One of the great things about spring is that produce is fresher. The fresher the produce, the better the flavor! Spring is a great time to experiment with new flavors and surprise your tastebuds. The best news is that the majority of produce freshest in spring is in the “usually bladder friendly” or “foods worth trying” category of the IC Food List.
If you are trying a new food, proceed with caution. Go for a smaller amount at first and consider taking a couple of Prelief tablets before eating to help counter the acid.
Hit up a local farmers market this spring and look for fruit at its’ ripest. The riper the fruit, the lower the acid levels. Enjoy!
Apricots (foods worth trying)
Coming in season in May, apricots stay in season through the summer. The sweet and sticky fruit can be good eaten raw as a snack or has lots of yummy options for cooking with it.
- Apricot fruit leather
- Apricot cobbler
- Grilled apricot salad (This recipe includes a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds, which are in the “foods worth trying” category. You can omit them or try them with some caution.)
- Apricot-filled cookies
Artichokes (usually bladder friendly)
Artichokes are often used in dips, but the veggie can stand on its own and can be found in season in March through May.
- Fried artichokes (The dip with this recipe calls for aioli or mayonnaise; both would be in the “foods worth trying list.” If you aren’t comfortable with it, consider trying a pureed cottage cheese instead.[1])
- Roasted asparagus, artichoke and fontina pizza (If you aren’t sure about fontina cheese or don’t have it, you can substitute mozzarella cheese for a similar flavor.)
- Steamed artichokes
Asparagus (usually bladder friendly)
Asparagus is one of the first vegetables of spring and offers a variety of options from grilling it to putting it in all sorts of yummy dishes.
- Herbed chicken with asparagus
- Asparagus feta frittata (This recipe calls for onions, which are in the “foods worth trying” category. Oftentimes cooked onions are less acidic and more tolerable. However, if your bladder can’t tolerate them or you don’t want to risk it, omit the onion.)
- Cream of asparagus soup
- Oven roasted asparagus (This recipe uses lemon zest, which is a good option to get citrus flavor without the acid.[2])
Carrots (usually bladder friendly)
Even though they are around in summer and fall, carrots are still a great spring vegetable option and are fresh this time of year. While raw carrots can be great for snacking on with an IC friendly vegetable dip or for adding into a salad, there are some delicious recipes full of carrot flavor as well.
- Carrot bran muffins
- Glazed carrots
- Peas with lettuce and carrots (This recipe calls for onions, which are in the “foods worth trying” category. Oftentimes cooked onions are less acidic and more tolerable. However, if your bladder can’t tolerate them or you don’t want to risk it, omit the onion.)
- Carrot cake blondies
- Carrot cake pancakes (This recipe calls for walnuts, which are in the “foods worth trying” category. You can omit them if you don’t tolerate them well or don’t want to risk it.)
Cherries (foods worth trying)
While cherries seem like a summer fruit, their harvest usually begins in late spring. Whether you’re snacking on them fresh or using them in a recipe, an easy hack for pitting fresh cherries is using a clean metal paper clip. Shape it like an “S” and then put one end into the cherry on top where the stem is. Twist the paperclip and then you should be able to take the pit right out.(3)
- Fresh cherry cobbler (One bonus of cooking with fresh cherries instead using canned cherry pie filling is that you completely control what goes into the recipe.)
- Cherry cheese blintzes
- Fresh cherry blondies (This recipe calls for 3/4 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can omit them or substitute white chocolate chips if chocolate bothers your bladder.)
- Cherry cake doughnut with buttercream icing (The icing recipe calls for pink peppercorn as desired; omitting pepper is often a good idea for IC bladders.)
Fava beans (foods worth trying)
You may also have heard these called broad beans. Whatever you call them, fava beans come into season in May and have a buttery, nutty taste. After you shell the beans you can steam, boil, mash or grill the beans or eat them raw.(4) If you aren’t familiar with fava beans and their preparation, start with this article about how to cook, soak and peel fava beans.
- Herbed fava beans with pasta (This recipe includes scallions, which are also in the “foods with trying” category; however, the scallions are cooked which helps with their acidity a bit. It’s also topped with some pepper, which is easily omitted if that is a problematic ingredient for you.)
- Fresh fava bean and Parmesan salad (You can skip the pepper in this recipe and replace the lemon juice with lemon zest to make it more IC friendly.)
- Sautéed fava beans
- Fava bean fennel salad with Parmesan (You can omit the scallions and black pepper if needed and replace the lemon juice with lemon zest to make this recipe more IC friendly.)
Greens and herbs (usually bladder friendly)
A variety of greens and herbs can be found fresh in spring including arugula, pea shoots, chives, parsley and dill. Greens can be used beyond salads, and herbs can take a starring role in a dish rather than a last-minute addition.
