Roasted Beet Hummus

It is funny how eating with the seasons has brought a different set of food emotions into my life.  This is the first year that we tried very hard to eat local seasonal produce obtained mainly through our CSA or the local farmers market.  Winter has been the most challenging time because it has meant building a new repertoire of winter recipes for cooking squashes and root vegetables with which we were none too familiar.  In all honesty, over the last few weeks, I was beginning to get sick of figuring out ways to cook the endless supply of winter butternut squashes, beets, and kale that have made endless appearances on our kitchen table.  Then, suddenly the seasons began to change. A couple of weeks ago the fruit trees in the California Bay Area started flowering, and the farmers at the market have begun to offer the earliest taste of spring vegetables.  Fresh spring greens have started to come in, along with the first spotting of green garlic, peas, and asparagus.  Just like that, a new set of flavors liven up our meals and excite our palates. Ironically, I am now feeling nostalgic for those winter vegetables I know will soon disappear.