3 salads offer taste of spring

Maybe spring greens are not yet bursting out in your back yard. But if your winter-weary palate craves something fresh and tasty, asparagus and green cabbage are on the market and are among ingredients in these three recipes for salads mildly sparked with green pepper sauce.

The salads are light enough to serve as side dishes for a hearty St. Patrick's themed meat-and-potatoes meal.

But they are also filling enough for a tasty lunch with a cup of soup, whole-grain bread and crackers or chips, especially if you combine two or three salads.

Lentils are a favorite vegetarian ingredient, especially during Lent, with a robust nutritional value, but this green lentil salad has its own refreshing tang, brightened with a touch of lemon juice and herbs.

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LENTIL CONFETTI SALAD

1 cup French green lentils

13 3/4-ounce can chicken broth

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium celery stalks, diced

2 small carrots, peeled and diced

1 small red onion, diced

2 tablespoons green pepper sauce

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 pint cherry tomatoes, each cut in half

Pick over lentils, discarding any stones; rinse well in strainer. Bring lentils and chicken broth to boil over high heat in 2-quart saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain if necessary.

Meanwhile, saute celery, carrots and red onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Gently toss warm lentils with sauteed vegetables, green pepper sauce, lemon juice, thyme, cherry tomatoes and remaining olive oil; toss to mix well. Let stand 1 hour to blend flavors. Makes 6 servings.

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SPICY ASPARAGUS SALAD

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons green pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 bunches asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 large leek, sliced