The arrival of spring is a time for celebration! The diverse cultural groups of the Mediterranean region celebrate the awakening of nature, the start of a new agricultural cycle, and the religious observances related to rebirth and renewal in their own ways with their own culinary traditions.

In some traditional Christian communities of the Mediterranean region, the Lenten period preceding Easter means refraining from eating meat. Vegetarian dishes prepared with grains, vegetables, and oil appear on family tables throughout the six-week period. Some traditional Mediterranean Lenten dishes include okra or green beans in oil, stuffed eggplant, stuffed grape leaves, and falafel.

The appearance of chard in Mediterranean markets at this time of year makes this leafy green a popular ingredient for springtime recipes. The leaves are used for stuffing, in soups, and in stews, while the stems are cleaned, boiled, cut into small cubes, and prepared with tahini sauce.  

This spring try making some vegetarian meals for your family using ingredients that are seasonal and local to your area:

• Try fiddleheads and parsnips in the Northeast.
• Experiment with asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower down South.
• Look for asparagus, morels, and rhubarb in the Midwest.
• Pick up fava beans, fiddleheads, and rhubarb in the Pacific Northwest.
• Enjoy avocados, artichokes, garlic scapes, and spring onions out West.
• Cook with asparagus, garlic, and pea greens in the Southwest.

Eggs play an important role in many springtime celebrations traditionally observed in the Mediterranean, including Easter, the Persian holiday Nowruz, and Passover. Eggs appear both as decorative elements and as traditional, symbolic foods at this time of year.

Eggs match well with the creaminess of avocados, another wonderfully delicious and nutritious Mediterranean ingredient that is delightfully versatile for spring events and parties. Avocado season has begun in California and will continue through the fall.

Try these tips for serving avocados during your spring celebration:

• Fold avocado into eggs, omelets, and other popular brunch dishes. Add them to vegetable, fruit, and whole-grain salads.
• The best way to tell if an avocado is ready for use is to gently squeeze it in the palm of your hand. Ripe, ready-to-eat fruit will be firm, yet will yield to gentle pressure.
• Nick and peel a ripe avocado to be sure you include the nutrient-rich dark green portion just under the skin.