Foothill Palo Verde pods are ripe to pick. The beans inside taste like fresh peas from the garden. Our littlest visitor, normally a picky eater we're told, kept reaching for the pods and asking for "Moh, moh!" They can be served raw like edamame pods you split open. Or you can blanch them (boil for 90 seconds, then put into ice water), then put in the freezer in bags to be heated up or roasted later.

The pods are turning brown on some of the Palo Verde trees but they can still be picked and soaked in water in the fridge for several days. Then take them out of the fridge and you'll see the beans have swelled in size and softened. They come easily out of the pod now. Fry or roast for a couple minutes for a roasted peanut-type taste. This is our State Tree and few people seem to realize they're loaded with hundreds and hundreds of pods.

I can't wait for the Ironwood Tree pods to be ripe in July. They taste like pistachios!

Kelly Athena for the Ahwatukee Community Garden