At the start of spring, Mother Nature gives us a taste of things to come. She has a mind of her own like every female. She loves to tease—a warm summer day, a day of cold rain. You can’t count on anything from the garden. You have to work with what nature gives you. I always make sure I have plans A, B, C, and D if I am entertaining in the spring. If I plan a lunch outside, it is sure to storm, thunder, and lightning. I love having people for lunch in the spring. The days are still short, but the light is so bright. Even if it pours, I love to see the new green outside.
Spring is the start of everything, the beginning of nature’s bounty. I love to put a meal together to celebrate having food from the garden to cook with again. It’s exciting to use what spring has to offer to make a light and colorful lunch.
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Sparkling Iced Cranberry Green Tea
Michael’s Chilled Asparagus Soup
Quinoa Salad with Mint and Parsley with Lemon Dressing
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
All-Purpose Piecrust
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES
Green tea is an antioxidant and cranberry juice is a cleanser. Combine the two, and you have a delicious, refreshing drink with benefits.
 |
cup agave |
|
cup water |
| 4 | organic green tea bags |
| 2 | cups boiling water |
| ½ | cup chilled unsweetened cranberry juice |
| 3 | cups chilled seltzer water |
1. Combine agave and cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
2. Steep 4 organic green tea bags in 2 cups boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove bags and let tea cool. You can put it in the refrigerator to cool more quickly.
3. Combine cranberry juice, tea, and agave mixture and divide among four ice-filled glasses.
4. Top each glass with chilled seltzer.
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
I am crazy about my chef friend Michael Guerrieri’s chilled asparagus soup and persuaded him to share his recipe.
| Olive oil | |
| 2 | medium-size leeks, cut into 1-inch pieces (including the green tops) |
| 3 | bunches asparagus, hard white bottoms cut off and tips reserved |
| 3 | potatoes, peeled and cubed |
| Sea salt and pepper | |
| About 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary | |
| About 10 basil leaves |
1. In a medium-size saucepan, add a splash of olive oil and cook the leeks on very low heat until soft, about 5 minutes; do not brown.
2. Add the asparagus stems (not the tips) and potatoes.
3. Cover with water, about 4 fingers above the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
4. Puree the soup in a food processor or hand blender to a silky consistency.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with a bit of rosemary, add a touch of olive oil, and top each with a raw asparagus tip and basil leaves.
7. Save the remaining delicious asparagus tips for a salad or side dish.
SERVES 2
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
This salad is not too heavy and not too light. Mint and parsley are abundant in the spring and transform this dish into a lovely spring green. This basic salad is good with everything.
| 2 | cups mint leaves, coarsely chopped |
| 2 | cups flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped |
| 1 | cup cooked quinoa (from about ¾ cup dry) |
| 2 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
| 2 | tablespoons lemon juice |
| 1 | teaspoon pepper |
| 1 | teaspoon fleur de sel |
1. Toss together mint, parsley, and quinoa in a bowl.
2. Put oil, lemon juice, pepper, and fleur de sel in a covered jar and shake to mix.
3. Toss dressing with quinoa mixture.
SERVES 8
ACTIVE TIME: 45 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES
This pie is beautiful, all reds and raspberry tones. The orange juice brings out the tartness of the rhubarb. If you are in a hurry, you can skip the latticework and do a simple top crust.
| 2 | pounds rhubarb, cut into ¾-inch-thick pieces |
| 1 | pound strawberries, hulled and |
| coarsely chopped | |
| 1 | cup cane sugar |
| ¼ | cup cornstarch |
| ¼ | teaspoon finely grated orange peel plus 2 tablespoons orange juice |
| ¼ | teaspoon sea salt |
| 3 | tablespoons Earth Balance “butter” |
1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Make the filling: Mix together rhubarb, strawberries, vegan cane sugar, cornstarch, zest, juice, and salt.
3. Make the crust: See All-Purpose Piecrust recipe on page 86.
4. Roll out 1 ball of piecrust to an 
-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
5. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate.
6. Refrigerate while making top crust.
7. Roll out remaining ball of piecrust dough to an -inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
8. Cut into at least fifteen ½-inch wide strips using a fluted pastry cutter.
9. Place rhubarb strawberry mixture in chilled piecrust
10. Scatter pieces of Earth Balance “butter” over filling.
11. Weave lattice over top of pie.
12. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until crust is golden brown.
MAKES 2 CRUSTS
TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES
This is the basic piecrust I use for everything. It is easy and foolproof. You can even make it in a food processor. This crust is so light and flaky you would never know that it’s not made with butter.
| 4½ | cups whole wheat pastry flour |
| 1½ | teaspoons salt |
| 1¼ | cups Earth Balance “butter,” chilled and cut into small pieces |
| 8 | to 9 tablespoons cold water |
1. In a medium bowl, lightly stir together flour and salt with a fork
2. In a food processor, add cut pieces of Earth Balance “butter” to flour and salt and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add cold water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition until pastry just holds together.
4. Shape pastry into a ball with your hands. If it’s a hot day, you may have to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or so.
5. For a two crust pie, divide pastry into 2 pieces, one slightly larger, and then gently shape each piece into a ball.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger ball into an -inch-thick circle, 2 inches larger all around than the pie plate, with a lightly floured rolling pin. If it is hard to roll out, put the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and roll over the wrap.
7. Roll half of the circle of dough onto the rolling pin, transfer the flat pastry to one edge of the pie plate, and unroll the rest of the dough onto the plate.
8. Gently press dough into bottom and side of plate.
9. Add pie filling.
10. For top crust, roll out the smaller ball as you did for bottom crust.
11. With a sharp knife, cut a few slashes or a design in the center of the top crust.
12. Roll dough onto rolling pin, center dough over filling and bottom crust, and unroll crust as above.
13. With scissors or a sharp knife, trim the pastry edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang all around the pie plate rim.
14. Fold overhang under; pinch a high edge.
15. Bake as recipe directs.
If you want to eat more fruit and vegetables, you should know what is in season. You will find what is locally available at farmers’ markets. Smart supermarkets are now stocking locally grown produce, too.
Fruits and vegetables are in season at different times in different regions. The list that follows will give you an idea of what spring produce is available from all over the country.
Artichokes 
Asparagus Baby lettuces Belgian endive Broccoli Chives Collard greens Fava beans Fennel Fiddleheads Fresh herbs Green Onions Morel mushrooms Mustard greens New potatoes Okra Peas Radicchio Ramps Red radishes Snow peas Spinach Swiss chard Watercress
Blackberries Pineapples Rhubarb Strawberries
This is a go-to list of fruits and vegetables that are always in season.
Apples Avocados Bananas Cabbage Carrots Celery Cherry tomatoes Coconut Lemons Mushrooms Olives Onions Parsnips Potatoes
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Sparkling Iced Cranberry Green Tea. Tulips in old polo cups. Red Velvet Cake.
