Greens and Grains Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

With Easter just around the corner and the official day of spring on the horizon, my mind has been on all things fresh, green and vibrant. And, since I am hosting our family dinner this Easter, I've been contemplating the menu. We pretty much always serve a baked ham with traditional side dishes - sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, etc. But, coming up with unique vegetable side dishes seems like a challenge most years. With all of the heavier, carb-laden dishes being served, I always like to offer a dish or two that's a little lighter and has some fresh elements. This salad totally fits the bill and will look stunning on the holiday table.

What I love most about this salad is the contrast between the roasted asparagus and the fresh, crisp raw vegetables. I, also, super love the texture and chewiness of the cooked grains scattered throughout the salad. And, the simple vinaigrette is such a great compliment to all of the elements in the salad.

NOTES:

Use whatever grains you desire. {I utilized a small bag of a barley, rice, wholegrain oats, wheat berries and spelt blend.} Quinoa would work great. Barley or all wheat berries would be good.

I used baby spinach as the base of the salad, but any style of lettuce or mixed greens can be used.

Frozen peas {that have been thawed} can be substituted in place of the sugar snap peas if desired. And, any other green vegetable{s} of your choice can be incorporated into the salad as desired.

Grilled Asparagus with Maple Walnuts and Savory Yogurt

Lightly grilled asparagus comes together with a super simple Greek yogurt sauce and some quickly-glazed maple walnuts for an incredibly easy and healthful side dish. This is a recipe that takes mere minutes to prepare, but is one that truly celebrates the freshness and beauty of asparagus - especially during the spring.

I have been testing a good deal of asparagus recipes over the past week or so. I made a farro salad with chopped grilled asparagus and tomatoes. I tried a Parmesan-crusted baked asparagus recipe, but still can't quite manage to keep the crust to stay fully on the asparagus. {I may keep working on that one because it was very tasty.}

After testing this particular recipe for this post, I came to the conclusion, however, that I really prefer keeping things pretty simple and uncomplicated when it comes to asparagus. This recipe really highlights asparagus. Just a few other ingredients amp up the dish. Greek yogurt is mixed with lemon juice, salt, pepper, honey and a little za'atar {a Middle Eastern Spice Blend}, then drizzled on top of the grilled asparagus. Maple walnuts top it all off for come crunch and sweetness. It's a beautiful, quick side dish that I'm sure asparagus lovers are sure to savor and enjoy.

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Yields 2 - 3 servings.

Tips for Storing and Grilling Asparagus

It's asparagus season! And, if you've ever grilled a big bunch of asparagus on an outdoor grill, you know that it can be difficult to keep the stalks from falling through the grates. I've got a simple solution that will solve that exact problem. This post isn't necessarily a recipe, but rather a post about my technique for grilling asparagus and how I store fresh asparagus once I bring it home.

Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan & Garlic Aioli Dip

If you're an asparagus lover, this is a must-try recipe! And, if you've been tentative about asparagus in the past, this just may be the recipe that will convert you into an asparagus lover.

Grilling asparagus brings out its sweetness and depth of flavor. The stalks cook up crisp-tender and are simply amazing paired with this creamy dip enhanced with the flavors of Parmesan cheese, garlic and lemon.

(P.S. This dip is, also, amazing with fresh veggies or served for dipping with oven-roasted fries.)

Rustic Quiche with Ham, Asparagus and Cheese

Quiche is one of those things I love making when I want to use up some leftover ingredients that I have on hand in the fridge. Also, it's something pretty simple to throw together since I usually keep pie crust in the freezer or fridge. Sometimes I have store-bought or sometimes I have some discs of homemade. The filling possibilities are pretty endless with quiche - spinach, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, asparagus, ham, bacon or sausage. For this go-round, I used ham, green onions and asparagus. And, of course, there's cheese in there - lots of cheese!

And, truth be told ... I hate messing with crimping or fancying up the edges of pie crusts. So I just cut off the excess, leave it as-is and label the recipe rustic. (Sounds legit to me!)

Yields 8 slices.