Asparagus, goat cheese and lemon pasta

Asparagus, said to be a powerful aphrodisiac, is at the height of its ripeness in February. For the added zest of fresh citrus, look for Meyer lemons -- they're in season from November to April.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
1 5-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Directions:
Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water until it is almost tender, or about three minutes shy of what the package suggests. Add asparagus and cook until firm-tender, about two to three minutes. Drain pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon peel, tarragon and cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you add it. Add hot pasta and asparagus to bowl along with a couple splashes of the pasta water. Toss until smoothly combined, adding more pasta water if needed. Season generously with salt and pepper, and lemon juice if you feel it needs a little extra kick.

Source: Smitten Kitchen

Smoky carrot hummus

Revitalize your hair from the inside out with this hummus recipe. It relies heavily on carrots, a winter root vegetable rich in beta-carotene, which helps the body produce keratin, a building block of healthy hair.

Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, rinsed
3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop carrots into large chunks. Toss in two teaspoons olive oil and lightly salt. Roast for about 30 minutes, until carrots are fork-tender. Set aside until cool enough to work with.

Using a blender or food processor, add the garbanzo beans, two tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds, garlic, all spices and salt.

Once the carrots have cooled, add them to the blender or food processor. Pulse or blend until combined. Have the olive oil on hand if you need to add more because the consistency is too thick.

Garnish with paprika or fresh parsley. Serve with crackers, bread or tortilla chips or spread on a sandwich.

Source: The Year in Food

Blackened salmon with mango-avocado salsa

Your nails can be the best possible canvas for sassy spring colors by eating lots of protein, like this tasty salmon dish. April marks the beginning of mango season, so top your plate with a mango-and-avocado salsa -- it's so good, you won't even think about how healthy it is.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds wild salmon fillets, boneless and skin on
3 teaspoons melted grass-fed butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Mango-avocado salsa
1 ripe mango, seeded, peeled and diced
1 large avocado, seeded and diced
1/4 cup diced grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Slice the salmon evenly into four to six smaller fillets. Combine the butter and all the spices in a bowl. Rub all over both sides of the salmon. Leave at room temperature while the grill heats.

Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients in a bowl and store in the refrigerator while the fish cooks.

Sear the salmon, skinless side down. Close the grill lid. Cook one to three minutes on the first side, depending on how thick the fillets are. (Try not to move them until you are going to flip them over to help keep them in one piece.)

Using tongs in one hand and a metal spatula in the other hand, carefully turn the fish over, so that the skin side is down, and reduce the heat to medium. For charcoal grills, finish cooking over indirect heat farthest from the coals. Close the grill lid and finish cooking for another five minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Salmon should be just barely opaque and will start to flake along the center of the fillet when done. Serve hot with the mango-avocado salsa spooned over it.

Source: Against All Grain

Stuffed tomatoes with peaches, corn, cucumbers and basil

Summer is just around the corner, so it's time to start prepping your skin for shorts and swimsuit season. For a glow from within, fill your plate with tomatoes and peaches. Tomatoes are the best source of the anti-aging antioxidant lycopene, a skin-repairing element that reduces inflammation and cancer risk. Peaches are a good source of vitamin C, which aids collagen production.

Serves 8

Ingredients:
8 ripe medium beefsteak tomatoes
2 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
3 Kirby cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 1/3 cups)
Kernels from 2 ears corn (1 1/2 cups)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

Directions:
Slice off tops of tomatoes (about a half-inch). Scoop out the seeds and ribs, and coarsely chop. Stir together chopped tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers, corn, oil, one tablespoon lime juice, salt and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for acidity, adding up to one tablespoon more lime juice. Stir in basil.

Season inside of tomato shells with salt and pepper. Fill tomatoes with tomato mixture and garnish with basil sprigs. Serve immediately.

Source: Martha Stewart

Tomato lemonade

Did you know you can protect your skin from the sun from the inside out? In one study, participants who ate five tablespoons of tomato paste every day for 12 weeks suffered significantly less sunburn than a control group. To get the benefit, try this tomato lemonade -- it's way tastier than eating your sunscreen.

Serves 10

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 pounds tomatoes, preferably yellow or orange, cored and chopped
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups ice water
Lemon wedges and herb sprigs, for garnish

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature.

In a food processor, puree the tomatoes and strain the puree through a sieve into a pitcher; discard the solids. Add the simple syrup, lemon juice and ice water and stir.

Fill 10 tall glasses with ice. Pour in the tomato lemonade, garnish with lemon wedges and herb sprigs and serve.

Source: Food & Wine

Photo via: Love & Olive Oil