Spring is a time for renewal, rejuvenation, and an array of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. While hearty and heavier winter meals have their time and place, the warmer weather peeking through, means that fresh and light spring produce will be a welcome change with spring recipes.
To help you refresh your diet for the new season, here are 4 spring recipes that you can make for the upcoming months!
1. Charred Asparagus and Dates with Goat Cheese
In this recipe featured in Bon Appétit, you’ll find a euphony of textures. With crisp-tender asparagus and charred dates, creamy goat cheese, crunchy radishes and a citrus flavor note from the added lemon, this makes for a fresh and flavorful dish. Find the full recipe here.
Asparagus
While asparagus is available year-round, it is definitely a spring vegetable favorite. Reaching its prime season in April and May. This is when it’ll be the freshest and most flavorful, making it a popular ingredient in spring recipes.
Not only is it delicious and versatile, but it also comes with many benefits. Asparagus is a great source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and folate. It assists in regulating bowel movement while also acting as a natural diuretic which will help eliminate excess salts from the body. It’s packed with antioxidants which will help with anti-ageing as well and keeps your brain young.
2. Spring Pea Soup with Fresh Herbs
While soups are a great winter food, the emergence of spring doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to them. You just have to switch out the heavier and heartier winter recipes for fresh spring ones.
This dish features peas are the main star, giving the final result a beautiful green that looks as great as it tastes. The fresh herbs and lemon give it a zest that’ll really add to the spring vibes while keeping it light. Find the full recipe here.
Green Peas
Expect to find an abundance of green pea recipes as they come into the season this spring. Contrary to belief, peas are not a vegetable. They are a legume and actually come from the same family as lentils and chickpeas. Peas are a heart-friendly legume that contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It assists in managing cholesterol levels and digestive health.
Like with asparagus, peas are available all year round. They are a popular frozen vegetable staple that you can find in your local grocery store. However, spring is when they hit peak season, so take advantage of them while they’re fresh and flavorful.
3. French Potato Salad
Because it’s spring, we want to stay away from heavier, albeit just as yummy, potato recipes, which makes this French potato salad perfect. It’s a simple yet delicious dish that is light, full of flavor and can be paired as a side dish with so many other meals.
It’s a salad that can be served warm, at room temperature as well as chilled. Not to mention, it’s also vegan so those following a plant-based diet don’t have to miss out on a potato salad favorite. Find the full recipe here.
Potatoes
It’s easy to mistake potatoes for a winter vegetable. Who doesn’t love their rich and creamy mashed potato or comforting potato bakes after all? However, it’s actually in season during spring, reaching its peak between March and June.
Potatoes contain vitamin C, potassium and fiber, meaning that it’s great for supporting our health. Vitamin C helps our bones and skin while potassium maintains our heart, muscles and nervous system. The fiber in potatoes also aids our digestive health.
4. Mango and Strawberry Popsicles
Take advantage of strawberry season and peak sweetness for this recipe. It’s a healthy frozen treat to welcome the sun and warmer weather, that is fun and refreshing. Both adults and children will love this one. Find the full recipe here.
Strawberries
Strawberries hit their peak during the spring. This is when they are their most ripe and flavorful. You want to find ones that are a vibrant red color with a nice green cap. Strawberries are just as nutritious as they are delicious. They are a source of vitamin C and antioxidants, which are beneficial for heart health and managing your blood sugar levels. They are also full of fiber which will help with the friendly bacteria in your gut.