Condemned by some as an “unsightly, pervasive weed,” purslane is also a free backyard source of protein, vitamin E, vitamin C, and the best source of Omega 3 fatty acids of any leafy plant. There’s no reason to spend money on fish oil supplements if you have this tasty food source growing in your backyard or vegetable garden.

Whether you eat it raw in salads, stir-fried, or added to soups and sauces, purslane is a delicious addition to many recipes. It’s easy to grow, tastes great, and - best of all to anyone struggling with rising food prices - it’s free.

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Spring is the time when vegetable lovers pause and bow in homage to the “king of vegetables.” Asparagus is at its peak right now, and this member of the lily family is a delicious, nutritious, and low-calorie food. The versatile green shoots can be steamed, stir-fried, grilled, or pickled.

However you eat it, asparagus is a tasty powerhouse of amino acids, phytochemicals, fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and more. Oh, and it’s also fat and cholesterol-free.
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Use Herbs and Spices to Get a Smoky Taste Without Smoked Meat

Southern cooking, also called “country cooking” or “soul food,” often describes foods loaded with fat, salt, and pork – sometimes all three in the same dish! Traditional dishes include fried chicken, fried okra, fried green tomatoes, and fried squash. See a pattern? Fried, fried, fried. What’s not fried is likely to be cooked with bacon or a chunk of fatback as “seasoning.”

That “seasoned” taste is so common that many people can’t imagine cooking beans without side meat. As Scarlett O’Hara notes in Gone With the Wind: “Black-eyed peas are no good without bacon. There’s no strength to them.”

Here, as in so many areas, Scarlett was wrong.
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The combination of vegetables and high-protein quinoa make this an elegant and tasty main dish. Quinoa is an herb - although it looks like a grain and cooks like one – and it’s kosher for Passover. This recipe is courtesy of the VeggieVisitors.com site.

Roasted Vegetables with Rosemary
Ingredients:
4-6 small new potatoes, sliced in half.
4 carrots, sliced into 2-3 inch chunks
1 whole onion, cut into 2-3 inch chunks
11/2 cups red or green bell peppers, cut into 2-3 inch chunks
1 yellow squash, cut into thick, ½ inch slices
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon dried Rosemary
2 cloves garlic, crushed
fresh Rosemary for garnish, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Toss vegetables and garlic in olive oil and herb mixture.
3. Spray a large, shallow baking dish with non-stick coating and place vegetables in a single layer.
4. Bake approximately 40 minutes, or until vegetables start to lightly brown.
5. Garnish with fresh rosemary and serve over quinoa.

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Here’s a healthy vegetable dish that is attractive and delicious.

When cooking, be sure not to overcook the asparagus. Steam it until it turns a bright green and then remove. It shouldn’t be soggy or limp.

Ingredients:
20-24 fresh asparagus spears
8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon lemon zest OR lemon juice (the zest adds better flavor)

1. Heat olive oil in small saucepan.
2. Toss mushrooms and lemon zest together on medium heat until mushrooms soften. Add a few teaspoons water if mixture gets too dry.
3. While mushrooms cook, steam asparagus for 2-3 minutes – just until spears turn bright green.
4. Serve mushroom mixture over steamed asparagus.

In Yiddish, a “tsimmes” is a long and involved procedure. To “make a tsimmes” means to make something unnecessarily complicated: “We were just going to serve coffee and cake, but she came in with a long list of recipes and made a big tsimmes out of the brunch.” Fortunately, there’s nothing complicated about this recipe. It’s as easy as it is delicious.

This is adapted from a traditional recipe from the Persistent Vegetarian State Web site.

Ingredients:
8 cups sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled, and cut into large chunks.
2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup raisins
1 cup orange juice
½ cup orange blossom honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon OR baking spices
3 tablespoons margarine, cut into small pats.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a large baking dish (13×9) with cooking spray and add potatoes, carrots, and raisins.
3. Stir orange juice, honey, and cinnamon in small bowl. Pour over veggies.
4. Dot mixture with small pats of margarine.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes, uncovered. Stir well, and bake for another 20 minutes.