Asparagus with Poached Eggs

Spring has finally sprung! Spring is that wonderful time of year when all those yummy vegetables that have been hibernating finally make their appearances again, and what a long wait it has been this year. Celebrate the season with this simple dish of asparagus and poached eggs.

Ingredients
1 lb asparagus
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
pepper
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
poached eggs
(Note: When we poach eggs, we like to use Julia Child's instructions in Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle olive oil, sea salt, and pepper over the stalks and roast for 10-15 minutes, depending on the diameter of the stalks. When done, remove from oven and sprinkle with grated cheese. Place poached egg on top of each serving.

Egg-in-a-Basket with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

The classic Egg-in-a-Basket - a buttered and toasted piece of bread with a fried egg in the middle - is one of my tried and true, quick and delicious breakfasts. When poked, the egg oozes out its yellow, gooey goodness all over the bread, making for a fun little feast. Lemon garlic aioli gives some zest to this classic breakfast dish.

Ingredients
Lemon-Garlic Aioli:
3/8 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced parsley
pinch freshly ground black pepper

Egg in a Basket:
eggs
sliced bread
margarine or butter
kosher salt and pepper

Instructions
Mix aioli ingredients together in a small bowl.  Spread margarine on both sides of a slice of bread. Cut out circular hole in the middle of the bread just bigger than than size of an egg yolk. In greased frying pan, lightly brown one side of the buttered bread. Toss in the cut out circle of bread as well. Flip bread over, break an egg into the hole, and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Cook for about 1 minute, or until bottom is brown, then flip over and allow the other side to cook for about 15-20 seconds. It can help to gently push down the bread into the pan with the back of your spatula. Take out and flip upside down onto plate. Serve with lemon garlic aioli.

Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Asparagus & Avocado Recipe

Ah, Spring! We are enjoying a warm spell right now and the fresh produce reflects the change of seasons with earthy root vegetables giving way to tender bright greens. I am so happy to have sunshine and bright green asparagus to eat! I recently discovered how delicious asparagus is when served raw, in salads. The trick is to shave it thinly with the sharpest vegetable peeler you have, then dress it with oil, lemon and salt so it wilts, just slightly. Asparagus is like the poster child for Spring.



I had eaten quinoa, but never tried cooking it until just recently when I received some samples of it--red, white and black--from Roland Food. Reading about quinoa I discovered while it has the texture of grain, it's actually a fruit. It's also gluten-free. It is very bitter unless thoroughly soaked and rinsed. Fortunately quinoa from Roland Food is already soaked saving me the bother.


Quinoa comes from the Andes, a staple in Peru, Chile and Bolivia where it has been cultivated since at least 3,000 BCE. It is high in protein, calcium and iron and the white variety has a sweet flavor. Most importantly, it has all the nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein. I tried toasting the quinoa, but I like the milder sweeter flavor for this recipe. It has a fluffier almost creamy texture that works well with the strong flavor of the leafy arugula. I really like the addition of dill, but you could easily leave it out or use parsley if you prefer. You could also use a slightly different mix of vegetables.

Note: If you don't plan on serving this salad right away, reserve the arugula and toss it in the salad right before serving.

Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Asparagus and Avocadomakes 2-4 servings

Ingredients

1/2  cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
5 asparagus spears, shaved thin (use a vegetable peeler)
1 handful fresh baby arugula, roughly chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2  Tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

In a medium saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 12- 15 minutes or until liquid is completely absorbed. Meanwhile In a mixing bowl, make the dressing by whisking together lemon juice and oil. Add avocado, green onion and arugula to the dressing.

Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl and allow to cool. Add quinoa to dressing and vegetable mixture; toss with fresh dill and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.
Enjoy!

Here are just a few interesting quinoa recipes from fellow bloggers:

Stuffed Cabbage with Quinoa & Roasted Sweet Potatoes from Karina's Kitchen
Quinoa Pudding with Macerated Strawberries & Pistachios from Cannelle & Vanille
Quinoa Salad with Tomato, Feta and Parsley from The Perfect Pantry
Quinoa with Roasted Radishes & Pearl Onions from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Warm & Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa from 101 Cookbooks
Quinoa Pilaf from Simply Recipes