Seasonal Recipe Round Up: May – June

As we move from late spring to early summer, the months of May and June bring lots of delicious fresh produce to fill your plate. 

If you’re looking for ways to make your weekly shop more budget-friendly as well as eco-conscious, you can’t go wrong with buying fruits and vegetables that are in season. Look for locally grown produce on the supermarket shelves this season; UK-grown produce is often cheaper than anything flown in from warmer climates.

Fresh and full of healthy goodness, you can rustle up some seriously tasty meals with the fruits and veggies that May and June have to offer. If you need a little inspiration, here’s our rundown of what’s in season over the next few weeks – along with some ideas of recipes to make the most of your haul. 

Asparagus

This classic spring vegetable is what the season is all about! Crisp and green, asparagus is at its best during late spring and early summer, with a vibrant, distinctive flavour that’ll liven up any dish. 

Along with being high in vitamins A and C, these fibrous stalks are loaded with iron and calcium. As good for you as it is tasty, throwing some asparagus into your meal is a surefire way to boost up the nutrients. 

One of our favourite ways to eat asparagus is in this Creamy Garlic Prawns dish. It gets simmered together with some cherry tomatoes and fresh prawns, in an irresistibly creamy, garlicky sauce. Serve with some crusty bread or fluffy boiled rice for an easy, flavourful dinner that’s full of goodness. 

The delicate, nutty flavour of asparagus is the perfect partner for flaky white fish like cod. If you’re after something light and low effort for dinner this week, try this Cajun Baked Cod with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes recipe. 

Bang all your ingredients in together, wrap them into a little tin foil parcel and let the oven work its magic. A delicious, slimming-friendly meal in less than half an hour. 

Aubergine

Although it’s technically a fruit, the aubergine is a super versatile ingredient that can be cooked in a wide variety of ways. Roast it, grill it, stew it; anything goes! It’s great for soaking up other flavours and bulking out meals to make them more filling, while still being low in calories. 

We especially love adding it into vegetarian recipes to make them really hearty and satisfying. This Roasted Vegetable Risotto is the perfect example – it’s loaded with so many tender vegetables that you’ll never miss the meat!

Rich and tomatoey, you can throw in some extra aubergine if you’ve got some to use up; it’ll take on all the herby aromas of basil, oregano and thyme. Just remember to use veggie-friendly hard cheese instead of Parmesan if you’re cooking this recipe for vegetarians. 

If you fancy something meatier, how about a slimming-friendly take on a classic Greek recipe? Our Lamb Moussaka uses slices of aubergine between layers of tender lamb chunks in a lightly spiced tomato sauce. 

It’s best to grill the sliced aubergine until brown on each side before adding it into your casserole dish. This helps to remove excess water so your moussaka won’t become too soggy!

Topped with white sauce and cheese, and then baked in the oven until golden, this is proper comfort food. 

Spinach

It’ll come as no surprise that this leafy green veggie is full of goodness (it’s great for your heart, healthy bones and it’s energy-boosting too). You can get spinach in the supermarket all year round, but it’s at its best in the spring. 

The next couple of months are a good time to fill your plate with fresh spinach, wilting it into cooked dishes or tossing it with other leaves to make a lovely salad. How about giving it a cheesy twist and turning it into a creamy, risotto-like side dish? That’s exactly what we’ve done in this Spinach and Parmesan Orzo recipe. 

Ideal for serving with grilled chicken or fish, this dish may taste indulgent, but it’s just 257 calories per serving. In fact, we think it’s so full of flavour, you could skip the accompaniment and serve a bigger portion as a main if you prefer! 

Spinach needs so little time in the pan; throw it in at the end, at the same time as the Parmesan. Stir it around and the heat of the cooked orzo will melt everything together. Finish with a crack of black pepper for cheesy, pasta perfection!

Adding a handful of spinach into your cooking is such an easy way to boost vitamins. The flavour is super mild, even fussy eaters won’t notice it’s hidden in among your other ingredients. 

If you fancy something a little different for dinner tonight, this Dijon Chicken Pie is hearty and homely, and it makes a nice change from your usual cottage pie. 

Along with baby spinach, we’ve added mushrooms into the filling to help you on your way to your 5-a-day. Don’t be put off by the Dijon mustard – the flavour is mild and it pairs so well with the creamy mashed potato topping. You’re in control of how much mustard you put in too, so feel free to add more or less to suit your tastes!

Little Gem Lettuce

One of the earliest lettuce crops to be ready for harvesting, little gem lettuces are a spring and early summer staple. With a crisp, sweet heart, they add a delicious crunch to salads and sandwiches all season long. 

These versatile little greens are so handy to have in the fridge when you’re trying to eat a bit healthier. You can slice and shred them to make a refreshing side salad, or use the leaves whole – we love using a crunchy leaf instead of a higher-calorie tortilla wrap!

Feast your eyes on this Pork Carnitas with Pineapple and Mango Salsa. We’ve served the spicy pork mixture inside little gem leaves for a cooling, refreshing twist. 

This really helps keep the calories down too, so you can enjoy this flavour-fiesta for just 364 calories! The mango salsa is so vibrant – we can’t think of a more summery plate of food. All you need is a Strawberry Daiquiri and some sunshine!

You don’t have to skip the tortilla wrap to enjoy a crunch of fresh lettuce. For these veggie-friendly Sweet Potato and Coconut Tacos, we’ve thrown in some shredded little gem to add some green goodness. 

You’re not going to miss the meat in this recipe one bit. Sweet potatoes, creamy coconut and zingy lime – there’s so much flavour in every bite. Load up your taco with lettuce, tomatoes and pickled onion to really bring out the freshness and add the perfect crunch. 

Cherries and Raspberries

As some of the earliest summer berries to come into season, the supermarket shelves will soon be full of fresh cherries and raspberries. You’ll want to make the most of the harvest while the plump, juicy berries are a bit cheaper. 

Sweet enough to enjoy out of the punnet as a light snack, you can also use them to add into desserts or bake into sweet treats. 

When we make these Black Forest Desserts in the winter, we usually use frozen cherries to help keep the cost down and avoid buying fresh cherries out of season (although we love popping a fresh cherry on the top!). 

While they’re in season, why not use fresh cherries in the bottom of the glass too – just remember to remove the seeds from the middle. Chocolate, cherries and cream; this is what puddings are all about. 

If you’ve got a handful of fresh raspberries going spare, it’s the perfect excuse to make these Chocolate Lava Mug Cakes. Technically, they don’t need the raspberries on top but, trust us, they complement the chocolate perfectly!

These are the easiest puds you’ll ever make – you can even cook them in the microwave. Dig into that melty chocolate centre, make sure you scoop up a fresh berry and enjoy the perfect spoonful of chocolatey, raspberry deliciousness. 

Get started with cooking seasonally

What food do you love to cook in May and June? Head over to our Facebook group to let us know! With almost 1 million members, the group is the place to be for recipe ideas, inspiration and support for your slimming journey.