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Spring (& love) is in the air bringing long-awaited fruits and vegetables to market, including fresh garden peas. And there’s no more appropriate time to celebrate the English pea than on the eve of the British royal wedding. Although two billion+ of us are not admitting that we will set our alarms and our DVRs if for no other reason than to watch Matt Lauer belabor the difference between tulle and organza, we will tune in to see the pageantry, the romance, and the fashion to witness another where-were-you-then moment in television history.

For now, let’s cook an easy royal side dish – we’ll call it Prince Harry.

In my venture to eat more real food and fewer processed foods, I shelled and cooked fresh peas that I picked up from the farmer’s market just in time for Easter lunch. Peas, although considered a cooking vegetable, are legumes, so you get all the nutrients of vegetables packed into a bite of fiber.

English peas sometimes called garden peas or green peas have inedible pods and therefore must be shelled. The shelling process was easy and rather therapeutic; you could shell an imperial bushel while watching wedding coverage. Sugar snap peas, on the other hand, are eaten whole or shelled. The peas we usually eat fresh because they are quick to cook and to the table – snow peas.

We heightened the already sweet, garden flavor of the English peas with fresh mint and spring onions. I prepped the ingredients and them aside until I was ready to serve. Because this recipe comes together in a snap, you prepare it just before eating. You could also shell earlier in the day or even the night before and saute later. Yep, I’m gonna say it – easy peasy, and bursting of spring.

Now that I’m hooked on fresh peas, will you share some of your favorite ways to prepare peas at your home, pretty peas?