Every first Friday of the month, I bring you a seasonal produce guide for Switzerland so that you can make smarter choices at the supermarket by buying the tastiest fruits and vegetables available!  In my monthly guides I round up savormania recipes for each of the ingredients as well as favorites found across the web. As seasonal produce varies from country to country, I chose to stick with Switzerland — my home country and where the majority of my readers are. If you’re one of my International readers, don’t worry, I’m sure you will find lots of great recipes listed below both from my blog and from other great food bloggers out there. With no further ado…here are March’s seasonal fruits and vegetables!

APPLES

I love the crunchiness of apples and the surprises they hold — sometimes they’re sweet, other times they’re more sour. Depending on the varieties you pick, some apples are great for sweet desserts and breakfast foods while sourer versions are perfect for salty dishes, like stuffing chicken or including in a salad. I cook a lot with apples, with my favorite way to use them being in muffins, cakes and breads.

Best way to store: In the fridge inside a vegetable drawer, covered in a slightly wet paper towel

Shelf life: 3 to 5 days on the kitchen counter, 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge 

Apple recipes found on savormania:

Apple and all-bran muffins 

Apple cinnamon bread

Apple recipes found elsewhere:

• Real Food By Dad: Easy 30-Minute Apple Strudel
• The Cupcake Confession: Individual apple pies
• The First Mess: Apple-spice baked buckwheat

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BEETS

Beets were already in season in February, but I still haven’t had a chance to cook with them. They’re great in salads or juices, and can be combined with salty or sweet ingredients! I promise I’ll get to cooking with them one day, but for now here are some great recipes from other food bloggers.

Best way to store: Cut the leaves from the beets and store them unwashed in separate plastic bags in the fridge’s vegetable drawer

Shelf life: Leaves are good for 2 to 3 days, the beets for 2 to 3 weeks when refrigerated

Beet recipes found elsewhere:

• Daily Waffle: Red redemption salad
• Deliciously Ella: Sweet potato, sprout & beet salad
• My Kitchen Love: Beet and citrus salad

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Brussels sprouts were in season in February too, but I still haven’t posted a recipe with them. The truth be told, I cooked brussels sprouts a month ago to create a new recipe to include in this month’s guide, but I really wasn’t happy with the result! My mom never cooked brussels sprouts at home when we were kids, and now I know why. I didn’t like the taste, smell and texture and don’t know if I will cook with them again…but probably one of the recipes below will convince me otherwise!

Best way to store: In the fridge

Shelf life: 3 to 5 days

Brussels sprouts recipes found elsewhere:

• Smitten Kitchen: Dijon-braised brussels sprouts
• Spinach 4 Breakfast: Red quinoa and brussels sprouts salad with toasted pine nuts 
• The Fit Mrs: Roasted balsamic brussels sprouts

CARROTS

Carrots are one of my favorite vegetables to cook with! They’re great puréed in soups for their sweetness and consistency, and are so deliciously crunchy in salads. I use them in a wide variety of recipes ranging from Spanish cuisine to Asian. They can be kept for 3-4 weeks in the fridge, which makes them the perfect vegetable to have on hand to quickly add to a recipe.

Best way to store: In the fridge

Shelf life: 3 to 4 weeks

Carrot recipes found on savormania:

Vegetarian paella

Carrot and parsley soup

Chinese stir-fried vegetable rice

Carrot recipes found elsewhere:

• Cookie + Kate: Sugar snap peas and carrot soba noodles
• Naive Cook Cooks: Boozy carrot halwa
• The Merchant Baker: Asian peanut chicken slaw

CELERY ROOT

I’m becoming more and more fond of celery root, using it in salads and to include in my mashed potatoes. Adding celery root to mashed potatoes gives it a pungent taste and more texture; if you haven’t done so already you should definitely try it! I have yet to add some of my favorite celery root recipes to the blog, but they’re sure on my list!

Best way to store: Refrigerated in a plastic bag

Shelf life: 2 weeks

Celery root recipes found elsewhere:

• A Spicy Perspective: Apple celery root gratin
• David Lebovitz: Celery root remoulade
• Gourmande In The Kitchen: Celery root and cauliflower purée

CHIVES

Chives have a delicious onion flavor, making them great additions to bring extra punch to a dish. Their vibrant green color automatically dresses up a recipe as well, and turn them into perfect garnishes for soups, salads and quiches. I always have dry chives in my pantry, but love to buy fresh chives whenever they’re in season.

Best way to store: wrapped in a slightly wet paper towel and kept in a plastic bag in the fridge

Shelf life: Up to 2 weeks

Chive recipes found on savormania:

Mushroom truffle oil risotto

Goat cheese and sun-dried tomato quiche

Potato and egg salad

Chive recipes found elsewhere:

• Love & Lemons: Lemon and chive ricotta bruschetta
• Urban Bakes: Spicy maple chicken wings
• What Jessica Baked Next: No-knead cheddar & chive quick bread

ENDIVES

Bitter and crisp, or sweet and nutty, endives completely change flavors when eaten raw or cooked. They’re often used raw in salads to tone down sweetness. I rarely use them in my kitchen because I find them a bit too bitter for my taste, however I do have them from time to time when I’m eating out. I don’t have any endive recipes on the blog yet, so please check out the amazing recipes below for some inspiration!

