Early Summer Bounty

Whipped up, pulled together lunch for a friend, from scraps and farmers' market veggies in the fridge.

Roasted asparagus with freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Roasted golden beets with blue cheese crumbles, toasted walnuts and red onion
Celery, date, almond salad with fresh mint and Parmesan cheese
Fresh pea hummus (the tastiest healthiest yum of the moment)
Watermelon, feta and Kalamata olive salad with fresh chives and parsley

To roast asparagus or beets, drizzle them lightly with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place on a lined cookie sheet or toaster oven tray and roast at 450º until soft: asparagus 12-15 minutes depending on thickness of spears, beets 1 hr or more depending on size of the beets.

Fresh pea hummus recipe published last year at this time: basically a bit of onion and garlic sauteed in olive oil, add 1-2 cups freshly shelled peas and enough water or broth or pea water (boil the pods in water for 10 minutes) and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes or until peas are just soft. Drain any excess liquid still in the pot. Add a tbsp goat cheese, salt and pepper, chopped fresh mint and either 1 tbsp tahini sauce or 1/4 c cooked white beans.  Puree in the pot with an immersion blender or put in a processor and whiz.  Super over the top yummy served on fresh baguette with a smear of mascarpone.

Celery date salad posted earlier too.

Been very busy teaching seven year old kids to cook.  Plan to post more helpful material  in another day or two.