Asparagus with white bean dip & feta

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. I love the taste, but it also signals the start of spring and warm weather. The name even originates from the Greek word ‘asparagos’, meaning ‘to spring up’!

Asparagus is typically in season for around 8 weeks, from the end of April until the summer solstice on June 21, but the season varies a bit according to the weather. The first crop after planting can take up to 3 years, which is one reason why asparagus tends to be a little more expensive.

It’s a great veggie to add to your diet if your budget allows as asparagus is rich in minerals and vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid and is also high in fiber to keep your microbes happy. Asparagus acts as a prebiotic, feeding good bacteria in the gut. A higher fibre diet (UK Government recommends 30g per day) has been linked to weight loss (increased satiety, regular bowel movements, blood sugar regulation), reduced blood pressure, and improvement in menopausal symptoms (hot flushes, mood swings, and anxiety).

Asparagus is a good source of antioxidants like Vitamin A and Vitamin E, glutathione, and quercetin. Antioxidants may protect against cell damage by free radicals, which are highly reactive and unstable molecules produced by normal metabolic processes in the body, as well as external sources such as poor diet, smoking, alcohol, and pollution. These molecules can cause oxidative stress and inflammation, which have been linked to aging, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and cancer. Antioxidants and polyphenols in asparagus may have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, helping to prevent chronic disease.

This dish is a great starter or side dish, but it’s also really nice for lunch with toasted sourdough.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3 for lunch with sourdough or 4 as a starter

• 230-250g asparagus (depending on bunch size)

• 20-30g pine nuts

• 100g / ½ tin cannellini beans

• ½ garlic clove, grated finely 

• Handful of parsley

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• A good pinch of sea salt

• 50-80g feta (depending how much you like)

Method

• Heat a griddle pan, or frying pan if you dont have one (you just wont get the lines). 

• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and mix together. 

• Cook one side of the asparagus for about 6 mins, push the spears down with a spatula to help the black griddle marks form. Turn and repeat. 

• Remove and set to one side on a plate. 

• Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until golden - dont take your eye off them or they’re burn!!

• Next blitz the beans, parsley (reserve a few leaves for serving), garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in a small mixer until it forms a smooth paste. 

• Spoon the dip onto a serving plate, place the asparagus on top then crumble over the feta, adding the pine nuts on top along with the reserved parsley leaves.  

• Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and sea salt to serve. 

Tip

• If you are vegan, just leave off the feta and add a few more pine nuts as this dish is also lovely without the cheese.

• Pine nuts can be switched for toasted hazelnuts, almonds or sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Coconut & lime quinoa

This makes a great alternative to rice in tacos or with my Vegan Protein Chilli. It’s super simple and full of nutrients as quinoa is protein rich (making up 15% of the grain), B vitamins, magnesium and iron. I’ve used tri-coloured quinoa here, but you could use any single colour if you prefer.

Ingredients, serves 4 as a side

• 200g quinoa

• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

• 1/2 lime, zest and juice

• 3/4 tsp sea salt

Method

• Start by rinsing the quinoa throughly to get rid of all the husky bits and also the bitter earthly flavour that you get if you just cook it straight from the packet.

• I put the quinoa in a pan and cover with lukewarm water, swizzle with my hand, allow to settle and drain as much water off as I can without pouring the quinoa down the drain. I find this easier than passing through a sieve. Repeat a further 3 times until the water runs clear and there are hardly any bits in the water.

• Keep the wet quinoa in the pan and don’t worry about draining all the water off, there will be some left. Add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, the coconut milk - use a little water to rinse out the tin and pour in as well.

• Simmer for 25 minutes.

• Add 1/4 tsp sea salt, lime zest & juice

Coconut quinoa with vegan chilli, coconut yoghurt, avocado & homemade tortilla chips

Shown here with vegan bean chilli, avocado, coconut yoghurt & homemade tortilla chips.

Lemon, chill & garlic courgettes

How good is seasonal veg? It's the courgette's turn to be ready for picking at the moment and these beauties from my friend's allotment tasted amazing. I griddled them and made a simple dressing as they really don't need many additions when they're this good. Below is a very straightforward recipe that you can either eat as a side dish, or add to pasta to make a main.

Ingredients

• 4 large courgettes, cut in half and slice reasonably thinly

• Juice of 2 lemons

• 1 small ish clove garlic

• 1 fresh red chilli or 1/2-1 tsp dried depending on how you like your heat levels

• seasoning

Method

• Brush one side of each courgette with olive oil and season.

• Get the griddle very hot.

• Place the courgettes on rows along the pan and sizzle for a few minutes until they have griddle lines and are partially softened. You'll need to do a few batches as they wont all fit in the pan.

• Brush the side facing up with olive oil and turn to cook.

• Place in a warmed dish while you cook the rest.

• Meanwhile make the dressing by putting all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing together. couldn't be easier. Once all the courgettes are cooked, dress and serve.

Tip

• We had this dish with BBQ roast chicken and minted new potatoes, which was delicious on a hot Sunday evening. Great alternative roast dinner!

• Another great alternative would be to cook some tagliatelle, make a bit more dressing, mix with the courgettes and a big handful of parmesan.