Simple asparagus with eggs (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

It’s spring — think Green!

With amber syrup and brown mud, spring has come to our North Country. Our backyard still has more than a foot of snow, and there is still ice in the driveway where the sun doesn’t reach. But the ice has started to come off the pond. Crocuses bloom at the library in town — though ours are still beneath the snow.

Spring festivals will be here soon. Passover begins on Saturday evening, April 12. April 13 is Palm Sunday. Passover ends on Easter Sunday, April 20. Tuesday, April 22 is Earth Day — time to celebrate our planet Earth because there is no planet B.

Passover is also known as Hag Ha’Aviv, or the holiday of spring. Two symbols of spring are on the seder plate — green parsley and an egg.

It’s spring! More light means that chickens lay more eggs. Birds have returned from southern climes to build nests and sing spring melodies. My friends with chickens say they have started laying profusely again. Fresh, local eggs — symbols of new life — are abundant. Through the ages, eggs have been central to spring festivals all over the globe.

Eggs are a superfood. They contain high-quality protein, with all of the essential amino acids. One egg has 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat but only 80 calories. The fatty acids in eggs are healthy omega-3s, good for your heart, skin and digestion. The egg white contains 55% of the protein; the other 45% is in the yolk, which contains 13 vitamins (including A, D and some B vitamins) and minerals like zinc and sulfur. Egg yolks are one of the few food sources that naturally contain vitamin D. The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, important for eyes and brain, are also found in eggs.

At the Passover feast, eggs symbolize life, sacrifice and rebirth. Bringing forth new life from their delicate shells, they’re also a symbol of Resurrection.

The color green symbolizes spring and new growth — both in the natural and the spiritual world. Longer days, April showers and spring sunshine give us fresh energy, We look forward to harvests of fresh spring veggies like spinach, arugula, radishes and asparagus.

Asparagus is packed with fiber, folate and essential vitamins like A, C, E and K. A cup of raw arugula has just two calories; one cup of spinach has only seven. These greens are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals like calcium, potassium and iron.

Asparagus is one of the earliest harvested spring vegetables. Its bright green perennial stalks come up as soon as the ground is warmed by the sun. Although this won’t happen in our northern Adirondack garden until May, supermarkets are already full of asparagus trucked in from warmer climates than ours.

Here are some recipes for your holiday table that combine these seasonal favorites.

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Simple Asparagus with Eggs

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Ingredients:

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1 lb. fresh asparagus spears

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup minced fresh parsley

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

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Directions:

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Steam asparagus to desired tenderness. This will also depend on how fresh the spears are.

Melt butter in a skillet and fry eggs.

To serve, place asparagus spears on a plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; drizzle with butter and toss some parsley over. Top with a fried egg.

Serve with boiled parsleyed potatoes, fresh-baked rolls or baguettes.

Try this with other veggies, like green beans, broccoli florets, zucchini, spinach or kale.

Option: Hard-cook eggs instead of frying them and sprinkle with grated egg and shredded cheese.

Serves four.

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Grain and Bean salad with greens and asparagus

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Ingredients:

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1/2 cup dry white beans (1 1/2 cup cooked)

1/2 cup dry pinto beans (1 1/2 cup cooked)

1 c. barley or millet (2 c. cooked)

3/4 c. quinoa

Several stalks of asparagus (1 bunch)

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic

1 lb. arugula, spinach and/or other greens

1 cup chopped minced parsley

1 cup minced chives or scallion greens

oregano

1 carrot, shredded

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Directions:

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Soak and cook beans to desired tenderness. You don’t want them very soft — I like them still with a bit of crunch.

Cook grains. Mash salt and garlic, and stir in; stir in oil and vinegar while stirring warm. Set aside to cool.

In the meantime, steam the asparagus 2 minutes, drain and cut into 1/2″ chunks. Wash and chop the remaining vegetables. Shred greens.

Drain beans. Combine with grains and vegetables in a salad bowl. Taste & adjust seasonings.

Serve at room temperature or chill to serve later.

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Springtime Mushroom and Asparagus Kugel

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This kugel combines vegetables, lentils and quinoa for a savory, high-protein, gluten-free and vegetarian treat.

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Ingredients:

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A little oil for the pan

1/2 onion

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/3 cup lentils

1/3 cup quinoa

1 3/4 cup broth, water, or combination

4 eggs, beaten (use a little water or milk, and a little salt, if you wish)

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (low-fat OK)

1 to 2 cups asparagus, sliced in 1″ pieces

1 cup frozen green peas

2 Tablespoons Shredded Swiss cheese

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Directions:

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Prepare a baking dish with oil or butter.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mushrooms and onions, sprinkle with salt and cook for 5 minutes.

Add quinoa, lentils and broth or water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil; lower heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Prepare asparagus by cutting off the bottom part of the stem. Slice into 1 or 2 inch pieces.

Add to the pot, stir and cook for 5 more minutes, until liquid is absorbed and everything is tender. Stir in peas.

In a bowl, beat eggs. Stir into the contents of the saucepan. Transfer to prepared baking dish, place in hot oven. Bake until eggs are set, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves four.

Serving suggestion: Serve with a salad of tossed fresh greens.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on Twitter: @yvonawrites.