After the cold and dreary days of winter, it’s always such a joy when the days begin to lengthen and spring arrives.

The meals we enjoy during the wintertime are often carbheavy and precisely what we crave as comfort food. These recipes feature fresh spring veggies and showcase my personal favorite: asparagus.

PESTO & ASPARAGUS PIZZA with GARLIC and HERB BOURSIN CHEESE

Instead of the expected tomato pizza sauce, I used a store-bought pesto. I also recommend ready-made balls of pizza dough. That is a huge timesaver, and the texture of the baked crust is tender but chewy. Boursin cheese is similar to cream cheese but comes in a variety of flavors. It’s creamy but crumbly, which makes it easy to top the pizza evenly.

• 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough or a store-bought crust

• 3 ounces pesto

• 1 pound asparagus spears, trim the ends and halve the stalks lengthwise

• ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

• 5.2 ounces garlic herb Boursin cheese

• Arugula for topping

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine the olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl. Place the asparagus and tomatoes in the oil and toss to coat. Carefully spread out the pizza dough or place the storebought crust on the pizza pan.

Using the back of a spoon, spread the pesto evenly on the crust. Place the asparagus spears onto the crust in a circular pattern and place the tomatoes in between the asparagus spears. Brush the remaining seasoned oil over the asparagus and tomatoes.

Add the crumbled Boursin cheese. Bake for about 20-22 minutes until the crust is browned. Remove from the oven and place arugula in the center of the pizza. Let rest a few minutes before slicing.