Sugar snap peas
Possessing the crisp edible pod of the snow pea and the sweet plump inner pea of the English pea, this late winter and early spring favorite can be found at all weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets from several local growers.
Sugar snap peas are an extremely healthy addition to your winter and spring diets. A one cup serving of raw sugar snap peas delivers 3 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of protein, 98% of your daily value of vitamin C, 21% DV of vitamin A and 11% DV of iron. They are also a great source of many other essential vitamins and minerals.
They’re excellent both raw and cooked. This week I decided to go the raw route and enjoy them in a wonderful sugar snap pea salad as the Fix of the Week, below.
Certified organic is available. Price averages $6 per pound.
Golden Nugget tangerine
Botanically classified as Citrus reticulata, these hybrid Golden Nugget tangerines were developed in the 1950s from Wilkling and Kincy mandarins with the result yielding a very sweet firm seedless fruit. Relatively easy to peel, Golden Nuggets may be my favorite variety to emerge all season.
They’re readily available from several local growers at the Saturday Santa Barbara, Sunday Camino Real, Tuesday Santa Barbara, Wednesday Solvang, and Thursday Carpinteria farmers’ markets.
You can expect to find this variety for many months.
Due to the firmness of their sections, these tangerines are also a nice addition to salads, smoothies and marmalades. They’re also a tasty way to load up on your vitamin C. Price averages $3.50 per pound.
Treviso radicchio
Recognized by their deep purple leaves with cream color ribs, this variety of bitter winter green can be worked into both cooked and raw preparations. I most commonly enjoy Treviso in mixed green salads, tossed in a sharp flavorful dressing to help mask some of the bitterness. It also makes for a nice braising green.
The flavor can vary greatly from mild to bitter and has sweet and earthy notes throughout.
Native to Northern Italy, Treviso can be found by several local organic farmers at the Saturday Santa Barbara, Tuesday Santa Barbara and Wednesday Solvang farmers’ markets.
Treviso radicchios are an excellent source of vitamins A and K, as well as a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, zinc, phosphorus, iron and vitamin C. Price averages $3 each.
