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Strawberries

Strawberries are one of the yummiest produce in season for April, since they can taste like literal candy when ripe. They're just a classic when it comes to spring fruits!

What to make:

• Strawberry Smoothies
• Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
• Chilled Strawberry Soup
  
• Strawberry Pancakes
  
• Strawberry Basil Margaritas
  
• Strawberry Chia Cookies

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a stalk vegetable that blooms beautifully in spring. It's commonly used in pies, but you could also make some boozy cocktails with rhubarb! Here are a few ideas to get you started.

What to make:

• Rhubarb Pie
• Strawberry Rhubarb Bellinis

Mango

Mango is oh-so tropical, lending a blissful vacation vibe to any recipe. From drinks to snacks, you can count on mango to be super juicy this season. Try one of our recipes!

What to make:

• Mango Curry Shrimp
• Jicama Mango Salsa
• Mango Sorbet
  
• Mango Peach Frosé

Kiwi

Kiwis pack a nutritious punch, supplying more than twice your recommended daily amount of vitamin C. We adore that they're an immune-boosting fruit and can taste like candy when eaten at peak ripeness!

What to make:

• Kiwi-Pineapple Smoothies
• Strawberry-Kiwi Adult Capri Sun Drinks
• Kiwi Chia Seed Pudding

Pineapple

We could honestly eat an entire pineapple by ourselves. It's that yummy! Pineapple is equally yummy in savory dishes as it is in sweet ones, and we have plenty of recipe ideas to explore with this produce in season.

What to make:

• Pineapple Margaritas
• Pineapple Al Pastor Tacos
  
• Candied Pineapple
  
• Piña Colada Cake
  
• Salmon Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

Beets

Beets are famous for being rich in antioxidants, which is helpful especially if you're trying to eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Try one of these recipe ideas for a nutritious boost!

What to make:

• Beet Salads
• Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes
  
• Beet Hummus

Citrus

Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, limes, and lemons thrive this time of year! Use 'em to make juice, mix 'em into sauces and dips, or make them the star of your recipes and cocktails!

What to make:

• Chocolate Orange Truffles
• Citrus Sangria
  
• Lemon Drop Martinis
  
• Brûléed Grapefruit Tart
  
• Lemon Loaf
  
• Instant Pot Orange Chicken
  
• Blood Orange Cocktails
  
• Lemon Chicken Skewers

Avocado

Avocado can be used in recipes way beyond your regular avocado toast. Take advantage of this produce in season this April by making spreads, dips, sauces, and more with this green fruit!

What to make:

• Avocado Pasta
• Vegan Avocado Red Velvet Brownies
  
• Guacamole
  
• Stuffed Avocados
  
• Mint Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream

Broccoli

Good ol' broc is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, and you don't have to eat it plain if you don't want to! Broccoli makes an excellent side dish for pastas and casseroles, plus it gets pretty yum when you roast it in the oven.

What to make:

• Easy Roasted Broccoli
• Steamed Sea Bass with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Summer Squash

Carrots

Carrots, whether you eat them crunchy or cooked down, are the perfect spring veggie. You may know carrots for being able to benefit your vision, but they also can lower cholesterol levels and even help prevent cancer! Sneaking carrots into soups or salads is an easy way to make use of the seasonal veg.

What to make:

• Carrot Hot Dogs
• Carrot Cake
  
• Finger Food Appetizers with Carrot Marmelade

Spinach

We all loathed spinach as kids, but it's gained some real appeal since we've grown up! Spinach is another easy produce in season that you can sneak into recipes like smoothies and pasta sauces. We can't forget a classic spinach dip, either!

What to make:

• Spinach Dip
• Jalapeño Spinach Queso
  
• Green Pasta
  
• Salads
  
• Spinach Mushroom Gnocchi Casserole

Artichokes

Fresh artichokes are a blast to cook with if you've never tried it! They'll be super fresh and tasty when you pick them up from your local market. If you're wondering what to do with this piece of produce, we've got a few ideas...

