Monday: Asparagus and Mushroom Salad
Cut one pound of asparagus into half-inch pieces. Cut about a half pound of cremini mushrooms into quarters, and dice 2 shallots. Toss the asparagus, mushrooms, and shallots together on a sheet pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast at 450 for 10 minutes. Toss with salad greens and add crumbled goat cheese or shaved pecorino. Serve with your favorite vinaigrette (I like to whisk together 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of honey, 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil, plus salt and pepper). Add grilled chicken, steak, or hard-boiled eggs for a more filling meal.
Tuesday: Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Radish Salad from Martha Stewart
Radishes get my vote for prettiest vegetable. I like the spicy crunch they add to salads, but particularly love them as a garnish on Mexican dishes, like in these quick chicken tacos. I’ll serve beans and rice on the side.
Wednesday: Daeji Bulgogi from Serious Eats
The best way to eat Bibb lettuce is as a wrapper for spicy Korean-style pork. This recipe from Serious Eats is on my best-ever list. The flavor is sweet and spicy and completely addicting. The only substitution I make is rice vinegar for the mirin. If you’re serving more people, you don’t need to double the marinade – just add another pork tenderloin. I like to serve this with cucumber salad. To make it, very thinly slice an English cucumber and half a red onion (it’s best to use a food processor or mandolin). In a medium bowl, whisk together ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup white vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the cucumber and onion and toss to combine.
Thursday: Potato and Spring Onion Soup from Saveur
This simple but satisfying soup has just five ingredients, plus salt and pepper. I like to serve this with a simple green salad—try tossing arugula with olive oil and lemon juice and adding a little shaved parmesan—and good bread.
Friday: Pasta with Peas and Ham
One of my weeknight favorites! Although this quick dish can be made year-round, the pink-and-green color combination and light, fresh flavors scream spring. The whole thing requires very little prep, few ingredients (most of which you probably have on hand), and—best of all—only one pot. Keep reading to get the recipe.
Dessert: Rhubarb Parfait
Cut ¾ pound of rhubarb into 1-inch pieces and toss with ¾ cup sugar. Put in a baking dish, cover with foil, and roast at 375 for 15 minutes. Remove foil and roast 5 more minutes. Let it cool and then layer the rhubarb in a glass with vanilla ice cream and toasted almonds or granola. Yum!
Get the recipe for Pasta with Peas and Ham
Ingredients
1 pound short pasta (I like radiatore or orecchiette)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Zest and juice of one lemon
16 oz package frozen peas
6 oz deli ham, thinly sliced or cubed (I like Trader Joe’s rosemary ham)
½ cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper
Chopped chives, optional
Directions
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of hot pasta water.
After draining the pasta, return the pot to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter to the pot and let the butter melt. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 minute, until just softened. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, peas, and a few splashes of pasta water. Cook for 2 minutes, until peas are warm but still very bright green. Add the ham, pasta, and cheese, and stir until well combined, adding splashes of pasta water to create a creamier texture.
Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives. Serve with additional cheese.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Here's the printable version.
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