Ah, Spring. The great season of pollen.

Welcome, pollen!

In the last couple of days, I’ve found myself mourning the loss of crisper and cooler weather. Why? Because I love cold-weather food more than I love warm-weather food (with a notable exception of watermelon – I could eat that all day, every day, duh). I am fond of all things stewed, roasted, broiled, baked,  and braised, and find it a bit difficult to do these things in hot temperatures without feeling like my apartment has become a really fragrant and unbearable sauna. If I had to choose between meals that are comforting and meals that are refreshing, well, you probably know where I would land. But I suppose those things aren’t mutually exclusive, and perhaps this season can serve as an opportunity for me to learn how to make exceptional spring/summer foods.

To make sure that I am not the only one to blame for a potentially lackluster spring/summer menu for the week’s meals, I sent to my husband a survey, where he had to choose his top seven lunch/dinner selections, top three side dishes, and top dessert. I already harbor a ludicrous level of anxiety about not enjoying these meals as much as I’d like to (how many salads can I bear?), so it is important for me to redistribute the blame for the potentiality of mediocre food. Thanks, husband!

Of course, I’m not going to entirely stay away from the oven – I would definitely rather eat vegetables roasted than raw. But, I want to minimize the amount of time spent on the range and oven, so that my adorable apartment doesn’t become a sweat box. I thought it would be nice to incorporate a calzone into the mix because elements of each can be prepared at different times. Then, when the apartment has been purged of all cooking-related hotness, I can stick those babies in the oven.

For the record, I’m not anti-salad. Salads can incorporate so many things, like grains (farro is a favorite of mine), pasta, rice, vegetables, cheese, etc. I just don’t find myself craving salads the way I crave a hearty porkchop, braised beef, or miso ramen. I’m hoping that an exploration of new recipes will help change this attitude.

So, without further ado, here is the week’s menu:

MAIN COURSES/LUNCHES

1. Chard, mushroom, and burrata calzones
2. Quinoa salad w/ cherry tomatoes, edammame, artichokes, peppers, chickpeas, and parsley
3. Spring greens bibimbap (Korean mixed rice dish) with fried egg
4. Bibim guksu (Korean spicy mixed noodles) with cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and kimchi, topped with slices of marinated flank steak
5. Halibut with summer squash & roasted potatoes
6. Roasted cherry tomato pasta
7. Pickled egg salad
8. Pasta salad with roasted cherry tomatoes, tuna, mozzarella, cheddar, olives, and basil

SIDES

• Arugula salad with roasted asparagus, pine nuts, cherry tomatoes, and lemon vinaigrette
• Roasted potato wedges
• Sauteed zucchini
• Garlic sauteed swiss chard

DESSERT

• Blueberry maple scones

And my first Mandu+Me selfie of the season: