Hi Reader,

This time of year always feels like a culinary identity crisis. One day I’m craving stew thick enough to stand a spoon in, the next I’m eyeing asparagus like it’s the Second Coming.

Late February is the shoulder season of appetites—half wool sweater, half linen napkin. Even The One gets confused. “Soup or salad?” he’ll ask, holding both bowls like a game show host. The answer, of course, is yes.
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I’ve learned to treat this moment not as confusion but as opportunity. It’s when I start clearing the pantry of winter’s hearty hangers-on—beans, grains, root vegetables—while flirting with the brightness of what’s to come: peas, greens, citrus. It’s not about a dramatic seasonal switchover; it’s about transition, layering comfort with lightness.

Think cozy dinners that nods to spring’s promise while giving the finger to all this damn snow and cold.

How to Cook the February–March Crossover

• Mix your moods. Pair roasted root veggies with a citrus vinaigrette or toss hearty grains with fresh herbs.
• Use meatless meals as a guide, not a sentence. Fish Fridays and Meatless Mondays can still feel indulgent—hello, creamy chowders and spicy lentil stews.
• Shop the edge of the season. Late citrus, early greens, and sturdy winter produce play surprisingly well together.
• Plan smart, cook once. Make base components—roasted veggies, rice, broth—and remix them all week.
• End on brightness. A squeeze of lemon, a sprig of dill, or a handful of microgreens transforms winter’s freakish insistence into spring’s invitation.

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WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Portuguese Salt Cod & Chickpea Salad​
• ​Spinach & Arugula Risotto​
• ​Potato & Chickpea Stew​
• ​Chickpea & Cavatelli Soup​
• ​Orecchiette With Morel Mushrooms & Ramps​
• ​Penne With Spinach-Ricotta Sauce​
• ​Lemon, Ricotta & Pea Pasta​
• ​Rigatoni With Artichokes, Garlic & Olives​

​Portuguese Salt Cod & Chickpea Salad​

This Portuguese salt cod and chickpea salad, known as salada de bacalhau e grao, is full of chickpeas, flakes of salt cod, onion, and egg.

​☞ ​Try This Recipe​

​Spinach & Arugula Risotto​

This spinach and arugula risotto, is creamy and rich yet still with some measure of healthfulness given its abundance of greens. Straight from Rome.

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​Potato & Chickpea Stew​

This potato and chickpea stew, made with potatoes, canned chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, and spinach, is a hearty and healthy and vegetarian weeknight dinner that's both easy to make and pretty darn satisfying, too.

​☞ ​Try This Recipe​

​Chickpea & Cavatelli Soup​

This chickpea and cavatelli soup is an easy Italian pasta soup that makes for a satisfying supper tossed together from pantry staples.

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​Orecchiette With Morel Mushrooms & Ramps​

This orecchiette with morel mushrooms and ramps combines earthiness, richness, and all the brightness of spring into one dish.

​☞ ​Try This Recipe​

​Penne With Spinach-Ricotta Sauce​

When making tortelloni pasta with spinach and ricotta filling, I sometimes end up with leftover filling. It occurred to me that it would make a very nice pasta sauce, so I added a little cream to the spinach and ricotta mixture and this penne with spinach-ricotta sauce was born!

​☞ ​Try This Recipe​

​Lemon, Ricotta & Pea Pasta​

Donna Hay's lemon, ricotta and pea pasta is a family-friendly, super quick dinner of peas, cheese, and fresh mint. An honest-to-goodness weeknight winner.

​☞ ​Try This Recipe​

​Rigatoni With Artichokes, Garlic & Olives​

This rigatoni with artichokes, garlic, and olives is a consummate spring supper that's vegetarian, delicious, and, most importantly, fast. Garlic, rosemary, and artichokes are sauteed in butter while the pasta cooks. Everything is tossed together and topped with olives and orange zest.

​☞ ​Try This Recipe​