Use Hass avocados in this guacamole.

Even vegans like to drink. And cook. And sometimes mix the two together. That’s the message of John Schlimm’s funny yet flavorful cookbook, “The Tipsy Vegan: 75 Boozy Recipes to Turn Every Bite into Happy Hour” (Da Capo, $17). And what better way to test that theory during Fiesta than with a bowl of tequila-spiked guacamole?

“What would guacamole be without a tequila chaser?” Schlimm writes. “Luckily for us, with this recipe we’ll never again have to ponder that terrifying question. Share the love and mix a few tablespoons of the lively spirit directly into this classic south-of-the-border dip. Just beware the fire hazard: When adding the jalapeños, carefully taste a slice for determining the sizzle factor, which can vary widely. As for the limes, usually the smoother the skin, the juicier the lime.”

Tequila Seduces Guacamole

3 ripe Hass avocados
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 to 3 jalapeños (depending on your heat preference), stemmed, seeded and finely diced
Juice of 1 lime, about 3 tablespoons
2 to 3 tablespoons good tequila
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Lightly  warmed tortilla chips, for serving

Halve the avocados and remove the pits by whacking them with a knife blade and twisting them out. Use a spoon to scrape out the avocado flesh into a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork just until chunky. Add the cilantro, red onion, jalapeños, lime juice, tequila, salt and pepper and combine with the fork. If the mixture seems too thick, add a bit more tequila. Serve at room temperature with plenty of warm tortilla chips.

Makes about 2 cups.

From “The Tipsy Vegan” by John Schlimm

Asparagus on the grill.

Easter may be over, but my hunger for asparagus isn’t.

Here are two recipes that are great for the grill.

The first is from Simon Hopkinson’s “Roast Chicken and Other Stories” (Hyperion, $24.95), which is a great resource for those looking for solid recipes that are often easy to put together. He reminds us of just how versatile these spears are and how well they go with certain foods.

“Asparagus lends itself to the simplest of preparations,” he writes. “Most obvious is to serve with with melted butter, or just hollandaise on its own. i have come to the conclusion that, in fact, eggs are its favorite companion: buttery scrambled eggs, soft-boiled or poached eggs using asparagus spears as ‘soldiers,’ or eggs baked en cocotte with cream and tarragon.”

The other is a simple grilled asparagus dish I threw together with items out of the fridge and freezer.

Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan

24 large asparagus spears
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
3 to 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, in a piece
Lemon wedges, to serve

Heat a ribbed cast-iron grill or skillet. Brush the asparagus spears with some of the oil, and cook until nicely charred on all sides. Transfer to a large white dish, season lightly with salt and plenty of pepper, and sprinkle with the chopped egg. Using a potato peeler, shave slivers of Parmesan over the surface, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve with the lemon wedges.

From “Roast Chicken and Other Stories” by Simon Hopkinson with Lindsey Bareham

Grilled Asparagus with Hazelnuts

Grilled Asparagus with Hazelnuts

Asparagus
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Hazelnut oil
Toasted hazelnuts, broken
1 egg, sunny-side up (optional)

Prepare the grill. Drizzle how much asparagus you want to eat with a light coating of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus until charred on all sides. Place on a platter and drizzle with a light amount of hazelnut oil. Sprinkle toasted hazelnut pieces. Top with an egg if desired.

From John Griffin

Radish and Cucumber Salad

Sometimes, the simplest combinations shine more brightly than complex creations. This salad features only three ingredients outside of the dressing — radishes, cucumbers and either arugula or spinach. And the dressing isn’t that complicated either. But put them together and a rewarding salad results.

This went well with ham and seafood both on Easter and would work with just about anything else you were serving. It is yet another winning surprise from Suzanne Somers’ “The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible” (Three Rivers Press, $21.99).

Radish and Cucumber Salad

1 bunch radishes, sliced into quarters
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into half-moons
1 bunch arugula or spinach
Extra virgin olive oil
Sherry vinegar
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a mixing bowl, combine the radishes, cucumber and arugula. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and a splash of vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss until well coated.

