30+Spring Recipes

Spring has always been my favorite time of year.  Nature seems to wake up after the winter sleep.  Green shoots push through the ground and the snow begins to melt.  I know we’re looking forward to spring,  and I’ve trying some new healthy recipes. What about you?  If eating healthier is on your to-do list this year, I’ve got some easy ways to incorporate healthy foods into your diet without sacrificing taste or spending hours in the kitchen.

Necessities for Healthy Eating

Whole Grains

Rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, whole grains can lower the risk of age-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.  Fiber helps keep hunger and blood sugar in check, aiding in weight management by making you feel fuller faster.

Photo via Comfort Spring

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries are rich in antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins, which have been shown to slow the growth of certain cancers as well as improve brain function, muscle tone, and balance. When they are not-in-season, keep bags of berries in the freezer for year-round taste and health.

Photo via Comfort Spring

Greens

Greens contain folate, calcium, and other nutrients that support bone health, protect against cognitive decline and help prevent age-related eye problems.

Photo via Comfort Spring

Tomatoes

Certain red fruits — including tomatoes — contain lycopene, an antioxidant compound that helps maintain youthful skin texture and may reduce the risk of some cancer types.

Photo via Comfort Spring

Nuts

Varieties such as almonds and walnuts contain a generous helping of healthy fats, vitamins, and protein that benefit cardiovascular and brain health.

Photo via Comfort Spring

Other beneficial foods include olive oil, red grapes, fish, certain teas and herbs, and spices.  In the next few months, crisp asparagus, tender greens, vibrant spring peas, crunchy fennel, earthy spring mushrooms, spring onions, new potatoes, artichokes, tarragon, dill, strawberries and rhubarb… all will be coming into their peak of flavor. Let’s look at recipes to enjoy all that spring has to offer.

Breakfast & Brunch

I’m a big fan of sheet pan meals. For example, Skinny Taste has a beautiful and luscious sheet pan breakfast of whole grain pancakes and mixed fresh berries with yogurt.   This breakfast/brunch screams spring!

Photo via Skinny Taste

Let’s not forget my French toast with fruit for a wonderful breakfast or brunch that includes fruit of the season.

Photo via Comfort Spring

As the weather warms, a tasty homemade smoothie is perfect.  Antioxidant Berry Delight Smoothie  is just one of many  smoothie treats you can have for your early morning meal or lunch.

Photo Comfort Spring

You can’t talk about spring food without the ever popular egg.  BBCFood has a great spring breakfast, brunch or even lunch with Curried Broccoli and Boiled Eggs on Toast.

Photo BBCFood

This Dairy-Free Granola Trifle from My Big Fat Happy Life sounds decadent, but it’s actually a healthy meal you could enjoy for breakfast or anytime of the day.

Photo My Big Fat Happy Life

Personally, I can eat breakfast food all day long.  Quiche is a perfect example of a breakfast dish that makes a perfect meat-free meal in the evening.  My Asparagus & Tomato Quiche For Easter Brunch welcomes spring with great taste.

Photo Comfort Spring

Salads

Like eggs, salads can be made so many ways for taste and fun.  Savory Salad with Grilled Asparagus starts with bright green spring asparagus, add fresh baby lettuces, mushrooms, and tomatoes.  Top with a lemon vinaigrette.

Photo Comfort Spring

Denver Omelet Salad is perfect for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or even a light dinner. Start with baby spinach and add tomatoes, eggs, ham, and whatever veggies you like in an omelet.

Photo Taste of Home

 Feast at Home’s   Spring Tabouli Salad with Quinoa and Asparagus  is filled with spring veggies, infused with fresh dill, lemon, sliced almonds and crumbly goat or feta (optional). A healthy, flavorful lunch or side dish that can be made ahead.

Photo Feast at Home

Over at BBCFood, they celebrated with a Spring Celebration Salad with new potatoes, boiled eggs, asparagus, and peas.

Photo BBC Food

Take advantage of the multiple varieties of fresh, vibrant peas this spring when prepping Food Network’s Spring Vegetable Salad with Horseradish and Lemon Vinaigrette.  This is a quick-fix salad which is finished with fragrant herbs.

Photo Food Network

Remember spring strawberries (one of my favorites) with asparagus in  Tasty Asparagus & Strawberry Spring Salad?

Photo Comfort Spring

Greek Farro & Chickpea Salad is a hearty salad filled with greens, whole grains, and great Greek flavor.

