Vegetable/Fruit
Buying and Using
Artichokes
When: Artichokes, which are grown mainly on the West Coast, are at their peak from March through May. Although an artichoke has a rough appearance that’s meant to discourage predators, the globe yields delicious leaves and a tender heart.
What to Look For: Artichokes should feel firm and heavy for their size; this indicates a good moisture content. Rub an artichoke leaf between your fingers; it will squeak if it’s fresh. (This doesn’t work with the thornless varieties.) The skin should be free of bruises, and the leaves should be tightly closed. The stem should look as if it’s just been cut. The scent of an artichoke stays on your hands until you wash them.
Why: The RealAge-smart nutrients in an artichoke are calcium, potassium, and fiber.
How to Use: Artichokes store best in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator. They should be cooked before eating. You’ll have a hard time trying to eat a raw artichoke—except the very small, baby artichokes, barely the size of your thumb. These can be julienned and tossed with small amounts of grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, and toasted walnuts. Their big brothers can be boiled, braised, grilled, marinated, roasted, sautéed, and steamed.
Cook the artichoke halved or whole, break off each leaf, and pull the inside of the leaf slowly over your bottom front teeth. Then cut the globe and cut away the prickly part (the choke) to reveal the tender heart. Eat this plain or with a little lemon, garlic, salt, and/or olive oil. Artichokes can also be stuffed, or added to soups, stews, pasta, and rice dishes.
Arugula
When: Although it can be found fresh throughout the summer, arugula is at its peak in April and May. It grows quickly and takes just a few weeks to go from seed to table.
What to Look For: Arugula is best with a deep, dark green color and a fresh, upright, not-a-bit-tired look. Avoid wilted or yellow leaves. Choose leaves based on use: big ones for cooking and small ones for salads or sandwiches.
Why: The high potassium, folate, flavonoid, and lutein content of arugula means it’s age-reducing for your arteries, immune system, and eyes.
How to Use: The warm, nutty flavor of arugula makes it perfect for a spring salad. Smaller leaves go well with salads; the larger, more peppery leaves work well in other recipes, especially those calling for a cooking green such as Swiss chard or spinach. Arugula also adds flavor to oil, olive oil mayonnaise, and other sauces, and can be used as a sandwich ingredient and as a base for a pesto.
Asparagus
When: The optimum season for asparagus is March through June. The early, tender stalks have a beautiful green color and purple tips. Asparagus eaten as soon as picked is sweetest, as the stalks start losing their sweetness once cut.
What to Look For: The skin should be smooth, and the spears should be green with very little or no white. If the stem is shriveled, the asparagus is old; pass it up. Asparagus picked in the wild will often have an irregular base because the spears are snapped off by the person who harvests it from the plant so another can grow next year. Look for thicker asparagus rather than thinner ones; they will roast and grill more easily, and there’s less risk of toughening.
Why: Asparagus is rich in potassium and folate, and this makes it a RealAge-smart choice.
How to Use: Enjoy asparagus cooked by roasting, sautéing, steaming, and, my favorite, grilling. Serve it hot or cold, tossed with sesame oil and sesame seeds, or with a squeeze of lemon, a dollop of yogurt, and a sprinkle of dill. Asparagus is good in salads, risotto, omelets, soufflés, and stir-fried dishes.
Avocados
When: Avocados are available all year. (California produces most of the nation’s crop.) Two types of avocados are widely available: Haas, which peaks in spring and summer; and Fuerte, which peaks in fall and winter. Many others exist.
What to Look For: Avocados should be firm to the touch, unless you plan to eat them very soon. They should feel heavy for their size, as this indicates a high oil content. The darker the Hass avocado—all the way to black—the closer it is to being perfect to eat. The flavor is best when the avocado is ripe. To ripen an avocado, place it in a paper bag with an apple at room temperature for a few days.
Why: Avocados contain healthy monounsaturated fat that makes your RealAge younger.
How to Use: Avocados are usually eaten raw, mostly in salads, on sandwiches, or as the main ingredient in guacamole. Mike likes to combine guacamole with asparagus and peas or other vegetables to make a healthy, age-reducing, energy-giving taste treat. Avocados are a RealAge-smart substitute for mayonnaise or butter; they can also be a garnish for stews and soups, or eaten as a snack mashed with tortillas, lime, and chiles.
