​Each year I get into obsessions with certain foods as they come into season. It’s always my way to use up as much produce as possible when it’s fresh. This spring with all my lettuce I’ve been making caesar salads. Each time I make it, I use the same dressing - but I always mix up the produce and crouton bread. Fresh crouton are so quick and easy to make and very underrated. You should definitely start making your own. I’ll tell you about how I prepare each of the components, but please use whatever ratio of dressing, greens, and bread chunks that you like. This vegan caesar salad dressing is great for folks with allergies and comes together in just a few minutes.

Caesar Dressing 
4 Tbsp vegan mayo, sour cream or tahini
2 Tbsp chopped green olive or capers 
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 Tbsp mustard 
1/2 Tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce  
garlic powder to taste
TONS of black pepper
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Add everything to a bowl and whisk together. I like to add a lot of fresh black pepper to set it off.  The olives, lemon, and soy are all pretty intense so I say DO NOT add any salt salt. This is great in salads but you can also use it as a spread on sandwiches. 
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​The Greens
Any type of lettuce works. I have been using tender white silesian and this red romaine. If you have them, use some fresh herbs or mix in some spinach. Use whatever you have and like, just make sure to wash and dry it well. To add more crunch to sort of wilty lettuce, I’ll soak it in a bowl of water for awhile and then spin dry. 

I like to keep my caesar salads to just a few simple ingredients, but this makes a really good background to things like radishes, snap peas, or whatever other fresh salad things you like. ​

​Crouton Crouton
I always make croutons out of whatever types of bread that I have laying around. Sourdough is a classic, but I really love making them out of english muffins, naan, hamburger buns… literally whatever you have. In the time it takes to preheat the oven, you can have them ready to go in. Here’s what you need: 

This makes enough for 4 big, dinner-sized salads- I use about 1 serving of bread & 1 tsp of olive oil per person. 

4 pieces of bread- english muffins, buns, or slices. 
4 tsp olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves or 1 tsp garlic powder
herbs/spices like oregano, basil, thyme, chili powder (choose whatever you like or skip it) 
salt & pepper
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Preheat your oven to 375°F. Chop your bread into bite-sized cubes and add to a bowl. Warm up your oil in a pan and add minced garlic. Cook gently for a few minutes until garlic is fragrant, then add whatever seasonings you like. Toss your bread cubes in the oil and spread out on a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes. It may take longer depending on the type of bread you use, just give them a check every few minutes. Remove when they are golden brown and crispy.

Early spring brings a variety of new textures, colors and fresh flavors to our plates. Try this lovely and refreshing Radish and Bok Choy Salad.

Radish and Bok Choy Salad with Tahini Dressing

Ingredients: Salad
1-2 heads bok choy washed/chopped into small, bite size pieces 
1 bunch radishes trimmed/washed and sliced lengthwise

Ingredients: Dressing 
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 
1 Tbsp dijon mustard 
2 Tbsp tamari 
1 Tsp olive oil 
1/4 cup water (to be added last)

​Method: Toss the radishes and the bok choy in a salad bowl, set aside. Prepare dressing by whisking all ingredients together, adding the water last to reached desired consistency. You may need a little more if your tahini is thick, and less if the tahini is thin. You can pre-toss the salad with dressing or dress each bowl individually. 

​Try arugula or spinach and Ggreen Onions or Chives in this Seasonal Greens Frittata:

Add half the greens and let them wilt slightly. When the pan has enough room, add the remainder of the greens. Stir well and reduce heat. Add the cheeses to the top of the greens.​​

Wish together the eggs, milk, chives and pour over the top of the cheese and greens in the pan. 

Place the cast iron skillet in the oven on the middle shelf. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Tips: Often times the first piece can be challenging to remove from the skillet. Allowing it to cool properly will eliminate some of the difficulty. This frittata heats up great the next day in the toaster oven, or tastes great cold too! Experiment with the greens you use, as new ones come into season. ​

This Asparagus and Arugula Risotto is another healthy way to enjoy the spring harvest.