Spring is here…I think?! Regardless of the crazy weather, the fresh, beautiful stalks of asparagus are in season. Asparagus is a great source of vitamin C and folate. This shaved asparagus salad is fresh and super easy to prepare. I briefly steamed the asparagus prior to shaving it into thin slices with a vegetable peeler. You are welcome to shave it raw, but a little heat increases the nutrient benefits.

Trim the spears by snapping one and cutting the rest to match the broken spear. This way they’ll be the same length. The easiest way to steam the asparagus is a quick trip in the microwave. You can also blanch it by plunging the asparagus briefly into a pot of boiling water, then quickly transferring into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Whether you blanch or steam, the spears should still be firm. Toss the asparagus shavings with your favorite greens and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

• 1 pound asparagus spears
• 1/4 cup extra-vigrin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or to taste)
• Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Splash of raw honey (optional)
• Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
• Your choice of greens and other vegetables

Snap one of the asparagus spears and cut the rest to match. Place the asparagus in a microwave safe bowl or dish and fill it about a quarter of the way up the sides with cold water. Steam in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl and drain the water. The spears should still be slightly firm. Using a vegetable peeler, slice each asparagus spear lengthwise into very thin ribbon-like slices.

In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the honey if using and whisk again. Toss the asparagus slices with the greens and dress the salad to your liking. Use the vegetable peeler or a microplane to shave fresh Parmesan cheese over the salad. Serves 4.