Shrimp and Asparagus Salad

Wait for it . . . tonight I totally made something up. I am digging this cooking shiz. Tonight I opened my refrigerator and had asparagus that had been just cooked last night. Not cooked a lot. It was still crisp. And there was a tomato from the market. So I thawed about 9 cooked shrimp (always keep this in your freezer) and put the three ingredients together with a dressing inspired from earlier this week - 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and a splash of vegetable broth. To that I added about a quarter teaspoon of dried basil leaves. I would have preferred it to be dill, but I didn't have that. Turned out to be scrumptious. It will be tomorrow's lunch. Beautiful and virtuous. Kind of like my own good self.

Spring Asparagus Salad

Springtime in Michigan means fresh asparagus. I had a lovely bunch and thought about using the recipe that Meredith posted with fusilli and asparagus but pasta is on my bad list these days so I hunted around for something else. As I like to do, I've blended a couple of recipes and here is the outcome.
ingredients:

For the Dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil (I used the stuff that comes in a tube)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small bunch asparagus, about 15 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas
1 avocado, chopped
1 tomato, chopped                                                                                                                                         1/4 cup goat cheese

Several cups of mixed greens

directions:

1. In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and fresh lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine salad greens, asparagus, peas, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and serve.