Spring has sprung and that means its time to start enjoying beautiful fresh spring produce.

Cantaloupe

Also known as rockmelon, cantaloupe has a hard textured skin and sunny pastel orange flesh and seeds. The flesh is juicy but has an almost creamy texture and sweet taste.

This low calorie fruit is a great source of vitamin A and C for healthy skin, and antioxidants to strengthen your immune system.

When looking to buy cantaloupe look for a sweet smelling, heavy fruit. Ripen at room temperature and once cut you can keep in the fridge for up to three days.

Even though you wont be eating it, it’s a good idea to thoroughly rinse the skin of the cantaloupe just before eating, as it can be home to bacteria. To prepare, cut open, remove the seeds and cut off the skin. Then slice into whatever sizes you need.

Cantaloupes make a sweet snack served plain with honey, in a fruit salad or refreshing gelato. It also pairs perfectly with the savoury flavours of prosciutto and goats cheese, which is great for canapés or salads.

Ginger

Ginger has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine to aid digestion, reduce nausea relating to travel or morning sickness, lower blood pressure, and treat flu symptoms.

This knobbly root vegetable has a strong distinctive spicy flavour and not much is needed to infuse a dish with exotic flavour. Because ginger is generally eaten in such small amounts, it does not really provide significant quantities of nutrients. However, it does contain effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds.

To prepare fresh ginger, peel off the skin and then slice or grate the flash. You can also buy powdered ginger, which can be great for baked good as it disperses more easily into the mixture.

Use ginger to add fragrant flavour to Asian stir-fry’s and Indian curries, or desserts such as chocolate cake and of course gingerbread cookies. Ginger also packs a nutritional hit for your morning juice and adds great flavour to cocktails or hot chocolate.

Artichoke

The beautiful armored exterior of the artichoke makes it just as desirable as a striking centerpiece as a delectable dish! This could be because artichokes are not actually vegetables at all, but a flowering plant from the thistle family. Artichokes have several layers of tough, fibrous outer petals, pale inner petals, a fury inedible ‘choke’ and a tender savoury sweet heart.

Artichokes are a great source of soluble fibre, which helps maintain good bowel health, and vitamin K and C for a healthy heart and bones.

You can remove the artichoke heart to cook separately, but if you want to keep the visual impact of the whole artichoke, simply slice off the top quarter and then snip off the ends of the tough outer petals to remove any thorns. Then you can steam or roast the whole artichoke, and remove the outer leaves once served.

The subtle flavours of artichoke are a great addition to creamy risottos and dips, or simply served as a side dish. For a simple starter, bake artichoke hearts in plain yoghurt and serve with crusty bread.