- Orecchiette with spring greens (Skip the optional red pepper flakes and go easy on or skip the black pepper to make this recipe more IC friendly.)
- A variety of IC friendly spring greens ideas
- Pasta primavera with spring herbs (Skip the black pepper if needed to make this recipe easier on IC bladders.)
- IC friendly salad dressings can dress up yummy spring-time salads filled with fresh greens.
Leeks (usually bladder friendly when cooked; foods worth trying when raw)
Leeks look like large scallions or green onions and can work well in hearty recipes and lighter recipes. When they’re cooked, they are usually bladder friendly. Raw leeks fall into the “foods worth trying” category.
- Potato leek soup
- Buttered leeks
- Creamy leek and pancetta pappardelle pasta
- Caramelized leek and bacon pizza (Turkey bacon and uncured bacon are easiest for IC bladders.)
- Cauliflower-leek puree
Peas (usually bladder friendly)
Take a break from frozen or canned peas in the spring and enjoy them while they are fresh. You can eat peas by themselves or as part of other dishes. Either way, you’re getting some delicious, healthy benefits!
- Seared cod with peas, pancetta and wilted lettuce (Skip the black pepper to make this dish more IC friendly.)
- Crostini with ricotta and peas
- English pea pesto pasta with ham (Skip the optional walnuts and black pepper for a more IC friendly dish.)
- Quick braised fresh carrots and sugar snap peas
- Ice box salad (As long as you handle yogurt well, this dish is pretty IC friendly. You can easily skip the black pepper and green onions if either or both are problematic for you.)
- Pea dip with raw vegetables (While this recipe calls for frozen peas that are thawed, you could easily replace them with fresh peas this spring.)
Radishes (usually bladder friendly)
Crisp, crunchy radishes are also spring produce that is usually bladder friendly. With a slight peppery taste and bright color, they can add flare to your food.
- Simple roasted radishes
- Sautéed radishes
- Bucatini with French breakfast radishes, bacon and greens
- Roasted radish and herbed ricotta omelet
Rhubarb (usually bladder friendly)
Rhubarb is freshest in springtime and can be used for so much more than a rhubarb pie. Try it out in other recipes as well!
- Rhubarb breakfast cake (This recipe has 1 teaspoon of lemon juice dispersed throughout.)
- Strawberry rhubarb crisp (Strawberries are in the “foods worth trying” category. This recipe also calls for 1/2 cup of pecans in the topping; pecans are also in the “foods worth trying” category.)
- Rhubarb muffins (If buttermilk cooked in recipes bothers your bladder, switch it out for white milk.)
- Strawberry rhubarb upside-down cake (Strawberries are in the “foods worth trying” category.)
- Rhubarb custard bars
Scallions (foods worth trying)
Also called green onions, scallions are a light onion that add flavor to dishes. While scallions work well as topping for things like soup, they can also hold their own in recipes that feature them. They are in the “foods worth trying” category, so keep that in mind as you start working with them in your dishes.
- IC friendly Zucchini and scallion pizza
- Tortilla roll ups
- Scallion pancakes
- Ham and green onion biscuits
- Two- ingredient skillet scallions
Spinach (usually bladder friendly)
As a great source of iron and magnesium, spinach is good for you and especially good in spring.(4) It’s a versatile ingredient that can be added into lots of dishes (and drinks like smoothies) as well as stand on its own.
- Creamy spinach pasta
- Easy sautéed spinach
- Creamed spinach baked eggs
- Spinach artichoke grilled cheese (Skip the black and crushed red peppers to make this more IC friendly. Consider substituting the 2 tablespoons of mayo with yogurt and pureed cottage cheese as well.)
- Garden risotto (Follow the directions for replacing the white wine with additional chicken broth to keep this recipe IC friendly.)
Strawberries (foods worth trying)
While you can pretty much find strawberries all year long at the grocery store these days, they are their sweetest (and best) in the springtime. It’s a great time to pick some up to try raw as a snack or in some recipes — or both!
- Fresh strawberry muffins
- Fresh strawberry glazed cheesecakes (no bake)
- Healthy strawberry oatmeal bars (This recipe has 1 tablespoon of lemon juice dispersed throughout.)
- Strawberry sauce (topping) (This recipe also has 1 tablespoon of lemon juice dispersed throughout.)
- Fresh strawberry cake
References:
- WikiHow Staff. How to Substitute for Mayo. WikiHow. Sept. 12, 2019.
- Beyer J. Enjoying the Zing of Citrus Without the Sting. Simply Delicious. April 28, 2013.
- Buiano M. How to Pit Cherries Easily. July 20, 2020.
- Menyes C, et. al. What’s in Season in Spring: Asparagus, Spinach, Peas and More. The Daily Meal. March 18, 2021.