Place the salad on individual plates and top sliced chicken, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 2-4 servings.

From “The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible” by Suzanne Somers

Crunchy Cabbage Salad uses both red and green cabbage.

OK, I have to admit that I laughed when I first saw Suzanne Somers’ “The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible” (Three Rivers Press, $21.99). Who would want to cook their way through any of the 400 or so recipes that Somers has supposedly compiled? This is another one of those celebrity cookbooks ghost written by who knows who, right?

Then I opened the book and was pleasantly surprised by how many recipes I wanted to make: Pork Paillards with Caper Butter Sauce, Braised Pork Chops with Purple Cabbage, Pan-fried New York Steaks with Fried Elephant Garlic, Crispy Mesquite Salmon, Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, to name a few. All used only a few ingredients, most easily found, and came with easy-to-follow instructions that emphasized the freshness of the dish.

But it was the salad section that really scored. Ingredients like baby artichokes, hearts of palm, fennel, warm goat cheese and more are all included in this robust selection, accompanied by a series of lively dressings. These include the recipes below for Crunchy Cabbage Salad and Green Beans and Hearts of Palm, both of which use her Red Wine Vinaigrette.

If you take the time time to read the front of the book, you’ll also learn that each of the recipes is coded so you can find out if the dish is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian or vegan. All of the recipes are sugar-free, though some sweeteners are used, and Somers offers substitutes for her all-natural SomerSweet.

That care mixed with some really good-looking recipes make realize that the last laugh is with Somers. By the way, “The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible” is Somers’ 21st book, so she must be doing something right.

Green Bean Salad and Hearts of Palm

Sea salt
1 pound green beans
1 (14-ounce) can or jar hearts of palm, drained
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and boil 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. the beans will change from light to dark green. Drain and plunge the beans into a bowl of ice water; the ice bath stops the cooking process, sets the flavor, and helps the beans retain their dark green color. Slice the blanched green beans on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces and place in a large salad bowl.

Slice the hearts of palm on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Add the hearts of palm, tomatoes, onions, parsley and feta to the bowl. toss with the vinaigrette and season with additional salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

From “The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible” by Suzanne Somers

Crunchy Cabbage Salad

1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine cabbage, parsley, onion, and vinaigrette in a large salad bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

From “The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible” by Suzanne Somers

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.

Combine the vinegar, oregano, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until the oil is emulsified.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Makes about 1 cup.

From “The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible” by Suzanne Somers

An unpeeled celeriac, also known as a celery root.

A recent recipe that called for celeriac, also known as celery root, prompted a question from a reader: What do you do with it?

Start by cutting off the bottom.

It’s very simple, and it’s a tasty alternative to potatoes, especially if you are looking to cut back on carbohydrates in your diet. The root has between 7 and 9 grams of carbs per cup, depending on which nutritional guide you pay attention to.

It’s also low in calories and a good source of both vitamin C and phosphorus, according to nutritiondata.self.com. Magnesium, manganese and potassium are other pluses you get from this root vegetable.

Let’s start at the supermarket, where the roots are usually stores in the produce section near other exotics. At my H-E-B, it can generally be found near the daikon, when it’s available, and the bok choy.

Peel off the sides, as you would a pineapple.

Choose one that is hard. It could be gnarled or knobby. Some stores sell them in various sizes and by the pound; others offer larger versions that given a per-root price.

You don’t need to wash it. Just set it on its side and cut the bottom off of it.

Then set the cut side down on your board and proceed to peel it with a sharp knife the way you would a pineapple until all sides are cleaned.

Then you can cut it into slices and finally into cubes. Or you can cut it into larger chunks in order to grate it. Slice into wedges and prepare it as you would steak fries. Use a mandolin and cut thin slices to be fried up as chips.

That’s about all it takes.

Then, it’s time to start cooking.

You can use celeriac in this parsley soup. Or try this recipe for celeriac gratin from Martha Stewart that bubbles up with flavor from two cheeses, cream, nutmeg and Dijon mustard in addition to the celeriac.

