Try marinating and roasting this spring delicacy. Make an easy marinade with the juice from half of a lemon, a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Trim a pound or so of asparagus and marinate it for an hour or more. Arrange spears on a baking sheet in one layer, season with salt and pepper, and roast in a hot oven (about 475 degrees) for 10 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. You're going for spears that are still bright green and bend just a little, but are not yet soft and droopy.

Pour a glass of wine to enjoy with your meal and you're sure to feel like an aristocrat.

Eleanor Baron lives, gardens, cooks, and writes in Concord and stalks area farmers markets for fresh, in-season produce. She has a special passion for the more unusual, less appreciated "underdog" vegetables. Visit her blog at nourishingwords.net for more ideas and inspiration on incorporating healthy habits into your life.