With Spring just around the corner, now is the time to plant those early peas. Chef Martin Rios shares with us one of his favorite early Spring recipes. Simple, elegant, this is the perfect way to celebrate Spring.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion (small chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (small chopped)
• 1 tablespoon ginger (small chopped)
• 3 cups fresh spring peas
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Small mint sprig
• 1/2 cup blanched spinach
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• Salt and pepper as needed.

Method

1. Using a medium sauce pan saute the onions, garlic and ginger in the oil, cook until soft and no color
2. Add the vegetable stock and simmer to ½. Chill in ice bath. When cooled combine with the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve. Keep chilled until needed.

All of these great recipes are brought to you directly from Botanicle Interests they have a great  section called “seed to saucepan” and we sell their  seeds here at Cedar Grove Gardens, you won’t find them in any of the  the big box stores. Just click on the vegetable to see the seed preparation and enjoy the recipe from this Great  Santa Fe Chef.

Root vegetables are a winter staple in most of the country: nutritious, comforting, and an essential part of nearly every worthwhile stew. But by the time February arrives, they can seem rather, well, boring. That certainly doesn’t have to be the case.

The next time you’re looking for a sidekick to your stick-to-your-ribs entrée, or a healthy snack for your kids, push aside the worthy potato and consider parsnips and carrots. They’re cousins to each other, after all, each with their own sweet and nutritious kick. Parsnips, though less exciting in appearance, actually contain more vitamins and minerals than carrots, particularly when it comes to potassium. Plus, they’re a great source of fiber.

And when you roast them slowly with a touch of olive oil and sea salt, the natural sweetness intensifies, just as it does with carrots. The kids may never know they’re eating something so good for them.

Ingredients

• 3 large parsnips
• 3 large carrots
• 4 T olive oil
• 2 t kosher salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Peel parsnips and carrots, and slice into 1/3-inch strips
3. Place parsnips and carrots in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and salt.
4. Spread the vegetables on a large cookie sheet in a single layer.
5. Roast for 15 minutes. Toss, and roast for 20 minutes more. The edges will be lightly browned, and the inside soft and chewy.

We really enjoyed all the helpful tips and the fun photos that we received from “Botanicle Interest” We hope you did to!