In Florida it seems like it is always summer, sure we have winter but that just means perfect weather with a chance of showers. In NY though there are real seasons and the ushering in of spring means a number of different vegetables become available. Spring is like heaven in the North East, after months of cold miserable weather, a 50 degree day is absolutely amazing! Spring signals the greening of the land, plants sprout, leaves bloom, and flowers peak their heads out. Wild food also runs abundant with fiddle heads and ramps coming into season.

Ramps are a delicious cross between onions and garlic. They can only be found in the Northeast in higher elevations and should be harvested with conservation in mind. It is best to bring a pocket knife and cut the ramp off at the roots while still in the ground. It is also recommended that you only take 1/3 of the patch. This ensures that it will grow again next year.

The entire ramp plant is edible, including the leaves and it is versatile in its preparation. You can use it to replace garlic in any recipe or eat it roasted and grilled on its own. The leaves make a spicy pesto that is delicious as well. Lucky for me, my honey's mom went ramp harvesting and sent us enough through the mail to create an awesome dish and to pickle and preserve for later in the year.

The dish that I have created uses ramps in every possible way; sauteed and softened in polenta, grilled on their own and used in a pesto! I love using one item in multiple ways in a single dish as it really highlights the many different forms one item can be transformed into. This is my first foray into making polenta from scratch as well. I have eaten it out, and used the pre-made variety but never realized just how simple it was to make. I did have a few learning moments when making it so I figured that I would share them with you. First, make sure that you stir the polenta mixture until it pulls away from the sides of the pot, this ensures that it has cooked enough and that it is firm enough for baking (if you want to make squares, fries, or other shapes). Second, do not be afraid to add mix ins! I added in rosemary, onion, ramps and miso to my mixture and it turned out delicious.

The recipe seems like it has a lot of steps but each step is pretty easy and takes minimal time. Both the pesto and the polenta can be made ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use. Don't bake the polenta until you are ready to use it. Of course this dish was designed to for wowing your friends with your amazing plating technique but you can always just serve the items in a simple manner as well. I hope that you enjoy!

Ramp & Rosemary Polenta with Grilled Ramps, Blood Orange and Smoked Tomato Ramp Pesto

Makes 6 servings

Polenta

1/2 cup Ramp Bulbs, loosely chopped (use the leaves in the pesto)

1/4 cup Red Onion, minced

1 stalk of Rosemary, leaves loosely chopped

2 tbs Olive Oil

4 cups Water

1 tbs Miso Paste

1 cup Yellow or White Corn Meal, fine to medium ground

1 tbs Vegan Butter

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste

In a medium sized sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium high heat until glistening. Add the ramps and red onion, cooking until slightly browned, softened and fragrant. Add the rosemary and saute for another minute. Pour in the water slowly and bring to a boil. Add the miso and whisk to combine. Slowly add the Corn Meal to the pot, continue whisking until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the pan. Stir in 1 tbs of vegan butter and salt to taste.

Polenta can be served at this time or you can pour it into a rectangular pan or individual ramekins, smoothing the tops and placing in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to solidify. Once chilled, cut into squares or invert ramekins onto a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until browned on the outside.

Pesto

1/4 cup Almonds

6 Smoked Tomatoes (similar to sundried tomatoes but dried in a smoker instead)

Juice from 1 Lemon

1 clove of Garlic

2 cups of Ramp Greens (use the bulbs in the polenta)

1/4 cup Olive oil

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to Taste

Place all of the ingredients except for the olive oil into a food processor, process slowly adding in the olive oil to bring it together. You may have to scrape down the sides a few times. ADd salt to taste.

Grilled Ramps with Blood Orange

1 Bunch of ramps with leaves

1 tbs Olive oil

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 Blood Orange, peeled and quartered

Preheat Grill. Toss the ramps, olive oil and salt in a large bowl, coating the ramps. Grill over medium heat until browned, turning frequently.

Place your polenta squares or rounds onto a plate, top with the grilled ramps and sections of blood orange. Place a dollop of pesto on the side. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

*Both the pesto and the polenta can be made ahead just leave the polenta in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. This dish can also be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

I hate wasting food, it is one of my pet peeves. I only buy enough for the week but sometimes life has you on a roller coaster and you don't get to eat all those fresh veggies laying around in your fridge so what can you do - make soup of course!

My honey is a chef and he is notorious for buying a ton of fresh veggies so that he has whatever he desires on hand and when I say a ton, I mean a TON. So when I looked in the fridge today I was shocked, so many veggies on their way out! A little brown spot here, mold starting to grow at the stem there, some yellowing kale. When did all these veggies get here and how could I possibly use them all up!

Soup is one of those things that really hit the spot and warm you from the inside out. Its also a great start to a detox or an excellent addition to increase your vegetable consumption especially in the long winter months.

This soup can be adapted to whatever you have on hand but I think there are a few key elements to a great soup. Here are my suggestions;

Always use a wide variety of colors and textures
Saute the veggies first in order to bring out their flavor.
Season those veggies before pouring in your broth.
Don't go light on the seasoning but watch your salt usage.
Don't be afraid to try other things besides vegetable broth - add a little wine, use miso paste, through in a little cider vinegar or splash a bit of soy sauce in there to provide depth.
Simmer longer instead of boiling for a shorter amount of time.
Add any quick cooking items right at the end.

I hope that you enjoy this as much as I am!

A Little Bit of Everything Vegetable Soup

1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 Onion, Sliced

8 Garlic Cloves, chopped

3 Celery Stalks, chopped

3 Turnips, peeled and cubed

1 cup baby carrots, halved

4 Tomatoes, chopped

1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and minced

3 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Dried Seaweed

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

3 tbs Soy Sauce

4 cups Vegetable Broth

4 cups Water

1 cup Spinach

1 cup Kale

Add olive oil to a large stock pot over medium high heat. Chop and dice all vegetables. Add to the pot and saute for 5 minutes until softened. Add the spices and saute another minute until fragrant. Add the soy sauce and the vegetable broth slowly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce, cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked through about 30 to 40 minutes. Add the spinach and kale. Salt to taste. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!