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Spring is here, time for health and beauty to begin again. This soup is creamy, yet no dairy products are involved. Basic Pantry ingredients create this healthy every-day soup.
Now that asparagus is in season I love to grab bunches at the farmer’s market. This easy soup is on my healthy-bowls list, quick and nourishing. The soup comes together quickly with some basic kitchen items.
No. 634 Fresh Asparagus soup from the Membership Collection.
Happy Easter everyone.
A simple preparation for the sweet queen of the season, Heirloom Tomatoes. Yellow Oxheart tomatoes are served in all their beauty. Recipe No. 601 from the Membership Collection.
The farmers markets in the Central Coast of Cali are bursting with the first picks of the season. Since I am in the midst of the agriculture here fruit and vegetables abound. This year the tomatoes were early, after a wet spring, surprising most of us gardeners.
It’s lovely to visit the Farmers markets near Santa Barbara, you will find so many varieties. A friend brought me a bag of Yellow Oxheart tomatoes along with some small yellow cherry tomatoes. The Oxheart dates back to 1915 from Virginia.
Tomatoes are the one fruit that does not need much adornment. Their sweetness is a perfect complement to the salty nature of the Manchego cheese along with the brightness of parsley.
Savor Heirloom Yellow Oxheart Tomato Salad simple and new in the Membership Collection.
Spring in the garden heralded by my first artichokes. Inspired, a new recipe for the Collection Membership a crispy Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette. Join and as a member access all 600 recipes.
As we all know this Spring weather has been a bit wonky everywhere, hard to plan a garden this year. I have held off on planting my lettuce and herbs, the fog has made it dismal here on the CA Coast. However, my tried & true artichokes mananged to squeek out a few artichokes.
The dreary weather has kept me indoors but I happened on a delighful recipe from Joy’s Once Upon a Thyme featured in Diner’s Driveins and Dives. Joy created a crispy artichoke panini served with the best dressing. They are located in beautiful lush Chehalis Washington.
Her salad dressing is so much in demand that they sell bottles of it at the restaurant, really. While I do not have her exact recipe, I have come pretty closed by tinkering with the ingredients. The episode on DDD does tell more about the basil dressing, which she says people want to drink, it’s that good. Photo from website.
Enjoy this crispy Artichoke Pesto Panini with Basil Vinaigrette. Cheers.
Bring on Spring! Bring on the Pixies! They are almost ripe, just a matter of weeks. Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad is a great way to begin the Pixie season, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.
These tangerines are synonymous with Ojai, a lovely town nestled in the foothills just inland from the central coast. Pixie tangerines are a famous crop of the region, with many citrus groves in the area. Pixie’s are sweet and a very special citrus to herald in the Spring season. I am so lucky, my neighbor has a very abundant tree that I gather from each year.
The town of Ojai has a special place in my heart. As a kid, we used to drive from the valley over the interior road to the town. I always loved the Spanish Mission architecture of the town, reminding me of the valley I was raised in. Charming shops and restaurants line the main street and Bonnie Lu’s is a part of the food culture.
One of the cafe recipes I was attracted to was this salad with a No Oil Citrus Sesame Dressing & Butter Leaf Lettuce Salad via Edible Ventura County. Pixie tangerine is a part of both the salad and the dressing. The salad also contains asparagus spears, tomato and shallots.
Breakfast is also served at the cafe, they close at 2 pm so plan an early trip.
Raw salads are high on my list of favorite salads. Here’s my take on a raw asparagus salad that makes the most of Spring.
Chopped salads are a classic in the culinary world. Think of the all-time classic the La Scala Chopped Salad. I used to swing by the La Scala Boutique, and grab the famous chopped salad after visiting the design center. Almost any salad can become a chopped salad. I frequently chop my salads for ease of eating. I loved the Raw Asparagus Salad with Breadcrumbs, Walnuts, and Mint from Joseph McFadden, A New Way with Vegetables. Beautiful. Every chef sees different things in every recipe. I saw a chance to turn this into a chopped salad, call me crazy. This salad is anchored by the very small and thin slices of raw asparagus. Toasted walnuts and bread crumbs add some crunch along with fresh mint leaves.
Lemon is the key addition to the salad, as both fresh juice and preserved lemon paste. When combined in the salad along with the olive oil, a bright somewhat acidic dressing is created. It adds the punch to the salad to counter the bread crumbs and walnuts. Start small when adding the lemon paste, it can be quite strong for some. I like to make my own Preserved Lemon Spread using some of my on hand preserved lemons always in the fridge. (see recipe)
Every chance I get I add another Spring salad to the Collection. Current favorites are Farmer’s Market Sunny Salad, Victory Garden Salad, Yoga Pants Salad, On-Hand Panzanella and my Market Basket Summer Salad for just a few. Please enjoy these and of course the Raw Asparagus, Walnut, Lemon & Romano Cheese Salad No. 544 from the Membership Collection.
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