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.

Spring is one of those seasons in which growth naturally happens. Once you get past the never ending rain, the world seems to become alive again after laying dormant throughout the winter. One of the best parts of spring is foraging for new edibles like ramps aka wild leeks and fiddleheads.

Ramps are one of those delightful finds that add a spicy zing to your dish, they are often pickled but can be used just as you would leeks, onion, or garlic as they are in the same family. Excitingly enough, the entire plant is edible! Those stems can be used to make a spicy pesto that is absolutely delightful on any and everything. The flavor is rich, spicy, and fresh due to the lemon juice and a little creamy with the addition of the avocado. Seriously, I could eat this on a spoon although I am not sure that anyone would want to kiss me afterwards do to its pungency.

In addition, spring also sends us asparagus, an all time favorite whether raw, grilled, sauteed, paired with eggs or tossed with 'pasta' as in this instance, the addition is always welcome. Asparagus is extremely alkaline, a great source for Vitamin K and contains inulin which is highly beneficial to your digestive tract.

Pairing spaghetti squash with our pesto and asparagus provides a wonderful way to enjoy 'pasta' without the heaviness often associated with traditional flour pastas. This is a flavorful dish that evokes the sensation of spring right on the palate. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash with Ramp Avocado Pesto, Asparagus and Tomato

Serves 2

1 Spaghetti Squash, roasted or microwaved

1 handful of fresh Ramps (5-6), leaves and bulbs divided

4 cloves of Garlic

1/2 Lemon, juiced

1/2 Avocado

3 tbs Olive Oil

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste

1 handful of Asparagus (5-6 spears)

1 Tomato, Chopped

Cook the spaghetti squash by roasting in a 400 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes or microwaving for 10 minutes. The great thing about this squash is that you can prepare it quickly if you are in a time crunch.

Heat 1 tbs of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Chop the ramp bulbs and asparagus spears. Add to the pan, tossing to coat and cooking until the asparagus is bright green .

IN a food processor or blender, add the ramp leaves, garlic, avocado, lemon juice and salt. Blend until creamy, adding the 2 tbs of olive oil while the machine is running. Add more if the pesto is still to thick.

Divide the pesto between the two halves of the squash, stirring to combine. Top with the asparagus and ramp mixture and fresh chopped tomatoes. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!