Best way to store: In a plastic bag in the fridge

Shelf life: 4 days

Endive recipes found elsewhere:

• 52 Kitchen Adventures: Honey roasted endives
• Green Kitchen Stories: Beet, endive and quinoa rainbow salad
• The Clever Carrot: Stuffed endives with cranberries and roquefort

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

Do not confuse Jerusalem artichokes with artichoke hearts — they’re two different ingredients! Jerusalem artichokes are in fact tubers, which grow under a sunflower plant, whereas regular artichokes are flower buds. The key to buying the best Jerusalem artichokes is to look for pale brown ones, making sure that they’re a bit hard to touch. They store well in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks and can be used in a variety of recipes, ranging from pastas and roasted dishes to soups and salads. I haven’t cooked with Jerusalem artichokes yet, but now that they’re in season I have no excuse not to!

Best way to store: In the fridge in a plastic bag

Shelf life: Up to 2 weeks

Jerusalem artichoke recipes found elsewhere:

• Brooklyn Supper: Jerusalem artichoke gnocchi with sautéed kale 
• Donal Skehan: Creamy roasted garlic jerusalem artichokes
• Spoonful: Jerusalem artichoke soup

KALE

I still haven’t cooked with Kale, although it has been in season for the past couple of months. Part of the cabbage family, kale owes its incredibly healthy reputation to all the vitamins it contains–ranging from A and C to B6 and K–and to its good omega-3 fatty acid. Kale comes in different colors, such as green and purple, and can be used in a variety of ways. I promise to try cooking with kale in the months to come, but meanwhile here are some other food bloggers’ great recipes.

Best way to store: Do not wash until ready to use and keep in the fridge in a plastic bag

Shelf life: 5 to 7 days

Kale recipes found elsewhere:

• Blueberry Tales: Kale and tomato clafoutis
• How Sweet It Is: Marinated kale and whipped ricotta pizza
• The Garlic Pad: Kale chips

KIWI

Jon absolutely loves kiwi, while I absolutely hate it! Too sour and bitter for my taste, I let Jon eat all of them when I buy them at the supermarket. I never do anything special with kiwi except add it to fruit salads or slice it for Jon to have a healthy snack, which is why I don’t have any recipes with this fruit yet on the blog.

Best way to store: It is best to keep kiwis out on the kitchen counter until ripe, then stored in a plastic bag in the fridge

Shelf life: 2 to 3 days on the kitchen counter until ripe, then up to 5 days in the refrigerator

Kiwi recipes found elsewhere:

• Coconut And Berries: Kiwi & mint smoothie
• Day By Day Recipes: Banana, kiwi and strawberry tart
• Snap Crackle Cook: Kiwi pops

LEEKS

Leeks are my new favorite substitute for onions! Belonging to the same family as onions, leeks have a slightly stronger taste that becomes sweeter the longer you cook them for. Only the white part of the leek can be eaten, which means that this is a vegetable that requires quite a lot of prepping. Cleaning leeks is also of utmost importance, as dirt lodges itself in between the leaves. The best way to clean leeks, in my opinion, is to slice them in half, part the leaves and let them sit in cold water for 15 minutes. The dirt will easily drop to the bottom of the bowl.

Best way to store: In a plastic bag in the fridge, unwashed until ready to use.

Shelf life: 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge

Leek recipes found on savormania:

Zucchini leek soup

Creamy potato leek soup

Creamy cauliflower soup

Leek recipes found elsewhere:

• Local Savour: Summer squash, leek and goat cheese frittata
• My Name Is Yeh: Leek and walnut pesto
• Show Me The Yummy: Truffle oil potato leek soup

ONION

Onions are in season all year round in Switzerland, which is great news given that I cook with them 90% of the time. Onion gives my dishes great flavor and can be used in a variety of cuisines. They come in red, yellow and green varieties which can all be used in different ways. I tend to cook with yellow onion the most often, reserving the red and green onions for salads. There are exceptions to this and I often experiment with cooking with red and green onions too!

Best way to store: in the pantry or in the fridge, but keep them far away from the potatoes! Their rot much quicker when placed next to each other

Shelf life: 2 to 3 months in the pantry or in the fridge

Onion recipes found on savormania:

Mediterranean quinoa salad

Salmon fillets in red pepper sauce

Pumpkin coconut soup

Onion recipes found elsewhere:

• 101 Cookbooks: Caramelized onion dip
• No Spoon Necessary: French onion soup arancini
• Steamy Kitchen: Lebanese roasted stuffed onions

PARSLEY

Parsley is one of my perfect ways to top a dish — it brings texture and color while intensifying and balancing the flavors of a dish.  There are are two types, flat-leaf (more intense in flavor) and curly (less bitter), with the first variety used more to balance out dishes while the second is used more for decorative purposes.

