12 Recipes To Get You In The Mood For Spring

Bring on the peas. It's hard not to start cooking lighter, brighter flavored meals with spring favorites, like fresh fava beans, crunchy asparagus, and the chef-favorite ramps abundantly displayed at your local markets.

For the 12 Recipes to Get You in the Mood for Spring slideshow.

Now that winter has finished freezing us out, (mostly) hearty, warming meals don't have quite the same appeal. Replace those heavy dishes with bright, crunchy salad greens, like peppery arugula or watercress. Add intrigue to vegetables with simple sauces, like gribiche or hollandaise at breakfast or brunch.

For dinner, fire up the grill for smoky flavor that compliments the pungent, mild garlic flavor of foraged ramps. Finally, enjoy the sweet mango, which is at its peak flavor during the spring months.

For more ways to get in the mood for spring cooking, check out these 12 dishes using only the best produce available this spring, from sweet green peas to tart rhubarb.

Angela Carlos is the Cook Editor at The Daily Meal. Find her on Twitter and tweet @angelaccarlos.