Avocados are packed with calories, so use sparingly. (Florida avocados—any variety that is not Haas—contain only two-thirds the fat of Haas avocados, also known as California avocados. Florida avocados have a much milder, lighter flavor.)
Carrots
When: Although carrots are available year-round, baby carrots are at their prime in early spring. These are very tender but not as flavorful or nutritious as carrots that mature later in the summer.
What to Look For: Carrots come in all shapes and sizes. Generally, the deeper the color, the deeper the flavor. The top of the carrot should be bright and green; at home, remove all of it except an inch or so. If the top has been removed, check that the carrot isn’t turning dark, shriveling, or sprouting where it’s been cut. Carrots that are ready to eat are very firm and do not bend without snapping; they have no nicks and should smell faintly sweet.
Why: Carrots are rich in beta-carotene (a pigment that is convertible to vitamin A, but that is only converted when your body needs vitamin A), potassium, selenium, and some of each of the essential amino acids. Although vitamin A taken in supplements has been shown to age your immune system when the dose exceeds 8,000 IUs a day, the vitamin A in food as beta-carotene does not appear to accelerate aging. The potassium and selenium in carrots also make your RealAge younger and increase your Kitchen IQ.
How to Use: Few carrots actually need to be peeled, although they should be scrubbed. Carrots can be eaten raw—all by themselves, in salads, or as scoops for guacamole or salsas. They can also be boiled, steamed, roasted, baked, or added to soups and stir-fries.
English peas
When: English peas, also known as green peas, are at their peak of sweetness in May or June. The freshest ones are still in their pods.
What to Look For: Look for pods that are plump but not split open; you shouldn’t be able to see the peas. Harvesting English peas at the right time makes all the difference in taste. Snap off the stem end, pull down the string that runs down the side, and run your thumb under the peas. Sample them to see if you like the flavor.
Why: English peas are a real treasure trove of age-reducing flavonoids and fiber.
How to Use: Eat English peas raw, steamed, or stir-fried just enough to warm them. Try them mixed into casseroles or blended into an intensely flavored and colored soup.
Fava beans
When: Fava beans are at their peak from May through July. They have a delicious flavor that can be missed if you don’t get them when they’re at their peak. Removing the bean’s thick skin reveals a hearty, buttery bean. It’s worth the extra effort to find fava beans that are in season.
What to Look For: Although fava bean pods are naturally a little hairy and irregular, avoid the ones with blackened ends or wrinkled skin. The freshest pods are firm, bright looking, and velvety to the touch.
Why: These beans are rich in soluble fiber and also have potassium, both of which make your RealAge younger.
How to Use: Grill or broil the beans briefly and peel the skin. Or simmer them just a little and savor their meatiness. Use fava beans in tomato-or olive oil-based pasta sauces, rice pilafs, spring vegetable medleys, vegetable soups, and stews.
Radishes
When: Radishes are at their peak around April and May. The round, often oddly shaped radish infuses color into spring meals. Every color and shape has a different flavor: Try as many as you can find.
What to Look For: Radishes should be smooth, firm, and juicy, with no cracks. The stem should be fresh and firm. Generally, the larger the radish, the stronger the flavor.
Why: Although radishes do not have many nutrients that make your RealAge younger, they do contain some selenium and potassium, and I love their texture.
How to Use: Radishes are commonly used raw. This peppery vegetable needs cleaning if you’re going to eat it raw. (Cut off the ends and sprinkle the whole radish with salt or lime.) Radishes are usually not cooked unless used in a sauce. They deserve a more active role in salads, and as scoops for dips, salsas, and guacamole.
Rhubarb
When: This tart vegetable is at its peak from April to June. Its stalks regenerate from one year to the next, and it’s only in season briefly, so take advantage of its presence.
What to Look For: Rhubarb comes in different colors. Stalks should be crisp and blemish-free; they can become stringy late in the season. Avoid the leaves, as they are poisonous, and avoid stalks that are yellowing or that bend easily.
Why: Rhubarb is rich in fiber that makes your RealAge younger.
How to Use: For most people, rhubarb is too tart to eat raw. Cooked rhubarb is delicious. It’s often used with fruits, which balance its tartness. Use it in sauces, jams, and desserts such as cake, pudding, pie, and compote.
Salad greens
When: Greens are in abundance in the spring. Because many varieties are too delicate to ship, the selection is often better at a farmers’ market than at the supermarket.
What to Look For: Leafy greens should have bright colors and fresh, crisp leaves. Avoid leaves that are turning colors and decaying.
