cooking with the seasons

+ spring veg recipes from the garden

The asparagus salad to convert an asparagus hater (recipe below, don’t worry!)

Living with my parents means I get to enjoy the absolutely amazing fresh produce that comes out of our garden every year and find new ways to cook with it. Spring/early summer is my favourite time when it comes to the produce and I have been having some fun in the kitchen being creative (and of course eating!) Although the winters in Canada are not particularly easy to eat seasonally and a lot of our produce is coming from across the world, the spring, summer, and fall provide us with so much nourishment. I am by no means strict on only eating what’s in season, but from a nutritional standpoint, the most nutrient-dense and flavourful foods will be the ones that are growing in our area. Over the course of the summer, as produce continues to gift us, I will be sharing with you some recipes and sharing some of the meals I have created for inspiration. Being in the kitchen is one of my greatest joys, especially since I have loosened the reins and allowed myself so much more freedom in my diet. It is no longer a space of restriction, but rather a space of creativity and abundance, thank goodness for that.

Currently, the lettuces, asparagus, garlic scapes, and rhubard are coming in hot and rather than just making a plain old olive oil and vinegar salad with the greens (still delicious) and chopping up the scapes and leaving them in our fridge for months whilst we forget about them, I decided they deserved a little more spotlight and justice. Ps, I am sending this on a Friday to encourage you to go to the farmers market this weekend and pick up some produce and enjoy the season while it’s here. Here’s how I have been enjoying them…

Boston lettuce salad w/ dijon vinaigrette

This salad is by no means revolutionary or complex, it’s just one of those salads we have nearly every night at the dinner table because sometimes (most times) simple is best…

Ingredients:

• 1 head of boston/green leaf lettuce

• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced

• Vinaigrette (makes enough for a few salads): 1 cup parts olive oil, 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 1-2 grated garlic cloves, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Process:

• Whisk up the dressing or add to a mason jar and shake well

• Chop up the greens and the onions, add to the bowl, and toss with the desired amount of dressing (the right answer is a lot, lol)

Almost raw asparagus salad w/ parm and toasted hazelnuts

I made this on a whim last weekend as a side dish for dinner and it ended up being a fan favourite, so naturally I had to share. It may or may not convert an asparagus hater, just sayin’

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 bunch of asparagus

• 1 shallot

• 1/2 packed cup of basil, parsley, and mint (or just one of them if that’s all you can find,) chopped finely

• 1/4 cup hazelnuts

• Dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp champagne vinegar or white balsamic, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tbsp grated parmesan or pecorino, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes to taste

Process:

• Start off by making your carmelized shallot by heating up 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and sauteeing on low/medium heat until nice and jammy and slightly browned. Add a splash of broth or wine to stop them from sticking as needed. Then, transfer to the bowl

• Wipe down the pan and add your hazelnuts over medium heat. Stir frequently and toast them for a few minutes until they have a bit of colour. Transfer to a bowl to cool and once cool, chop them up roughly. These will be used later

• In a small bowl, it’s time to make the dressing. Add all of the ingredients and whisk until well incorporated

• Chop up the asparagus into inch long pieces, cutting some lengthwise if they are too thick. We want them all to be as even as possible. Add oil to a pan over medium heat, along with the asparagus and a pinch of salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes just to give them a slight cook and flavour boost

• Transfer the asparagus to a bowl with the shallots, herbs (save a little to top it with), and dressing. Once fully incorporated, transfer to a serving dish if desired and top with the crushed hazelnuts, more herbs, and some of the chopped herbs. Enjoy!

Garlic scape pesto

Personally, this is my favourite way to enjoy scapes. If you’ve never had them, they are the edible flower stalks that grow from the garlic plants and they are harvested in order to support the growth of the garlic but they happen to taste amazinggg. I like to make a big batch of pesto and cook my eggs in it, add it to pasta, or marinate chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped garlic scapes

• 1/3 cup raw or roasted/salted pistachios

• 1/3 cup grated parmesan or pecorino

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• Zest of half a lemon

• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more if needed

• Salt and pepper to taste

Process:

• Trim the garlic scapes just below the bulb and save that part for broth! The rest can be used in the pesto

• Add all ingredients to a food processer and blend until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and broken down. It wont be smooth, as long as it’s spreadable

• Serve in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can also add them to ice cube trays and store in the freezer for future use (hello flavour boost!)

Pickled garlic scapes

Pickling veggies is the easiest way to preserve them when you buy (or grow) too much, and they are the perfect additions to meals. Not to mention, very much supportive of digestion and feeding the good gut bugs in our bellies!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped garlic scapes (1/2-1 inch pieces)

• 1 cup white or apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup water

• 1 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or cane sugar

• 1-2 tsp pickling spice

• 1 tbsp sea salt

Process:

• Begin by steralizing a 500ml mason jar by soaking in boiling hot water for 5-10 minutes then letting air dry

• Place the chopped scapes along with the pickling spice into the clean jar

• Add the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring so everything is dissolved

• Cover the scapes completely leaving a little bit of room at the top of the jar. Loosely afix the lids and let cool to room temperature

• Store in the fridge and refrigerate for 2 weeks before consuming for the best results

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  Baked Strawberry and Rhubarb:

  Strawberry and rhubarb is the best spring/early summer combination and you can’t convince be otherwise, because they really don’t need much in order to taste so dang good

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped rhubarb

• 2 cups chopped Ontario strawberries

• 2 tbsp maple syrup or cane sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

Process:

• Preheat oven to 400

• Add all of your ingredients to a bowl and incorporate well. Add them to an 8 x 8 glass baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until nice and soft

• Add to yogurt bowls, ice cream, or as a base for a crisp!

Okay, that’s all for today. Happy cooking my friends! Remember, the kitchen doesn’t need to be daunting or time-consuming or overly complicated. It can be fun and creative. Follow the recipes exactly or put your own spin on them, you’re the one eating it, after all!

With love,

Bella xx