With each season come fruits and vegetables so distinctly themselves that we can't help but use them in as many dishes as we can, for as many meals as we can, before the season fades into the next. In the summer, it's tomatoes and raspberries. In the fall, it's mushrooms and apples. In the winter, it's beets and citrus. And in the spring, it's strawberries -- and peas.

Each part of the pea plant -- the tiny peas themselves, their shoots, even their pods (which can be simmered to make a broth) -- tastes of the sweet, sunny days of spring. Here are 7 ways to use them, before spring becomes summer.

• See more asparagus recipes to take advantage of spring's bounty.

• Check out our Spring Greenmarket Feast.

• Got a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!

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By Hilary Meyer, Associate Food Editor, EatingWell Magazine

Macaroni salad is one of those dishes that you just have to have at a Memorial Day gathering. The ingredients are cheap, it's easy to make (and make a lot of) and has a wonderfully creamy texture and mild flavor that everyone loves.

But if you think your typical macaroni salad is harmless, think again. Right when you're about to squeeze back into that bikini, good old macaroni salad will make that task a little more difficult. A typical 1-cup serving packs 370 calories and 22 grams of fat. Yikes.

Don't Miss: Pasta Salad vs. Potato Salad. Which Is Healthier?

Before you throw that salad into the swimming pool, know that you can enjoy that same 1-cup serving with nearly half the calories and more than half the fat. Here's how to make your macaroni salad healthier:

Tip 1) Use Whole-Wheat Pasta
Although using whole-wheat pasta doesn't make much of a difference calorically, it does add fiber. Fiber

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Cut your food bill with these dollar-stretching suppers - loaded with peak-season produce, they cost pennies per person.

Veggie TartQuick Summery Veggie Tart

Refrigerated ready-to-unroll piecrust is the shortcut secret to this savory tart (pictured). Slathered with basil cream cheese, it's filled with squash, peppers, and zucchini.

Beer Brat Skewers with Spicy Slaw

Bite-size bratwurst slices alternate with veggies in this kebab version of the Sheboygan, WI, classic, which is basted in a beer - brown sugar sauce.

Southwestern Tortilla Pizzas

Layer budget-smart black beans, cut-from-the-cob corn, and Cheddar cheese to create these oven-roasted open-faced tacos. Top with red cabbage and cilantro for color and a crispy crunch.

Related: 10 Vegetarian Summer Meals

Pizza TossRustic Pasta Toss with Tuna & Tomatoes

This pasta salad (pictured) is loaded with farm-stand squash and zucchini - and two pounds of tomatoes. Just combine the raw veggies with canned tuna and campanelle pasta for

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Why are dessert bars so great?
Because you can layer several different flavors and textures, from peanut butter mousse to chocolate glazes to cheesecake to cookie crust, all in one bite.
Here's five dessert bars recipes to get you runnin' to the kitchen.

Bee Sting Bars Recipe:

Yield: One 8×8 pan

Shortbread Ingredients:
12 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
8.5 oz flour (1.75 cups)

Almond Topping Ingredients:
6 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp amaretto liqueur
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.25 cups sliced almonds

Directions:
Cream together the butter and sugar for 1 minute on medium speed. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and mix for another 30 seconds. Add the flour and mix until it disappears, and the dough looks crumbly. Press the dough out into an 8x8 pan, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all almond syrup Read More »

Mini peanut butter cupsThese meals are not only adorable (seriously, everything looks better in a mason jar), but they're the perfect portion. Share them with a friend, take them on a picnic, or just eat them all yourself.

1. Mini Peanut Butter Cups:
280 calories, 22.5 grams sugar, 14.8 grams fat, 31.5 grams carbohydrates, 8.3 grams protein

These vegan peanut butter cups owe their silky smooth texture to a secret healthy ingredient: organic tofu! Blended with peanut butter, the tofu adds creamy thickness without any extra calories or fat.

Ingredients:
For the crust:
Heaping 1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. graham cracker crumbs (10 squares)
1 1/2 tbsp. pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
1 tbsp. coconut oil (or Earth Balance)
2 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder

For the filling:
200 g. soft/silken organic tofu, roughly chopped
1/4 c. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. Sucanat or brown sugar, processed into powder (or 3-5 tbsp. icing sugar)
1 tbsp. almond milk
1 tsp. pure

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Fish tail Real Simple asked Tim Fitzgerald, a marine scientist for the Oceans program of the nonprofit organization Environmental Defense, to list the healthiest picks for you―and for the environment. You can download and cut out a foldable pocket-size guide.

* Because this fish is high in mercury or other contaminants, those who are pregnant, nursing, of child-bearing age, or feeding young children should avoid it entirely.

Twice a Week:

• Catfish, U.S.
• Caviar, U.S. farmed
• Char, Arctic; farmed
• Clams, farmed
• Crab, Dungeness and stone
• Herring, Atlantic
• Mackerel, Atlantic
• Mussels, farmed
• Salmon, wild Alaskan
• Scallops, bay; farmed
• Shrimp, U.S. farmed
• Striped bass, farmed
• Sturgeon, farmed
• Tilapia, U.S.
• Trout, rainbow; farmed

Once a Week:

• Halibut, Pacific
• Sablefish (a.k.a. black cod), Alaska or Canada
• Tuna, albacore (a.k.a. white); canned or fresh; U.S. or Canada*

Once a Month:

• Basa or tra (a.k.a.

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Chicken and Bean Burritos

Try also using this filling for tacos, quesadillas, or nachos. Adults can spike it with jalapeños.

See More: 100 Easy Chicken Recipes

Chicken and Bean Burritos

Ingredients

3/4 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup prechopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup lower-sodium canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 ounce preshredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1/4 cup)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup pico de gallo
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

See More: Superfast Kid-Friendly Recipes

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; toss well.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken mixture; cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Add beans

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The 7 Most Versatile Food Staples Under $3We have all kinds of grocery stores around my neighborhood. I could shop at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or a large chain grocery store. Wherever I shop, there are a few staples that are always healthy and always inexpensive. At under $3 per item, these 7 staples make a great foundation for many healthy, budget-friendly family meals.





Edamame 1. Edamame
I recently discovered edamame. A 12-ounce bag, shelled or in the pods, costs $2.50. I use it as a pre-dinner snack, but it can also be used for all kinds of healthy snacks and side dishes!
Make edamame hummus










Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup edamame, shelled, cooked and cooled
2 tablespoons water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons tahnini or sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt to taste

Directions:

In a food processor, pulse the first six ingredients together until very well blended. Keep pulsing the food processor and drizzle in the olive oil, until the consistency of the dip is soft but not

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