Why: Most leafy greens have enough potassium, folate, flavonoids, and lutein to make your RealAge younger.
How to Use: Sample as many kinds as you can: Leafy greens grow easily and quickly, and there are so many different varieties. Each has a slightly different flavor. When combining greens, you may find that you want more chicory than arugula, more red leaf than frisée (curly endive), or more baby beet greens than Lollo Rossa. You can enjoy greens every day, and in so many different ways. Salad greens can be piled onto sandwiches, mixed into hot pasta, or wilted for an entrée salad.
Scallions
When: Scallions are available year-round but are at their peak during spring and summer.
What to Look For: Mid-size scallions with long white stems usually have the best flavor. Look for crisp, bright green tops and a firm white or purple base. Ramps (wild leeks) are early spring favorites, if you can find them; they have a strong aroma that is mellowed by heat.
Why: Scallions are rich in organic selenium, as well as potassium, calcium, essential amino acids, and flavonoids, all of which make you younger.
How to Use: The mild onion flavor of scallions is good for fresh dishes calling for only a hint of onion. Cook scallions whole or chop the leaves for salads, soups, and other dishes, such as pasta. John grills them whole with olive oil over mesquite, chars the leaves and whites, and sprinkles them with sea salt.
Sorrel
When: Fresh young sorrel is available in limited supply year-round, with the peak season in spring. At that time, the crop has a milder flavor than the later crop; sorrel tends to become more acidic as the plant gets older and the leaves get larger.
What to Look For: The leaves of the plant should be bright green and crisp, with no signs of wilting or decay. Avoid woody-looking stems or leaves. At home, sorrel should be bunched loosely and kept in water, stems down. For use in salads, get the younger, less mature sorrel—about 4-inch leaves.
Why: Sorrel contains two nutrients in quantity that make your RealAge younger, folate and potassium.
How to Use: Use young sorrel in salads or sautéed, blended into a pesto, or tossed as a garnish around whole roasted fish. Older, more mature sorrel can be used in breads or as an accompaniment for meats, vegetables, and soups.
Spinach
When: Spinach is bountiful starting in April; in cooler climates, it’s usually harvested a second time, in the fall.
What to Look For: Leaves should be crisp and intensely green. Avoid yellow or wilted leaves.
Why: Spinach is loaded with folate, selenium, calcium, and potassium, which means you’re getting younger every time you enjoy it.
How to Use: Spinach is used raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable, as a filling for pasta and omelets, with hot grains, and as a sandwich filling. Freshly picked spinach, wilted in a pan with garlic and hot red pepper sauce, and doused with rice wine vinegar and sesame oil, is a year-round favorite. I like it sautéed in just a touch of olive oil—even as a snack before dinner. It takes 5 minutes to prepare, it tastes great, and it’s filling.
Strawberries
When: A plump, juicy strawberry is best from April to July.
What to Look For: Strawberries should be plump and firm and have a shiny skin, which indicates freshness. Look for tiny wild strawberries in markets: small alpine berries are fabulously sweet and concentrated in flavor.
Why: Strawberries are nutrient-rich and loaded with age-reducing flavonoids.
How to Use: As with nearly all fruits and vegetables, wash strawberries well. Mold spreads quickly on berries, so toss those that become moldy. Strawberries are so sweet and tasty, they’re good just as they are. They’re also wonderful in jams, pies, sauces, salads, and desserts. They can be used as decorations for desserts, filled with almond paste, sliced and soaked in balsamic vinegar and sugar (a heavenly dessert), or coated with real (dark) chocolate—another heavenly dessert or appetizer that contains healthy fat.
Watercress
When: The spiciness of good watercress is seductive. Especially good are bunches harvested from March through June.
What to Look For: Small leaves, delicate stems, and a feathery feel indicate that the watercress is sweet and mild. Flowers and firm stalks indicate that the watercress has a little bite, like the hot, bitter, mustard family of which it is a member. Some other kinds of cress—upland cress or garden cress—are sold as a collection of leaves instead of a bunch.
Why: Watercress is an excellent source of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. It also contains other phytochemicals that fight cancer.
How to Use: Salads that use watercress, especially the leaves without the stems, often pair it with a citrus fruit. The zing of the cress combined with the pucker and sweetness of an orange, blood orange, or grapefruit makes an appealing lunch. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley makes an intensely flavored, brilliantly green soup by puréeing watercress with a little chicken stock, onion, and garlic.