A healthy way to enjoy bread is to add vegetables and goat cheese, which is a great choice for most people because it’s low in lactose and sodium.

Goat cheese has an intense, slightly tangy flavor, making it the ideal spread for this vegetable flatbread recipe.

Abundant and flavorful at this time of year, asparagus pairs perfectly with goat cheese in this recipe.

Goat cheese is one of the oldest cheeses known. Historians believe humans have been making it for more than 7,000 years.

That’s one of the reasons goat cheese has been a popular component of healthy Mediterranean diets, with deep roots in countries like Spain, where goats were among the first animals that people domesticated.

Literature — also a vital part of culture — has given a special place to goat cheese. In Homer’s Odyssey, a cornerstone of Greek mythology, goat cheese is mentioned as one of the foods stored in large baskets by the one‑eyed giant, the Cyclops. This shows how gastronomy intertwines with other cultural expressions, such as literature.

Inspired by the ancestral tradition of goat cheese and the arrival of spring, Ortiz shares this recipe that brings together asparagus — a true star of spring — with goat cheese, a legendary ingredient that transcends time and place.

‘‘This recipe is packed full of vitamin C. It is high in protein and calcium, but low in calories and sodium. For those who are lactose sensitive, it is a great choice, as it is very low in lactose,’’  said Aarika Ortiz, a chef in Denver for more than 10 years, who specializes in preparing meals for customized dinner parties, hosting cooking classes focused on international cuisine and delivering home-cooked meals.

Give it a try.

Vegetable flatbread

Ingredients:

• 2 small mini-Stones naan flatbreads (or you can purchase a roll-out pizza crust)
• 1/2 cup asparagus, diced into 1″ pieces
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced into 1″ pieces
• 1/4 cup red onion sliced thin
• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
• Fresh arugula to top

Preparation:
Drizzle approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the naan flatbreads. This recipe is intended to make 2 small flatbreads. Top each flatbread with the vegetables and then the mozzarella and goat cheese crumbles. Drizzle with an additional tablespoon of olive oil, and bake according to the mini-Stones naan flatbreads package instructions, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Top with arugula and another drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Garlic olive oil recipe:

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup olive oil

Add the minced garlic to the olive oil and let it sit overnight. Strain the garlic. Drizzle on your favorite dishes.

You can contact Chef Aarika Ortiz by visiting her website, and on Instagram.