Martha Stewart’s Celeriac Gratin

Unsalted butter, for the dish
4 shallots, thinly sliced
3 medium bulbs celeriac
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

You can cut celeriac in different ways, depending on how you're going to use it.

Butter a 1 1/2-quart gratin dish. Scatter shallots over bottom of dish. Peel celeriac and cut into 1/4-inch slices, and then julienne. Arrange evenly in gratin dish. Sprinkle thyme leaves over celeriac.

In a small bowl, whisk together cream, mustard, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Pour over celeriac, and sprinkle with cheeses. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove foil, and continue baking until top is brown and bubbly and cream is thickened and reduced, about 20 more minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

From Martha Stewart/Martha Stewart Living

Flat-leaf parsley

Our second green recipe for St. Patrick’s Day is a soup that derives its color from parsley, a wonderful vegetable that has an unfortunate reputation. Too many people just use the curly variety as a garnish on a plate.

Parsley Soup

But it is actually quite versatile, adding a punch to salads, a note of freshness to vegetable dishes and lively addition to stuffings for fish or chicken.

Many prefer the flat-leaf for flavor, but don’t disregard the curly variety.

“I’ve even used parsley as a vegetable,” says Simon Hopkinson in the ever-helpful “Roast Chicken and Other Stories” (Hyperion, $24.95). “Gently stewed in a little butter for a few moments with a sliver or two of garlic, it is very good with grilled chicken. For this, however, you do have to use the curly variety, as, irritatingly, the flat type sticks to the sides of the pan and doesn’t absorb the butter well. You need the curly type of parsley if you want to deep-fry it, too. I adore deep-fried parsley. It is simplicity itself to prepare. Just drop some well-dried sprigs into hot fat for a few seconds. (One of those electric deep-dryers with a basket is ideal.) Lift the parsley out, drain it on paper towels,and sprinkle with salt.”

Celeriac

This soup recipe, like a great many, original called for a potato, which is strictly verboten to anyone trying to count carbohydrates. But there are substitutes. I tried the following with celeriac, or celery root, which has one-third the carbs (7 grams for the celery root, but 22 grams for the potato per cup), but about the same amount of fiber (about 3 grams). The flavor will change — and in my opinion, for the better. But it still brought a thickness to the soup that gave it a silky texture. It cooked in about the same time as the recipe said the potato would take.

Parsley Soup

6 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks, white parts only, sliced
2 big bunches of flat-leaf parsley, stalks and leaves separated, stalks chopped, divided use
1 celeriac or 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or more as needed
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream

Use celeriac instead of potato to cut down on carbohydrates.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and sweat the leeks and all the parsley stalks, gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add the celeriac or potato, stock and salt and peppers and simmer for a further 20 minutes.

Coarsely chop the leaves of one bunch of parsley and add to the soup. Simmer for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, blanch the leaves of the other bunch of parsley in fiercely boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and refresh immediately under cold running water, then gently squeeze dry in a tea towel.

Blend the soup with the blanched parsley to make a vivid green puree. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan, if needed or desired. (When testing this recipe, a Vitamix made straining unnecessary. If you want a rustic look and texture, don’t strain.) Add the cream, reheat, and adjust the seasoning. If the soup is too thick, you may want to thin it with more starch.

Use a blender to puree the soup.

Garnish ideas include a fresh parsley leaf, fried garlic chips or a Parmesan-crusted crouton.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Adapted from “Roast Chicken and Other Stories” by Simon Hopkinson with Lindsey Bareham

Use a sweet-tart apple in this salad.

Fresh, fall apples have begun to appear at the market, making this the perfect time to try this recipe from Lori Lyn Narlock’s “Small Plates, Perfect Wines” (Andrews McMeel Publishing LLC, $16.95). It’s simple and it uses another seasonal favorite, cranberries, though the recipe calls for the dried version.

