Spring Recipe Roundup: 7 Healthy Recipes for the Season

Just as the trees and flowers come alive again in the spring, we’re ready to embrace change in our own lives. As we head into the warmer weather, many of us are focused on getting fit. And eating healthy is an important part of the process.

The spring season is a great time of year to give your diet a tune up and embrace lighter eating. If you’re like me you don’t like cooking anything that takes longer than an hour. That’s why I chose these delicious and nutritious recipes that take under 30 minutes to make! To help you get started, I’ve made a list of recipes from a few of my favorite nutritionists and dietitians:

Dragon Fruit Bowl from Chef Serena Poon

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop organic raw plant-based protein (I use 1 packet of Just Add Water®)

• 1/4 cup organic cashew milk (or other nut mylk)

• 1/2 medium organic avocado 

• 1/2 cup frozen organic mixed berries

• 1/4 cup of organic fresh pink pitaya/Dragon fruit (frozen okay too!)

Ice as needed

**Optional add-in’s: 1 tsp of raw organic lucuma powder; 1 tsp raw organic camu camu

**Optional Toppings: cacao nibs, shredded coconut, fresh berries, bee pollen, raw honey, banana slices, etc.

**Can substitute the avocado for banana for a slightly sweeter option 

Fish Tacos from Melissa Rifkin, MS, RD, CDN

Ingredients:

Fish:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons paprika
* ½ teaspoon red pepper powder
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* ¼ teaspoon salt
* ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 pound white fish- I used cod but you can use tilapia or halibut

Lime crema:
* ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
* 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* ¼ teaspoon salt
Slaw:
* 2 cups purple cabbage, shredded
* ¼ cup cilantro or parsley
* ½ green onion
* 1 clove garlic, minced
Tacos:
* soft taco tortillas
* 1 avocado

Instructions:

1. The fish:  Preheat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, cumin, paprika, red pepper powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Coat the fish with the marinade. Place the fish onto a lined tray and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until internal temperature is 145°. Then break into smaller pieces using a fork.
2. The lime crema: In a small bowl, whisk together all the crema ingredients (greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, and salt).
3. The slaw: In a large bowl, combine all the slaw ingredients (cabbage, cilantro or parsley, green onion, and garlic)
4. Heat the soft tortillas: Heat the soft tortillas in a medium fry pan, careful not to burn, I recently burnt mine!
5. The finale: the tacos: Divide the fish evenly into each taco, top each taco with ¼ cup of slaw and sliced avocados (optional). Pour 1 tablespoon of crema on top

Green Detox Smoothie from Kelly LeVeque, holistic nutritionist and celebrity health coach

Ingredients:

• 1 serving of Be Well by Kelly LeVeque vanilla protein powder or your favorite vanilla protein powder containing 20 to 30 grams of protein
• 1/4 avocado
• 1 to 2 Tbs. chia seeds
• 1/2 to 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1 small Persian cucumber
• 1/4 cup (1/4 oz./7 g) fresh mint leaves
• 1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz./355 ml) unsweetened nut milk
• Ice (optional)

Directions:

In a blender, combine the protein powder, avocado, chia seeds, lemon juice, spinach, cucumber, mint and nut milk. Blend until the desired texture is reached. If desired, add ice and blend again. Serves 1.

Zucchini Pasta Salad from Kimberly Snyder

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large zucchini
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup arugula
• 1 chopped cucumber
• 2 medium chopped shallots
• 1-2 Portobello mushrooms
• ¼ cup basil
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Run your zucchini through a spiralizer. If you do not have a spiralizer, thinly slice into ribbons. Put your noodles in colander and lightly salt. This will help the zucchini let go of its moisture and get a little more soft. Toss to combine and set aside while you make your salad.
2. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (minus the zucchini and salt). Toss to combine and chill for about 10 minutes. Once it’s chilled and you’re ready to eat, combine the zucchini with the chilled ingredients.
3. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tuna Stuffed Bell Peppers from Brittany Mullins