What to make:

• Spinach-Artichoke Dip
• Stuffed Artichokes
• Steamed Artichokes with Garlic Butter
• Spinach Artichoke Muffins
  
• Spring Vegetables Napoltiana

Peas

Peas are such an underrated vegetable, in our opinion. They're great when eaten alone, but they also help bulk up soups, pastas, and more. You could even make a delish risotto with some peas!

What to make:

• Sweet Pea + Asparagus Soup
• Blender Pea Soup

Radishes

Radishes aren't particularly tasty on their own, but they make excellent garnishes for salads, sandwiches, and even tacos. They pack a healthy punch with vitamin C and calcium!

What to make:

• Tilapia Tacos
  
• Salad Cake
• Radish Salad

1. Artichokes

Artichokes are a unique addition to savory appetizer and dinner recipes. They offer a pleasant texture that you can't find in other produce. Preparing artichokes takes special skill, so if you're looking to challenge yourself in the kitchen this spring, give the green veggie a try.

What To Make: Roasted Lemon Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Chopped artichokes become unbelievably tender in this baked dip. Each bite is zesty and creamy, so come prepared with toast to devour it with. (via Half Baked Harvest)

2. Arugula

We've long thought of arugula as spinach's bitter sister, but the leafy green is actually very versatile in flavor and texture. It comes in many different varieties so you can play around with which one works best for your palette.

What To Make: Strawberry Arugula Salad

This recipe sweetens arugula up with a berry good pairing. The fresh ingredients in this dish will definitely elevate all those springtime feelings. (via Feel Good Foodie)

3. Asparagus

Long gone are the days of thinking asparagus is a gross vegetable — it's got flavor for days. These stalks taste delicious roasted, but there are a handful of ways you can prep them from tossing them in salads, pastas, pizzas, and more!

What To Make: Asparagus Pizza

Surprise! Pizza can be healthy! Lay out this pie using a homemade dough for the best results, but if you have to go the store-bought route, the fresh and seasonal toppings will balance out the dough. (via Most Hungry)

4. Avocados

There's nothing better than a perfectly ripe avocado – they smooth out your meal's texture while supplementing it with healthy fats and vitamins. Guacamole, salads, and deliciously-topped toasts are definitely our favorite things to make with fresh avocados.

What To Make: Healthy Avocado Toast

Once you go avo toast, you never go back — breakfasts just won't be the same. You can play around with your toasty additions to form the best morning bite, topping it with eggs, deli meats, or even just a sprinkle of Everything But The Bagel seasoning. (via Live Eat Learn)

5. Beets

Earthy beets are so good when cooked the right way. If you're looking for new techniques to try with this radical root, we have a couple tips! Boiling or steaming beets eliminates their undesired crunchy texture, and marinating them immerses each piece in flavor. Give it a try!

What To Make: Beet Pasta

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You can get in some hidden nutrition with this beet pasta sauce. This vegan recipe doesn't skimp on the creaminess of a regular pasta sauce, plus the eye-catching color makes it a total joy to eat!

6. Berries

Did you hear? Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries are back in. Though we admit we're definitely stuffing them in our mouths year-round, they taste the absolute best in springtime. Use these sweet seasonal bites to top pancakes or waffles, add to yogurt bowls, blend for a smoothie, or just pop a few in your mouth for a midday snack!

What To Make: Caribbean Passion Smoothie

Flavors of mango, passionfruit, peaches, and strawberry infuse this thick springtime smoothie. This recipe is a great way to incorporate healthy foods into your day, even when that sweet tooth calls. (via Culinary Hill)

7. Broccoli

Your parents were right – you will grow up to love broccoli. Broccoli comes back into season this month, so you've got the perfect excuse to make something to compliment its crunchy earthiness.

