After months of hibernating and eating lots of comfort food, we’re all ready to enjoy the lighter, brighter offerings of spring. And lucky for us, these seven vegetables are coming into season now. They’re all bursting with color and nutrition! Here’s how to add them to your weekly meals.

Related: Getting through winter calls for a culinary celebration.

One of the most highly anticipated spring veggies, these slender stalks are loaded with flavor and nutrients. One cup of cooked asparagus boasts 4 mg of iron, 4 g of fiber, 391 mg of potassium, 85 micrograms of folate, and 31 mg of choline. All that for less than 40 calories — now that’s what I call a bargain! Folate is a heart-healthy nutrient and is also vital for a healthy pregnancy. And choline, a brain-building nutrient, is something that many of us don’t get enough of.

Asparagus is a wonderful pairing with any type of pasta, plus a healthy protein and good fat for a delicious, Mediterranean-inspired meal. Try this herby Spring Pasta Salad with Shrimp that uses orecchiette, or this gorgeous Pappardelle 'Carbonara' with Asparagus and Herbs recipe.

Spring Pasta Salad with Shrimp by Elizabeth Heiskell

Pappardelle 'Carbonara' with Asparagus and Herbs Recipe by Elena Besser

Crunchy when raw, fennel is also delicious cooked. If you haven’t tried it before, it has a light anise flavor and pairs well with other spring vegetables, herbs, nuts and citrus, as well as seafood. One cup of raw fennel provides 360 mg of potassium and 15 mg of magnesium, two minerals that are great for your ticker.

You can slice the raw fennel bulb and enjoy it as crudité or slice it thinly and sauté it. You can also use the fresh fennel fronds as a garnish. Try fennel in this Roasted Salmon with Green Curry and Fennel, which has a little heat from Thai chile to balance out the richness of the coconut-based curry. Or opt for it raw in this refreshing Fennel, Artichoke, and Grapefruit Salad.

Fennel, Artichoke and Grapefruit Salad by Seamus Mullen

Roasted Salmon with Green Curry and Fennel by Noah Poses

Looking like supersized scallions, with white tips and tough green ends, leeks can be a bit intimidating for the novice cook. You should slice raw leeks lengthwise and wash them thoroughly to remove any dirt that’s trapped between the leaf layers. The prep might seem time-consuming, but the flavor of leeks is worth it — less pungent than onions or garlic, while more flavorful than shallots.

Leeks are also a star in the nutrition department too. They have a surprising amount of calcium (105 mg), as well as the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for eye health. Leeks are perfect for an early spring soup, like Joy Bauer’s Potato-Leek Soup. Or try them in Chef Mark Murphy’s Leeks Vinaigrette, a simple and flavorful side that’s perfect for any spring celebration.

Joy Bauer's Potato-Leek Soup by Joy Bauer

Leeks Vinaigrette by Marc Murphy

Sweet and tender, peas add a pop of green and punch of protein to so many dishes. The green peas that we eat fresh are English peas, versus the field pea, which is dried and added to lots of foods to boost their protein content. At this time of year, you can find English peas in the pod, as well as shelled and ready to cook. Toss them into salads, pasta dishes and egg dishes for a boost of plant protein (9g per cup), fiber and iron.

Peas go especially well with fresh mint, as in this colorful and zesty Spaghetti with Pea Pods and Lemon. And try them in this warm, hearty whole grain Mushroom Pea Farrotto.

Spaghetti with Pea Pods and Lemon by Michael Symon

Mushroom Pea Farrotto by Giada De Laurentiis

Crunchy and spicy, radishes add a pop of color and flavor to anything you add them to. While available year-round, radishes are especially tasty in the spring, including the stunning watermelon variety. Radishes are 95 percent water, so they are incredibly hydrating and great to snack on during warmer days.

Try this simple and refreshing Sugar Snap Pea and Radish Salad, which highlights two spring veggies. Or pair it up with citrus and creamy avocado in this colorful Spring Salad.

