Farmers market recipe: Asparagus salad

It’s spring!

Local farmers markets are open and you're back in your garden. A favorite early spring vegetable widely available in the spring is asparagus. When choosing a bunch of asparagus, larger sizes may be better sliced in salads, omelets and stir fries. Small to medium stems work well grilled and roasted whole.

No matter the size, look for firm stems with tight, closed tips. A prep tip: Hold an asparagus stem horizontally and apply a bit of pressure to bend the stem. Notice where it bends and snaps apart. That’s where you should trim the stems of the whole bunch. Here's a simple asparagus salad recipe that's easy, healthy and delicious.

Ingredients

1 large bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), ends trimmed ½

lemon, juice  2 teaspoons

extra-virgin olive oil

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Using a vegetable peeler, shred the asparagus stalks into ribbons. In a medium bowl, combine asparagus ribbons with remaining ingredients. Toss until well-combined.

Enjoy!