Spring is probably one of my favorite seasons. I understand we are not quite there yet, but here in the south spring has sprung all over the place. Flowers are blooming, green grass is popping up in my backyard, and of course the pollen. This weather puts me in the mood to ditch the hearty soups and casseroles and move toward a more lighter but flavorful flare of cuisine. Spring and especially in March offer up some wonderful bounty. So what’s in season and how we use it. Well here’s a bit of inspiration from my kitchen with love.

What’s in season for March

Here’s how you use some of it:

BREAKFAST: avocado and spring greens ( spinach or kale)

• 1 cup water or non dairy milk
• 1/2 cup medium ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 2 cups spinach or kale
• 2 cups frozen pineapples
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender. In order to get everything blended properly, add the water first.
2. Next the peeled and pitted avocado, spinach and lastly the frozen pineapples. Blend until smooth.
3. Lastly turn off the blender and add in your sweetener if desired. You can alway adjust the sweetener if you feel the need for more.

LUNCH: avocado, spring greens and sweet peas

Green Salad with Avocado and a Poached Egg

1 head seasonal lettuce greens, broken into bite sizes by hand I used butter lettuce

1 head Kalera Krunch lettuce

1 cup sweet peas, frozen and thawed

1 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions

8 medium, basil leaves, gently torn

Micro multi colored greens to garnish (optional)

Dressing:

Orange Vinaigrette 

Ingredient:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon-style prepared mustard

2 teaspoons honey

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Pinch of salt

Directions:

In a small jar with a tight-fitting cover, combine the orange juice, vinegar, mustard, honey and pepper. Cover and shake well until combined. To store, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Shake well before serving.

If you want to add the poached egg, no one teaches it better than Martha Stewart. https://www.marthastewart.com/340956/easy-poached-eggs

I also seasoned my egg with za’ atar a Middle Eastern spice mixture. The inspiration is to give a little love to each ingredient. I also peeled the avocado and seasoned it with za’ atar and a few red chili flakes.

DINNER: sweet peas, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts

My Spring Chef’s Veggie Bowl

Just go wild with this. I took each vegetable and just played with spices.

The red cabbage I sautéed in olive oil with sea salt and cracked black pepper with a tablespoon of balsamic glaze.

The carrots also sautéed in olive oil with za’ atar, fennel and a bit of honey.

The Brussel Sprouts sautéed in olive oil and bit of honey, balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes.

The cauliflower also sautéed in olive oil and curry powder.

Allow yourself to get creative and give these spring vegetables a bit of love with spices, sauces or as I did with the sweet peas, just enjoy their raw deliciousness.