This week’s menu is a collection of recipes that inspired me this week. Sometimes, that’s all it takes.

The best way to impress your guests: homemade gnocchi. It’s a lot easier than you think, but it does take patience. Try this gnocchi with fava beans, garlic scapes, and basil as an appetizer that showcases seasonal ingredients. If you’re making a meat meal, the butter is definitely optional for this recipe.

When it comes to poultry I love dark meat and these grilled mediterranean chicken thighs look flavorful and juicy. Perfect.

Go crazy and fry asparagus. Seriously–it’s amazing. And top it off with a flavorful miso dressing? Hello! Get all of this and more from Nobu’s fried asparagus with miso dressing.

Cool down and take yourself to a tropical paradise with this mango sorbet. The rum keeps the sorbet creamy and adds a subtle depth to the flavor. You can also make popsicles with this recipe. Serve with fresh berries and you’re set!

Yesterday I got my first summer crop of CSA goodies. Strawberries! Baby lettuce! Thyme! Asparagus! (Okay, I hate asparagus so that’s not making me excited…but strawberries!)

Let your produce shine this Shabbat by making a harvest salad with a light lemon and olive oil dressing. For inspiration, go to one of my all-time favorite lists: Mark Bittman’s 101 Simple Salads for the Season. Come August, I recommend the peach and tomato salad. Highly nontraditional, but fabulous.

Another great way to add some freshness and crunch to your meal: cole slaw! And I’m not talking about your local deli‘s mayo-drenched cole slaw. (Full disclosure: it’s actually my recipe, over at Jewcy.)

When all else fails, Martha’s always got your back. At least that’s my motto. Her chicken with artichoke hearts is moist, flavorful, and takes advantage of the tail end of artichoke season–just leave off the feta!

Nothing says summer like a sugar snap pea straight from the vine. If you can’t make that happen, you’ll want to go to the store to make this sugar snap and snow pea stir-fry. Appease your vegetarian guests with the protein from the cashews.

Heidi Swanson’s Blueberry-Lemon-Verbena pie sounds lovely and I love that she adds in some rye flour to the crust to make it a little nutty. If you are looking for a pareve recipe, just swap in some solid refined coconut oil instead of butter.

Sometimes it’s not just what’s in season that helps me decide what to eat, but how the season feels. Today was sunny and breezy. The air smelled sweet. Seriously, it did. This menu is all about capturing that feeling in a spring meal.

I highly recommend introducing your vegan (and non-vegan) friends to this Greek challah. As a sourdough novice, I’ve been working on perfecting this recipe for sourdough Pan de Horiadaki. It’s tangy from the sourdough and full of flavor from the olive oil.

Nothing says rejuvenation like fresh mint. Incorporate it into your meal with some lemonade or in a salad, like cucumber and tomato or, if you’re going the dairy route, watermelon and feta.

This pan-roasted, herb-seasoned Greek grilled chicken looks light and crisp. Serve it with some oven-roasted red potatoes and your seasonal vegetable of choice cooked with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.

Finish off your meal with a refreshing rhubarb granita, i.e. gourmet slushy. You can even revisit your childhood by serving it in playful snow cone cones.