I have so many memories in my parent’s kitchen. Holidays full of baking cookies, rich conversation with a glass of wine while vegetables sauté on the stove, recipe experimentation, and fresh aromas. I love the natural light that fills the room in the late afternoon. Which is exactly what happened this last weekend as we congregated in the kitchen to prepare for an Easter feast. We were cooking up a tri tip so we opted for lighter sides. Wanting something fresh and fitting for this spring season, we decided to experiment with some orzo (found a gluten free option at Sprouts) and veggies (never a bad combination in my book). The result was a light, healthy, and most importantly, delicious salad. We pretty much guessed on the amount of each ingredient, but one that I was insistent on using a large quantity of is a new favorite: the watermelon radish. It tastes exactly like a radish, but when added to any dish it simply elevates it to another level of gourmet (whether or not the dish really warrants that label… but this one does, trust me :)). You can find these pink beauties at specialty stores (Whole Foods) and I imagine many farmer’s markets.

Ingredients:

1 package of gluten free (or regular) orzo prepared according to instructions on label
Juice of 1 large lemon
Salt
Pepper

Add the following ingredients to your liking:
Peas (unfrozen)
Artichoke hearts
Watermelon radishes
Red onion
Parsley

Directions:

After cooking the orzo, allow it to cool. Once cool, place in a large bowl. Then combine all ingredients and pour in the lime juice. Mix all ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

{Dress | Gold Cuff (both 25% off)}