Pasta Primavera: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare 10 oz of penne pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add 4 sliced garlic cloves, 1 yellow squash, 1 zucchini, 1 bunch of asparagus, 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, 1 cup of thinly sliced onion, 1 tsp salt, and several grinds of pepper and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the pasta, ½ cup frozen peas, ¾ cup grated pecorino cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and toss to combine. Stir the chopped basil and tarragon if wanted. Season to taste, garnish with more basil and serve.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Whisk together 1 ¼ cups flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg. Stir in ¾ cup oil of your choosing (vegetable, avocado, canola oil). Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in 1 ½ tsp of vanilla extract and 2 tbsp milk. Add 1 ½ cups of grated carrots and ½ cups of chopped walnuts or pecans (optional), and stir until combined. Evenly divide the batter into cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ of the way full. Transfer to oven and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Allow to cool in the baking tin for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating with cream cheese frosting.

Strawberry Lemonade: Use a blender or food processor to puree the 1 ½ cups of destemmed strawberries. Strain them through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds if desired. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir together 1 ½ cups of sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain 1 ½ cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher. Add in the sugar water mixture and pureed strawberries. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, add 2 ½ cups of cold water and stir. Taste, and add more water if it’s too sweet. Then it’s ready to be served. Ice is recommended!