Meatless Monday

We hit the farmer's market this weekend. On this meatless Monday, I am incorporating some ingredients I found there. It has been unseasonably cool here, so the pickins' were slim. However, I did finally get signed up for a CSA! *woohoo*
We did come home with a few more plants for the garden, including some blackberry bushes. We won't have blackberries until next year, but I think the girls will have fun picking them. We plan on putting them in along the fence and just letting them go wild.
The hot item at the market this weekend was asparagus, it was everywhere. And I just can't stop buying strawberries! So here is what's for dinner...............

Grilled Asparagus Salad

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tblsp. lemon juice
12 fresh asparagus spears
6 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 Tblsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tblsp. seasoned slivered almonds

Combine lemon juice and olive oil on a plate. Place asparagus on the plate, and roll around to coat.
Grill asparagus for about 5 minutes, turning at least once and brushing with the olive oil mixture. Remove from the grill and place back on the plate with the oil. (You can also broil these, it takes about 7 minutes that way.)
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, Parmesan cheese, and slivered almonds. Cut asparagus into bite size pieces, and add to the salad along wiht the lemon juice and oil from the plate. Toss to blend, then serve.

Possible add-ins include
-cooked penne (If you need something a little more hearty)
-chopped tomato

And for dessert.........

Balsamic Strawberries

1 Tblsp. butter
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1/4 cup (or less) sugar
1 Tblsp. balsamic vinegar
Organic plain yogurt or low-fat vanilla ice cream

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the strawverries, sugar, and vinegar. Cook until the strawberries are heated through and darkened to a ruby red.

Place yogurt or ice cream into dessert bowls or stemmed glasses. Spoon strawberries over the ice cream and serve. Serves 4.

Um, yum.