What To Make: Green Goddess Vegan Broccoli Soup

Assemble this electric green soup for an extreme boost of healthy foods! Broccoli teams up with kale to deliver your new favorite spring soup. (via The Girl On Bloor)

8. Cabbage

Cabbage is super versatile, adding soft or crunchy textures depending on how it's cooked. If you're not into raw cabbage in all its uncooked glory, boiling this vegetable makes all the difference on the both the texture and taste fronts.

What To Make: Grilled Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa

A bright cabbage slaw decorates these flavorful grilled chicken tacos for added crunch! If tacos aren't your vibe this season, you can still use it to sprinkle on top of salads or sandwiches for the same effect. (via Barley & Sage)

9. Carrots

We immediately associate the words 'springtime' and 'carrots' with one of our fave desserts: carrot cake. We know this crunchy veg gets up to more than sweets, though. Carrots are also an excellent ingredient for more savory soups, salads, and even sandwiches. (Hello, bánh mì!)

What To Make: Carrot Cake Banana Bread

Transform the beloved carrot cake into a tasty breakfast creation! This recipe takes the cake and forms your fave dessert into a loaf of bread, so you can divvy up some slices to enjoy at the start of each day. What? Carrots are healthy! 😉 (via The Endless Meal)

10. Garlic

Garlic is a basic building block for just about any culinary venture. Fresh garlic comes into season around the springtime, and luckily there are so many ways to use it!

What To Make: Tomato Confit

Spend time with this tomato and garlic confit recipe to make a spread with deep flavors that you can put on veggies, toast, or even eat by the spoonful — we won't judge! You can control the flavors based on the amount you spread, and we say...more is more! (via Brit + Co.)

11. Grapefruit

We can chow down on a grapefruit alone, but it's a fun fruit to experiment with how you can incorporate it into springtime cooking. Aside from all of the dishes you can make with grapefruit (fruit salad, smoothies, glazes), it totally shines in cocktails and mocktails, too.

What To Make: Skinny Grapefruit Margarita

Welcome warm weather with a sweet sip like this grapefruit marg! Prep a big batch for any springtime functions, or enjoy one by one during the work week. (via Olive You Whole)

12. Kale

Kale kickstarts tons of cooking project ideas: kale salads, kale chips, dips, and more. It can be really tasty when the right prep is done. Be sure to take the time to wash and massage your kale leaves so you can really bring out its flavor.

What To Make: Broccoli Kale Salad with Blueberries and Coconut

Having a fresh bowl chockfull of seasonal produce like this feeds you with a plethora of nutrients. This salad packs in kale, broccoli, coconut, and blueberries for a well-rounded springtime lunch or dinner, giving you sweet and savory bites all in one! (via The Endless Meal)

13. Limes

We know limes as the #1 cocktail garnish, but they're also a standout ingredient in dips and dressings! They decorate any snack, meal, drink, or dessert with tartness and juicy textures!

What To Make: Key Lime Pie From Scratch

Life's no fun if you can't have a little a key lime pie involved from time to time. The best lime pies incorporate a crumbly graham cracker crust that balances with the zesty lime and creamy consistency. (via Barley & Sage)

14. Mushrooms

Mushrooms always bring forth that good umami flavor note in a dish. They're super versatile in how they taste, and their texture can be modified using different cooking methods like searing, baking, or boiling.

What To Make: Ricotta Mushroom Toast

Pile on the fungi with this toast recipe that's sure to fill you up for lunch or breakfast. The caramelized mushrooms blend with a vegan ricotta spread, forming a truly unbelievable bite. (via Munching With Mariyah)

15. Oranges

Citrus really starts to shine during the spring season. Oranges are one citrus in particular that we love, because they're always fresh and communicate a complex flavor depending on how you use them. We love tossing them in a marinade, a smoothie, or even snacking on slices alone.

What To Make: Immunity Boost Juice

Beat the spring sniffles with this homemade immunity shot! Oranges, lemon, carrot, honey, ginger, and turmeric get blended together so you have a natural immune boost to shoot down this season. (via Two Spoons)

16. Radishes

Radishes are like a distant cousin to potatoes, with a little bit of a harder bite. Like potatoes, they can be cooked in a myriad of manners, but they offer a wildly different taste.