Ingredients:

• bell peppers – orange, yellow or red all work!
• red onion – this adds flavor and a bit of crunch. Feel free to use yellow onion if red onion feels too strong for your taste.
• button mushrooms – feel free to use another type of mushroom if you prefer.
• canned tuna – I typically buy Albacore tuna because you get bigger chunks of meat that aren’t mushy. I really like the Wild Planet brand!
• cherry tomatoes – I love the hint of sweetness and burst of flavor the cherry tomatoes add with every bite.
• kalamata olives – the olives add a nice saltiness and some healthy fats.
• cottage cheese – I like to get Friendship brands no salt added. You could also use Greek yogurt or mayo in place of the cottage cheese.
• fresh lemon juice – I love the bright flavor the lemon juice adds!
• extra virgin olive oil – just a touch!
• dijion mustard – adds so much flavor.  Don’t skip this!
• seasonings and spices – dried parsley, dried oregano, crushed red pepper (optional), sea salt and pepper.

Instructions:

Broil peppers: I like to broil the peppers before stuffing and baking them because I prefer my peppers to be roasted and soft rather than raw and crunchy. If you’d prefer crunchy peppers, feel free to skip the broiling step!

Bake peppers: Place whole peppers on a baking sheet or baking stone and broil for 5-7 minutes, turning once halfway through broiling. Watch the peppers carefully so they don’t completely char. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Make tuna filling: While the peppers cool, make the tuna filling. Sauté the onions and mushrooms in a skillet until soft and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Add the onion mixture to a medium size mixing bowl.

Combine ingredients: Add the tuna, tomatoes, olives, cottage cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, parsley and oregano to the bowl with the onion mixture. Break apart the tuna with a fork and stir all ingredients together. Season to taste with crushed red pepper and black pepper. The mixture shouldn’t need any additional salt.

Stuff peppers and bake: When your peppers are cool enough to handle, cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and membranes. Lay the pepper halves on your baking sheet and fill with the tuna mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. Serve immediately!

Spiced Sweet Potato Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette from Kayla Howey

Ingredients:

for the pickled red onions…

• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt

for the spiced sweet potatoes…

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes (approximately 2 large), cut into fries ¼” thick
• 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed + drained + dried
• ¼ cup olive oil

for the lemon vinaigrette…

• 2 tsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup neutral oil (safflower, grapeseed, etc.)
• kosher salt
• freshly cracked black pepper

for the salad…

• 1 (5 oz) container mixed greens
• 1 small cucumber, very thinly sliced
• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup fresh dill leaves, roughly chopped
• 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add the red onions to a shallow bowl. Combine the red wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and pour the liquid over the red onions. Use a piece of plastic wrap to submerge the onions under the liquid. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. Mix the sesame seeds, smoked paprika, garlic powder, fennel seeds, and salt in a large bowl. Add the sweet potato fries and chickpeas. Pour in the olive oil. Toss really well to coat. Spread the sweet potatoes out on a sheet pan in one, even layer. Spread the chickpeas out on another. Roast for 30-35 minutes until golden. Let cool for a few minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and honey in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive and neutral oils, whisking continuously. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. To assemble the salad, add the greens, cucumber, parsley, dill, feta, pickled red onions, and chickpeas to a large mixing bowl (leave a little bit of the feta, onions, and chickpeas out so you can use them to garnish). Drizzle in almost all of the vinaigrette and toss well.
5. Arrange the salad in a large bowl. Top with the sweet potatoes. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over them. Garnish with the remaining ingredients.

Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Salmon from Marlena Kur

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Atlantic salmon, cut into 4 ounce portions
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 6 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/ 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/ 2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

• STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400º F.
• STEP 2: In a small bowl combine the Dijon mustard, light brown sugar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until smooth.
• STEP 3: Place salmon portions onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Slather each salmon portion generously with the dijon mixture (can be made in advance and refrigerated overnight in a sealed container to marinate). Bake for 12-15 minutes depending on desired doneness.