Best way to store: Trim the ends, place in a glass of water, cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate. Change the water when it becomes cloudy.

Shelf life: Up to one week

Parsley recipes found on savormania:

Artichoke and sun-dried tomato bruschetta

Roasted cauliflower with lemon and parsley

Three-cheese lasagna

Parsley recipes found elsewhere:

• Inspired Taste: Roasted carrots with parsley butter
• Olive Tree Kitchen: Turkish shepherd’s salad
• Seitan Is My Motor: Linguine with basil-parsley pesto

PARSNIP

Half-carrot and half-parsley, the parsnips are closely related to the latter in terms of taste and appearance. They’re much sweeter than carrots when cooked and make great soups full of creaminess thanks to all the starch they contain. The best parsnips are small and midsize ones, and one should always make sure to pick ones that are firm and not shriveled or spotted. I haven’t cooked with parsnips yet, but as I love both carrots and parsley so I’m sure I would love them too!

Best way to store: In a plastic bag in the fridge

Shelf life: 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge

Parsnip recipes found elsewhere:

• Foodness Gracious: Oven-roasted parsnips with thyme
• Inspiralized: Savory parsnip noodle chive waffles
• Seasonally Jane: Parsnip and spice bread pudding

PEARS

Savormania just welcomed its first pear recipe in February! Not because I don’t like pears, but simply because it’s not a fruit I tend to cook or bake with. With that being said, I really love my only recipe using pear — the strawberry mint smoothie you’ll find below — and look forward to cooking with this wonderful fruit again. Pears tend to be harvested when they’re mature but not ripe, and are best eaten when ripe! To pick a mature pear that hasn’t ripened yet, touch the top part of the fruit. If it’s still hard to touch, then it’s not ripe yet. I tend to buy pears and leave them on the kitchen counter for a couple of days until they ripen totally.

Best way to store: On the kitchen counter until ripe

Shelf life: 1 to 4 days on the kitchen counter until ripe. They can then be kept in the fridge up to one week in a plastic bag.

Pear recipes found on savormania:

Strawberry mint smoothie

Pear recipes found elsewhere:

• American Heritage Cooking: Cardamom pear crisp
• Pinch of Yum: French toast with pear chutney and mascarpone
• Spiced Blog: Grilled pear, gorgonzola and pecan arugula salad

RED CABBAGE

Red cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables to include in slaws, with either a sweet dressing or an Asian-style vinaigrette. I love its bright purple color and the fact that it’s full of vitamin C, making it a perfect addition to a hearty salad. Red cabbage can be eaten raw or cooked, although I always prefer it in its raw state. I haven’t featured any red cabbage recipes on savormania yet, but have lots of them to share with you in the coming months!

Best way to store: In a plastic bag in the fridge, kept unwashed until ready to use

Shelf life: Up to one week

Red cabbage recipes found elsewhere:

• My Custard Pie: Braised red cabbage
• Natasha’s Kitchen: Red cabbage and avocado salad
• Oh My Veggies: Roasted brussels sprouts and red cabbage pizza

SPINACH

Spinach will always remind me of Popeye, and I have to admit that I never really enjoyed it as a kid. I learned to love spinach as I grew older and tend to cook with it in many different ways. Spinach is such a versatile ingredient that can be included in salads, pasta dishes, sautés, quiches and many more dishes. Although I do prefer my spinach fresh, I always have a bag of frozen spinach in the freezer to use whenever I need it.  I haven’t featured any spinach recipes on the blog yet, but they’re on their way!

Best way to store: In a plastic bag in the fridge, unwashed until ready to use

Shelf life: 3 to 5 days

Spinach recipes found elsewhere:

• Life Made Sweeter: Green goddess detox smoothie
• Peas And Crayons: Spinach and artichoke loaded potato skins
• Tasty Ever After: Spinach artichoke dip

WATERCRESS

There are some vegetables that I have never even thought of buying at the supermarket, and watercress is one of them. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m not willing to try new produce. It’s just that I always buy arugula, lettuce or spinach to use in my salads and never thought of choosing watercress instead. Just as nutritious as cabbage and broccoli, watercress is full of vitamins and can be eaten both cooked and raw. There’s no reason for me not to try cooking with it now!

Best way to store: stems wrapped in slightly wet paper towel and stored in a plastic bag in the fridge

Shelf life: 2 to 3 days

Watercress recipes found elsewhere:

• Beyond Kimchi: Watercress tofu salad
• The Iron You: Savory watercress berry salad
• The Kitchn: Creamy watercress soup with lemon-goat cheese dumplings

Are you looking for recipes with another ingredient that may not be seasonal? Check out my Recipe Index for inspiration.