Romaine, Apple and Cranberry Salad

2 sweet-tart apples, such as Pink Lady or Gravenstein, peeled, cored and cut into fine julienne
4 cups (4 ounces) thinly sliced romaine lettuce hearts, plus 6 whole larger heart leaves
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Kosher salt, to taste
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

In a large bowl, combine the apple, slice romaine hearts and cranberries.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar and chives. Pour over the apple mixture and stir gently to coat. Season with salt to taste. Arrange the whole lettuce leaves on a large platter or divide among 6 salad plates. Arrange an equal amount of the apple mixture on top of each lettuce leaf and top each with an equal amount of the pecans.

Wine pairing: Chardonnay

Makes 6 servings.

From “Small Plates, Perfect Wines” by Lori Lyn Narlock

A portobello pizza on the grill

If you’re trying to avoid pizza crust because of too many carbohydrates or too much gluten, there is a solution. Fralo’s Art of Pizza in Leon Springs offers a portobello mushroom pizza that’s not on the menu, but it is available if you know to ask for it.

I tried to make my own version the other night for a quick dinner and found it both easy and delicious, with that almost marrow-like quality of the portobello shining through.

This dish can be an appetizer or a main course with a tossed salad alongside it.

And like any great pizza, you can tailor it to fit your tastes, with everything from green olives to anchovies to ham and pineapple.

Grilled Portobello Pizzas

1 clove garlic, minced
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Tomato sauce
Dried oregano or basil, to taste
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Your choice of toppings
Mozzarella cheese

Light your grill and get it hot. Spray with oil.

Sauté the garlic — and onion or green pepper, if you’re using — in the olive oil.

Portobello pizzas before hitting the grill

Brush the portobello caps on both sides with the oil. Place the caps with the top down on a plate. Sprinkle the garlic on the cap. Cover with a little tomato sauce, about 2 tablespoons, but not enough to make the cap soggy. Add oregano or basil, salt and pepper to taste. Top with onions, pepper, black olives, anchovies, pepperoni or whatever topping you choose. Top with mozzarella cheese (you can use shredded or a deli slice to cover the top).

Turn the grill down to medium-low heat. Place the mushrooms on the grill and close the lid. Let cook for at least 7 minutes so the cheese can melt. When the cheese has melted, remove from the grill and serve.

Makes 2 pizzas.

Adapted from Fralo’s Art of Pizza

Red apples like gala work well with onions.

The combination of onions and apples can’t be beat. So, when I saw this appetizer recipe in the new “Real Simple — Dinner Tonight: Done!” (Real Simple, $24.95), I knew I was going to give it a try. This dish also works as a main course vegetarian meal for one or two.

Caramelized Onion Tarts with Apples

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 red apples (such as Braeburn or Gala), cut into small pieces
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 sheets frozen puff pastry [1 (17.3-ounce) package, thawed
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the apples, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until just tender, 2 minutes.

Place each sheet of pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Spread with the crème fraîche, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with the onion mixture and bake until the pastry is browned and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut each tart into 12 pieces.

Makes 4-6 appetizer services.

From “Real Simple — Dinner Tonight: Done!”

Who doesn’t like pancakes? And who doesn’t like a new way of making them? Nicola Graimes offers a variation in “New Vegetarian Kitchen” (Duncan Baird, $24.95) that combines the tang of buttermilk with sweet and sour dried cherries. These would make a great eye-opener or even a party dessert.

Buttermilk and Sour Cherry Pancakes

Scant 1 1/2 cups flour
A large pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup dried sour cherries
Sunflower oil, for frying
Blueberries and other berries, to serve
Greek yogurt, to serve
Maple syrup, for drizzling

Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir until combined, then make a well in the middle. Add the eggs, buttermilk and milk to the well and gradually work in the dry ingredients, beating to make a smooth, thick batter. Let rest 20 minutes, then stir in the dried cherries.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Heat a little oil over medium heat in a large, nonstick skillet, and wipe away any excess with a acrumpled piece of paper towel. Drop 3 spoonfuls of the batter into the pan, spacing them apart. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles appear  on the surface, then flip over and cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer to an ovenproof plate and keep warm in the oen while you cook the remaining pancakes.

Serve 3 pancakes per person. Top with berries and a generous spoonful of yogurt, then drizzle with maple syrup and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

From “New Vegetarian Kitchen” by Nicola Graimes