Asparagus Potato Salad

Potato salad is one of those summer staples that you see at every cookout but rarely want to actually eat. Mushy potatoes swimming in mayo with little flavor is not my idea of a tasty treat. So I knew I could do better.

This salad combines tasty baby potatoes (I am in love with these multicolored ones) with fresh, seasonal asparagus. Adding a ton of veggies helps to keep the calories down and adds a tasty crunch to the dish. I used bacon, shallot and fresh chives for flavors and tossed everything with a light mustard vinaigrette.

This salad was incredible warm. I ate cold leftovers the next day and it was still super tasty and flavorful. The key is to just barely cook the asparagus, that way it will retain its nice crunch without feeling too raw.

I also wanted to give y'all a garden update! Things are coming along. My peas are growing like crazy and I'm excited to see how big they get. The kale and Brussels sprouts are coming along nicely on the porch.

In the ground, I have tomatoes, basil, cayenne and jalapeno peppers, butternut squash and baby watermelons. Watching everything grow is so much fun! I can't wait till August when I can start cooking with all this stuff!

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Baked Spring Veggie Risotto

Like every other person on the planet, I LOVE risotto! What I don't love is that it is an incredibly high maintenance dish that requires lots of stirring and watching and waiting. I wanted to find a way to create a easy risotto that has all the creamy comfort of the original with minimal work. The secret is to BAKE the risotto. Now I know you may be skeptical, and I was too, but after a bit of experimentation, I created Weeknight Risotto.

Now I couldn't resist making some other healthy modifications to this dish, so there is no butter, minimal cheese, and I substituted healthy pearled barley for traditional arborio. Barley is a wonderful whole grain that creates a creamy texture to the dish. I used spring vegetables as an inspiration and added leeks, peas and asparagus. A bit of lemon juice and some fresh Parmesan add intense, light flavor.

This is one of those dishes that feels so bad, but is really so good. It's light, simple and you throw everything in the oven and serve. I topped it with some fresh Parmesan and an herb gremolata.

And now onto the giveaway ... 


And the winner of the Cast Iron Skillet Giveaway is: Lauren from The Hippie Dog Company

Congrats Lauren! And thank you to everyone who entered. This was such a blast that I'm planning another giveaway for next month. Stay tuned! 

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