Asparagus

No judgment if you want to eat this goat cheese vegetable dip recipe spoonful. It's that good.

No cream is necessary in this asparagus soup recipe, just vegetables and broth puréed to velvety perfection.

“With Italian cooking, the pasta is key,” says Culina chef Victor Casanova. “I try to match the pasta with the sauce and the feel of the dish.” This light, fresh, veggie-packed entrée calls for a delicate pasta. Casanova chose garganelli, which also happens to have ridges that are perfect for grabbing onto the pea puree that serves as the pasta sauce.

Simple roasted asparagus is made better by a couple of key accoutrements: Parm and good aged balsamic vinegar.

Shaving asparagus with a vegetable peeler transforms the texture of a raw stalk into silky strips.