Nothing quite captures the essence of spring like the marriage of tender asparagus and crunchy snap peas. As the frost of winter dissipates and nature awakens, my palate yearns for something invigorating. Enter this Asparagus & Snap Pea Salad with Herbed Cottage Cheese. It’s tasty, hearty, simple yet sophisticated, high in protein and meal prep friendly. 
 
We all know that cottage cheese is THAT GIRL right now— but for me, it’s strictly a savory affair. No pineapple, berries, or melted chocolate on mine. It’s not that I dislike sweet foods, but something about the creamy, slightly tangy base of cottage cheese feels made for salt, herbs, and savory toppings. Give me cottage cheese with cracked black pepper, chives, cherry tomatoes, or even a handful of olives, and I’m in heaven. Spread it on seedy toast, dollop it onto a salad, or eat it straight from the bowl with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt — that’s the kind of cottage cheese magic I’m here for. As such, expect to see a lot of it this season.

And if you’ve followed me for a while, you know that blanching and shocking vegetables is a cooking technique I love for the following reasons: 1. it helps vegetables retain their vibrant color by deactivating enzymes that cause discoloration; and 2. it enhances the texture of veggies.  By blanching the veggies in boiling water then shocking them in ice water to halt the cooking process, we soften them ever so slightly so they retain their crunch. An added bonus: blanched and shocked vegetables can be used immediately in recipes, refrigerated for later use, or frozen for longer-term storage. Consequentially, this salad is great for meal prep, and will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. If making in advance, I recommend keeping the salad and the herbed cottage cheese separate.