta by Lazy Cat Kitchen

Leeks

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Leeks are very easy to cook with, which makes sense since they’re related to other favorites in cooking like onions, garlic, shallots, and chives. You can blend them into soups, add them to stuffing during the holidays, roast them, or crisp them up and use them as a garnish.

Try leeks in my Vegetarian Slow Cooker Stuffing!

Or try them in these other recipes:

1. Potato Bacon Frittata with Pickled Asparagus by The Original Dish
2. Crispy Egg-In-a-Hole with Sauteed Leeks and Thyme by Vibrant by the Spoonful
3. Green Shakshuka by Olive and Mango

Mango

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This tropical fruit is always welcome at the table—weather it be bundled into a summer roll, tossed into a fruit salsa, or swirled into ice cream. It also happens to have a ton of health benefits! It promotes good gut health, boosts immunity, can help lower cholesterol, and it has a low glycemic index. It’s easy to enjoy a sweet and peppery mango on its own, but I encourage you to start throwing them into recipes.

Try mango in my Shrimp Tacos with Mango Habanero Salsa!

Or try it in these other recipes:

1. Vegan Yogurt Fruit Popsicles by Heart Fully Nourished
2. Grilled Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs by Erhardts Eat
3. Raspberry Mango Pop Tarts by Cherry On My Sundae

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Peas

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The small yet mighty pea is much more flexible than it gets credit for. Sure, peas are great smothered in melted butter. But they also make a fantastic addition to spring-inspired crostini, pot pies, pastas, and casseroles. Be sure to add them where you can—despite their size, they pack a fair amount of fiber and antioxidants.

Try my Spring Snap Pea and Radish Canapés!

Or try peas in these other recipes:

1. Blistered Snap Peas with Burrata and Breadcrumbs by The Original Dish
2. 20-Minute Bow Tie Pasta by Eight Forest Lane
3. Instant Pot Split Pea Soup by Munchkin Time

Radishes

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Thrown over tacos, tossed into a green salad, or pickled and served with charcuterie, radishes are one of my faves. There’s just something exhilarating about them with their snappy peppery flavor. Despite the fact that they’re mostly used as a garnish or addition, they’re also great on their own when roasted and they come with some pretty awesome health benefits—like supporting a healthy digestive system.

Try my Addictive Spicy Quick Pickle Radishes!

Or try radishes in these other recipes:

1. Roasted Radish Mini Bagels by My Goodness Kitchen
2. Roasted Radishes by Real + Vibrant
3. Radish Potato Salad by With Food + Love

Rhubarb

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Rhubarb isn’t in season for long, so people jump on it when they see it. And for good reason! This sour and crunchy treat lends itself to so many recipes, both sweet to savory. You can add it to jams, bake it into pies, and muddle it into cocktails.

Try my French Toast with Strawberry Rhubarb Compote!

Or try rhubarb in these other recipes:

1. Rhubarb Cake by Katiebird Bakes
2. Raspberry Rhubarb Rosé Spritz by JustineCelina.com
3. Crispy Tofu with Rhubarb Hot and Sour Sauce by Blue Moon Kitchen

Strawberries

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Who doesn’t love a bright red, juicy strawberry? Fun fact: strawberries as we know them are a hybrid of two wild strawberry species from North America and Chile. From jams to baked goods, strawberries can be used in a variety of ways. But they’re also easy to consume in fresh, in their simplest form. And if you eat a lot of strawberries, you can tell when it’s peak season; you can taste it. These gems are a fab source of vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium.

Try my Spiked Strawberry Lemonade Fizz!

Or try strawberries in these other recipes:

1. Strawberry Shortcake by Truffles and Trends
2. Grilled Steak and Strawberry Salad by Fannetastic Food
3. Strawberry Rhubarb Pop Tarts by Peanut Butter + Chocolate