whenever May it come...

It's a new month, it's a new day, it's a new life for me.... and I'm feeling good.

Okay, I'm no Nina Simone. But I am feeling good, because it's May! Hooray! Plenty of new and exciting produce will be available. We've had a few teasing tastes of asparagus, of strawberries, but now, even more is available. My tongue - and my stomach - can't wait. Here are a few ideas to whet the appetite.

Strawberries

Thus far, I'm still a fan of the "eat them on their own" team. The flavours are so new, so fledging, that to pair them with anything else might not work.

But if you must:
-put together a simple fruit salad for breakfast: strawberries, bananas, and some natural yogurt taste amazing together.

-add to some muesli. I'm loving Waitrose's apricot and fig muesli at the moment. Very fruity.

-pair with some dark chocolate - not too much, mind. Best to go with those mini Green and Blacks rather than the big 'uns.

Asparagus
I'm a little confused - one week Sainsbury's is overloaded with the stuff, and the next week it's all Peruvian produce. Asparagus eludes me once again. But when it is around, here are some lovely ideas:

Asparagus, pea and basil soup: ever so easy. Combine them all with some veggie stock, and simmer. Puree when it's ready. Don't fancy basil? Use mint instead. Or use watercress. Or leek. Any and every green vegetable will do. But the first three are my personal preference.

Keep it simple: poached egg, grilled bacon, steamed asparagus. The most beautiful triptych you'll ever come across. Museum-quality.

I love this idea - asparagus mimosa. Egg and asparagus, but classy-like. Just add champagne.

As a side dish, asparagus with hollandaise can't be beaten. But hollandaise isn't exactly low-calorie. I have never been let down by the South Beach Diet's mock hollandaise sauce. (Note: Smart Balance spread is a heart-healthy spread available in the US. In the UK, try a similar product.)

Welsh lamb

I know things are looking up when Waitrose stops stocking New Zealand lamb and starts stocking the Welsh variety. It's very young, and very new, but excellent in a variety of recipes. Try these:

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall offered up this excellent idea in a recent Guardian weekend column. Lamb, spelt and kale: It's part stew, part casserole - but all one-pot meal. You can't go wrong.

I got a bit creative in the kitchen earlier this week, combining diced leg of lamb, light feta cheese, black olives, onions, chopped tomatoes and spinach. Another fabulous one-pot meal: just sear the lamb, then allow to rest on the side. Saute the onions, and add the chopped tomatoes and simmer. Add chopped olives, spinach and black olives just before serving. Go crazy and add harissa too if you have it on hand, but it's not a requirement. I served it with green beans and carrots for myself, but with plenty of rice for those with larger appetities.

Grilled rump steak of lamb would taste lovely with steamed sweet potatoes and some sauteed courgettes.

New potatoes

Thanks to Jersey, the new season of potatoes is upon us. These little nutty nuggets are perfect, just lightly steamed. But with fresh herbs and a tiny bit of olive oil, they are even better. Just don't get too carried away!!

Radishes

On their own, they're not particularly exciting. (Though word is that Nicole Kidman considers them her pregnancy craving... how strange.) But combined with other veggies, they are a crunchy addition to a summer salad.

-In a food processor, combine radishes, carrot and oregano (or thyme). Serve as a side salad as part of a mezze or along side a fresh fish dish.

-Chopped salad: chop baby spinach, carrot, radish, capers and plenty of lemon juice. Makes a lovely and bright light lunch.

To be honest, spring has come quite late this year. Fingers crossed that June brings us our favourite produce in droves. In the meantime, keep eating!