Sugar Snap Pea and Radish Salad by Katie Lee

Spring Salad with Avocado, Radish, and Citrus by Casey Barber

These wild, pungent onions are only available from March to July, so get them while you can! While you might be able to find them at the supermarket, you’re more likely to see them at your local farmers market. Look for stalks that are free from slime and discoloration. Because they grow wild instead of being cultivated, there’s very little nutritional data on ramps, but they provide similar benefits to onions, namely disease-fighting flavonoids.

Wash ramps well and trim the roots before cooking or using them raw. Try them in this hearty recipe for Chicken Thighs with Ramps, Peas and Mushrooms or combine them with another spring star in this dish for Scallops with Ramps and Asparagus.

Chicken Thighs with Ramps, Peas and Mushrooms by Michael Symon

Sheet-Pan Chicken with Ramps, Lemon and Smashed Garlic by Yasmin Fahr

A cross between the English pea and the snow pea, sugar snap peas are a delightful spring treat. Their edible pod is crisp and filled with sweet and juicy peas.

Sugar snaps are best enjoyed raw, as in this Sugar Snap Pea Salad. You can also give them a quick grilling for extra flavor like Martha Stewart does in her Salmon Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Eggs and Potatoes.

Martha Stewart's Salmon Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Eggs and Potatoes by Martha Stewart

Whatever you “spring” for, I hope you get your fill of these amazing, fresh flavors before we move on to summer produce.

As we're browsing the swimwear section of our favorite retailers, the beach cover-ups have been catching our attention. From collared shirts and oversize button-downs to crochet options and printed pants, these beach cover-ups are truly flattering and perfect for your summer style. Cover-ups are making the ultimate comeback - shop our top picks ahead.

It took you 30 days of back and forth with your husband-to-be to land on your first dance pick . Now, you need to start the process...

Meet your fitness goals with great-fitting, super-flattering, ultra-motivating workout gear.

Singer Britney Spears just shared a series of totally naked photos on Instagram – and looks unreal as per. Whilst enjoying time on the beach in the nude, Brit..

Our complete guide to the greatest whiskey from around the world, including the best bottles to buy right now.

(Updated with Hutchins’ family lawyer statement) Long in the spotlight for Alec Baldwin’s fatal shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last October, the film’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed is now declaring a degree of vindication after a vital safety report’s release Wednesday. “After OSHA’s very comprehensive safety investigation involving numerous interviews and review of documents, […]

"If I didn’t adopt my husband’s surname, I’d be branded the worst kind of F-word in a conservative community: feminist. So, I begrudgingly complied."

Carmen Electra shared two 50th birthday bikini posts on Instagram, and her abs and butt look so toned. To stay fit, Carmen dances and does at-home workouts.

The singer is bringing her passion for ocean preservation to new heights.

Danielle Bregoli, who became famous for her brief appearance on "Dr. Phil," has parlayed her delinquent-teen image into a lucrative rap career.

Johnny Depp detailed the infamous defecation incident that shocked the world nearly five years ago.

"I don't think you're real," Trump told the man sitting in front of him.

It’s been over a decade since the Obama family became the first family, and life has changed drastically for some of its younger members. Recently […]

She cannot stop posting about it!

The monarch will quietly spend her birthday in Sandringham — a place loved by her late husband Prince Philip

Johnny Depp also testified that Amber Heard and her friends were doing drugs on their wedding day from a "communal bag of MDMA"

Johnny Depp testified that the early years with Amber Heard were "too good to be true" until she appeared to be "a different person."

Actor Johnny Depp took the stand for the second day in his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.

"It was so bizarre and so grotesque that I could only laugh," the actor testified Wednesday

Nearly five years after Blac Chyna filed a lawsuit against the Kardashians, seeking upwards of $100 million in damages, her case is heading to trial. Find out all the new details.