Photo Cookie and Kate

White Bean and Veggie Salad, a meatless main-dish salad, combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.

Photo Eating Well

Bright carrots and radishes pop in Radish, Carrot & Cilantro Salad, a citrusy salad.

Photo Taste of Home

Main Dish

The perfect meal can be a simple or not-so-simple sandwich.  A Couple Cooks make the perfect egg salad with radishes that spice up the egg salad formula with a bit of crunch and some peppery flavor. Add fresh herbs and you’ve elevated egg salad to an art.

Photo A Couple Cooks

Another hearty, meatless meal is Pantry Grain Bowl.  Start with a hearty base of grains or cooked root vegetables or a mix of both. Add a generous serving of greens or other vegetables, cooked or raw, and a protein of some kind, anything from tempeh to a hard-cooked egg to chicken, lentils, black beans or a scoop of tasty hummus.  Add hummus or a homemade dressing and you’ve got a tasty meal.

Photo Food Network

For all the meat lovers Woman’s Day’s Moroccan Chicken Bowl will blow your mind.  Sweet and savory chicken in a bowl of greens and veggies.

Photo Woman’s Day

For an easy meal, try One Pan Parmesan Pork with Asparagus. Yummy and only one pan to wash!

Photo Taste and See

When I saw the photo of Pea Pesto Pasta With Brown Butter Scallops, it called to me.  Cozy Kitchen outdid herself with this recipe.

Photo Cozy Kitchen

Sheet Pan Salmon and Asparagus looks impressive but is easy and oh so tasty. This Keto recipe from Keto Cooking Wins should be on your menu soon.

Photo Keto Cooking Wins

Harissa Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner from Taste and See is an easy and flavorful chicken dinner that cooks hands-free in 20 minutes and has fabulous spicy flavor.

Photo Taste and See

For a gourmet meal, try Bon Appetit’s Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus, Peas, and Morels.  Doesn’t it look heavenly?  What makes it perfect?  No knead dough of course.

Photo Bon Appetit

Spring leeks and kale marry with gruyere and mascarpone making the perfect balance of decadent and wholesome in Savory Leek and Kale Galette.  

Photo Feasting at Home

Skirt Steak, Baby Bok Choy, and Zucchini Stir Fry is a quick stir-fry filled with great tastes. This stir fry has the additional flavors of carrots, scallions, garlic and ginger finished with a delicious sauce that has the perfect balance of savory, sweet, sour and spicy.

Photo Skinny Taste

 

Appetizers & Treats

Last year I did a round-up of  20+ Spring Appetizers which includes variations on deviled eggs.  Dishes with bright colors and flavors of fresh spring veggies and fruit are the star of spring tables.  Today I’ll include a few more finger foods and suggest you read that post for more ideas. For several years, I have tried making healthier appetizers and treats for spring get-togethers. Of course, this isn’t the time for a big get-together, but even small famlies love treats and great taste.

Photo Comfort Spring

Spring is a great time to enjoy the fresh produce of the season and also to pickle some for future enjoyment.  Let’s start with fresh spring asparagus quickly made into a wonderful pickled finger food, Homemade Pickled Asparagus .

Photo Comfort Spring

All the spring veggies demand a beautiful soup like Spring Minestrone from Good Housekeeping.

Photo Good Housekeeping

Carmelized carrot and onion tart is a pleasure to eat with its great flavor.

Photo Delish

Transform store-bought pizza dough into a party-perfect appetizer adorned with tangy goat cheese and whisper-thin strips of asparagus and potato:  Asparagus and Potato Flatbread.

Photo Martha Stewart

When I think of spring, I think of bright fresh fruit.  A perfect spring dessert is an easy fruit tart from Delish.

Photo Delish

If you’re making a spring-time trifle, it really should be filled with strawberries and lemon. Not only is it pretty and light, but Lemon Strawberry Trifle is also vibrant and delicious.

Photo Mom On Timeout

Spring is in the air and I hope you make use of the delicious produce and pretty decorations to make some delicious and healthy home cooked meals for your family.  My goal was to inspire you to try something new. As always, if a recipe has something you don’t like, substitute. If it is too bland or spicy, adjust the seasoning. Make recipes your own and enjoy the season.

This post was featured at:

If you liked this post, you might like:

Photo Comfort Spring

Photo Comfort Spring

Thanks for the visit. Get exclusive free printables & all the news straight to your mailbox!

Please see my Link Parties page listing where I shared this post.