Do you ever feel stymied when trying to plan dinner and have no clue what vegetable to make? Me, too. It is easy to choose when you’ve just been to the market and the seasonal vegetables, (like asparagus and sugar snaps now), were plentiful. But there are times when everything looks a little sad or wilted and not very appealing. I try to stock up regularly with the consistently available broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and kale. And there are always frozen peas. But on the days when my fridge seems bare, I rely on the bags or boxes of pre-washed greens I keep stashed for just such occasions.

I have mixed feeling about these bags and boxes, especially since the packaging is wasteful and they have often traveled long distances. I prefer the bunches of local greens at the farmer’s market if they are available but, if not, I often resort to packaged grocery greens. Recently I’ve found local (within state) brands in stores that make me feel a little better about buying them. And, at least, the plastic is recyclable PET. But so much these days is a compromise and if I want ever-ready greens all year long, I buy the “super greens” mixes or arugula, baby kale, pea shoots or spinach and always have greens ready to sauté or toss into eggs, pasta, beans, sandwiches or soups. I add them to smoothies, juices and even my turmeric latte. Almost any green will make a tasty pesto, with or without cheese. The more greens, the more nutrients and fiber so, in this instance, more is more.

BASIC SAUTÉED GREENS

Sautéing packaged greens is more of a fallback technique than a recipe. I write about it just to remind you that it is easy to add a vegetable to every meal if you have a package at the ready. After a quick washing (I don’t care if it says pre-washed, I always swish at least a few times), I sauté the contents of the whole container or bag, and sometimes 2 (they shrink down to almost nothing), in a little olive oil with minced garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. If you don’t like garlic, use onion or leave it out completely. You can vary them by sautéing mushrooms with the garlic before adding the greens or a dash of soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar or cayenne at the end. Voila – quick and delicious sautéed greens.

Birdie Boone makes the kind of pots I want to use all the time. Not only do they look great on a shelf alone or with food, drink or flowers but also feel great in the hand, wash up well, stack easily and make me happy to use. Could I ask for more? (She will be selling new work at the Hudson Valley Pottery Tour in October).

Crocus, daffodils and forsythia may be delightful hints of re-awakening but to me the true harbinger of spring is asparagus. The skinny green stalks from Mexico start appearing in grocery stores in March, usually coinciding with Easter and Passover. At the beginning of April, bunches start to arrive from Florida and Texas. By the beginning of May, we can find local asparagus in our farmers’ markets, the first bunches coming from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In a good year, the season lasts through June.

One of the surprises and benefits of moving to a new house as a child was discovering an established (sadly long overgrown now) asparagus patch in the backyard. Having eaten asparagus but never having seen it growing, my sisters and I were amazed at how the spears poked straight up from the ground like some science fiction garden. Our mother taught us how to snap the stalks low to the ground and remove the scale-like leaves with a paring knife rather than peeling, the method I have learned most cooks use. (Cleaning takes time but is also one of those repetitive tasks that can be meditative). The only way we ever ate them was steamed and that remains my go-to method. So simple, the only danger is in overcooking.

A few years ago, my husband and I spent a week in southern Utah and I tried roasted asparagus for the first time there, of all unexpected places. It is a completely different dish than the more common steamed since the oven heat starts to caramelize the spears. Both methods are extremely easy, as are sautéing and stir-frying. Fortunately, besides being delicious, asparagus is high in fiber, folic acid and potassium and low in calories. It makes a good breakfast by itself or with a poached egg on buttered toast. Whichever way I cook asparagus, I always try to make an extra bunch to have leftovers for salads, quiches, frittatas or just plain right out of the fridge.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

• 1 bunch fresh green asparagus, snapped and cleaned
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 big pinch each salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spread cleaned asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan (use a piece of parchment to make clean-up easy).

Sprinkle with oil and roll spears around to coat.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds, salt and pepper.

Bake 9-12 minutes, depending on thickness. Start testing at 9 minutes, if thin.