In the age of online takeout and same-day shipping, we're used to getting what we want when we want it. But our love of instant gratification doesn't always serve us well when it comes to the food we eat. We end up buying sad-looking tomatoes that traveled thousands of miles in the middle of winter, too-ripe grapes that wither on the vine in spring, and small, flavorless Brussels sprouts in summer.

Shopping seasonally means your food tastes better and is fresher (because it didn't have to travel by truck across several countries to see you). Buying in-season produce cuts down on transportation -- and, thus, fuel consumption -- so it's also more environmentally sound. And did we mention the cost? No more $4.99-per-pound tomatoes. In-season food is much cheaper, since the cost of production is low and there is an abundant supply.

Ready to rearrange your grocery list? We've put together 12 recipes, organized by month, so you can get the most flavor, nutrition, beauty benefits and value out of your food.

Warm quinoa and grapefruit salad

Find the energy to follow through on your New Year's resolutions with this high-fiber, high-protein salad.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 packed cups baby spinach leaves, washed and spun dry
1/2 red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 grapefruits
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup dry-roasted sunflower seeds
6 tablespoons feta, crumbled
1/3 cup golden raisins

Directions:
Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add quinoa and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove pan from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine spinach and red onion in a large bowl. Slice top and bottom off each grapefruit so you can see pulp. Stand grapefruit upright and, with a paring knife, slice off rind from top to bottom, removing all white pith. Hold one peeled grapefruit over a bowl and remove sections by slicing next to membranes toward center. Let any juice collect in the bowl and set grapefruit sections aside. Repeat with second fruit. Remove about two-thirds of the sections from third fruit and squeeze remainder over bowl; strain out any pulp or seeds.

Combine two tablespoons grapefruit juice with canola oil and vinegar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; add one pinch salt, screw on lid and shake vigorously until emulsified. Pour about three-quarters dressing over spinach mixture, season with pepper and toss well. Divide spinach mixture among four plates, top each with one quarter quinoa and grapefruit sections, and toss gently. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, feta and golden raisins. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve immediately.

Source: Shape

Photo via: Indulgy

Asparagus, goat cheese and lemon pasta

Asparagus, said to be a powerful aphrodisiac, is at the height of its ripeness in February. For the added zest of fresh citrus, look for Meyer lemons -- they're in season from November to April.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
1 5-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Directions:
Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water until it is almost tender, or about three minutes shy of what the package suggests. Add asparagus and cook until firm-tender, about two to three minutes. Drain pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon peel, tarragon and cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you add it. Add hot pasta and asparagus to bowl along with a couple splashes of the pasta water. Toss until smoothly combined, adding more pasta water if needed. Season generously with salt and pepper, and lemon juice if you feel it needs a little extra kick.

Source: Smitten Kitchen

Smoky carrot hummus

Revitalize your hair from the inside out with this hummus recipe. It relies heavily on carrots, a winter root vegetable rich in beta-carotene, which helps the body produce keratin, a building block of healthy hair.

Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, rinsed
3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop carrots into large chunks. Toss in two teaspoons olive oil and lightly salt. Roast for about 30 minutes, until carrots are fork-tender. Set aside until cool enough to work with.

Using a blender or food processor, add the garbanzo beans, two tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds, garlic, all spices and salt.

Once the carrots have cooled, add them to the blender or food processor. Pulse or blend until combined. Have the olive oil on hand if you need to add more because the consistency is too thick.

Garnish with paprika or fresh parsley. Serve with crackers, bread or tortilla chips or spread on a sandwich.

Source: The Year in Food

Blackened salmon with mango-avocado salsa

Your nails can be the best possible canvas for sassy spring colors by eating lots of protein, like this tasty salmon dish. April marks the beginning of mango season, so top your plate with a mango-and-avocado salsa -- it's so good, you won't even think about how healthy it is.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds wild salmon fillets, boneless and skin on
3 teaspoons melted grass-fed butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Mango-avocado salsa
1 ripe mango, seeded, peeled and diced
1 large avocado, seeded and diced
1/4 cup diced grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Slice the salmon evenly into four to six smaller fillets. Combine the butter and all the spices in a bowl. Rub all over both sides of the salmon. Leave at room temperature while the grill heats.

Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients in a bowl and store in the refrigerator while the fish cooks.

Sear the salmon, skinless side down. Close the grill lid. Cook one to three minutes on the first side, depending on how thick the fillets are. (Try not to move them until you are going to flip them over to help keep them in one piece.)

Using tongs in one hand and a metal spatula in the other hand, carefully turn the fish over, so that the skin side is down, and reduce the heat to medium. For charcoal grills, finish cooking over indirect heat farthest from the coals. Close the grill lid and finish cooking for another five minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Salmon should be just barely opaque and will start to flake along the center of the fillet when done. Serve hot with the mango-avocado salsa spooned over it.

Source: Against All Grain