What To Make: Bold Vegan Borscht

Borscht is a popular soup-like dish in central Europe. It leverages beets, among many other veggies and spices that make it a healthy, hearty option for spring. It's the ideal balance between sweet and savory, so you can enjoy unique flavors for lunch or dinner. (via Gastroplant)

17. Rhubarb

This springtime stalk stands out for its sourness, which is often paired with sweet berries in recipes. This vegetable enters the seasonal produce rotation in late March, and lasts through June each year.

What To Make: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

No strawberry pie is complete without a little rhubarb to even things out. This pie explodes in sugary flavors to satisfy the end of your meals this spring. (via Culinary Hill)

18. Spinach

Aside from its countless benefits, spinach looks and tastes wonderful. We don't recommend settling for eating spinach on its own, though — there are so many recipes you can use this seasonal leafy green in.

What To Make: Creamy Garlic Chicken with Spinach

This hearty meal makes use of wilted spinach to compliment the creamy garlic sauce that covers grilled chicken in flavor. Plus, it's packed with tons of good vitamins! (via The Endless Meal)

Here's How Often You Should Cut Your Hair, According To Professionals

I’ll admit it — it had been eight months since my last haircut. My hair had lost its shape, my layers were nowhere to be found, and my ends were begging for mercy. Life got busy over the last few months and I was neglecting my haircare like never before.

My hairdresser could immediately see that I was beyond due for a cut and said I needed to get more taken off than I was hoping. I was definitely disappointed — I'd been working on growing out my hair for a while now, and it just felt like my hard work had completely gone to waste. He explained that getting consistent haircuts is the key to growing out healthy and strong hair, rather than letting it grow and grow until it eventually breaks. So let's dig into the top three things you can do to avoid this scenario!

1. Just Get The Dang Haircut

Also avoiding a haircut like I was? You might want to schedule one at your nearest salon. Like my stylist said, when you wait too long between trims like I did, you risk your hair becoming heavy, dull, and lifeless. When the hair is dry or even dead, it’s nearly impossible for it to hold a curl or style, essentially collapsing on you and taking on more and more heat damage all the while. I know the pain of spending time on a blowout only for it to fall minutes later — it’s the worst.

According to Jack, getting a haircut every 10-12 weeks is the best time frame or your ends will pay the price. Between blow-drying, curling, straightening, sun, and weather, our ends get dry and start to break without the proper care. Getting consistent haircuts allows hair to bounce back, shine, and perform the way we want in a healthy way.

2. Leave-In Conditioners Are Your Friend

His top piece of advice to keep your hair looking and feeling hydrated between trims? Invest in conditioning treatments. Jack swears by the Olaplex conditioning system, specifically the No 3 Hair Perfector. Made with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™, this conditioning treatment repairs and prevents damage in as little as three minutes. No 3 promises to reduce breakage and visibly strengthen hair, so it’s the perfect assistance to keep ends fresh between cuts. Another conditioning treatments I’ve used and loved for years is the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, which is designed to restore moisture, elasticity, and shine to dry hair.

3. Switch Up Your Shampoos

Switching shampoos frequently is a pretty hot tip that I honestly hadn't thought of. Our hair gets used to the same products and grows tired of them, resulting in lackluster locks. Jack’s advice is to switch brands after finishing every bottle of shampoo to bring life back to your hair. Have two brands that you’re loyal to? Even switching back and forth between them after every bottle should make a big difference in your hair. I’m a huge fan of the R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo, which makes my hair look thick and full, as well as the Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo, which is so hydrating and gives so much shine.

In the end, navigating your back-and-forth relationship with haircuts often feels like a rollercoaster ride between wanting that fresh look and cringing at the receipt. Luckily, by using conditioning treatments and switching up your products,, you can keep your locks healthy, shiny, and full of life between trims. But take a newly learned lesson out of my book: don't let your ends pay the price for procrastination and just book the haircut.