Spring is the time for fresh, flavorful eating. Savor the tastes of the season with these easy and healthy spring recipes that show off nature’s bounty!
With an abundance of fresh ingredients hitting their peak, there are so many nutritious and delicious meals that you can make in the spring. From healthy dinners your family will love to tasty sides, breakfast recipes worth waking up for, shareable snacks and some show-stopping desserts that won’t sacrifice nutrition, this list of our favorite spring recipes is sure to inspire you to enjoy the bounty of the season.
With our favorites at your fingertips, what will you be cooking up this spring?
Pasta meals are so filling that they satisfy even the biggest appetites. This Healthy Lemon Salmon Pasta recipe features salmon, a lean protein, along with one of spring’s most popular vegetables: asparagus. A tasty sauce made with lemons, basil, garlic and olive oil gives the fish, veggies and noodles a bright flavor.
Rhubarb is sometimes known as “pie plant” because the tangy stalks are a common ingredient in spring pastries, often paired with another seasonal favorite: strawberries. We bring them together in a light and moist Strawberry Rhubarb Upside Down Cake recipe made with whole wheat flour, eggs, butter and nonfat plain Greek yogurt. The cake goes into the oven upside down and when it’s done, you flip it so the blend of rhubarb and berries becomes the sweet topping.
Here’s a light side dish that features fresh spring vegetables, including peas, watercress and asparagus. They’re blended with your choice of pasta, such as rotini or penne, and it’s all bathed in a lightly tart lemon dressing. This Simple Spring Green Pasta Salad recipe is so easy, you can serve it on a weeknight. You will also be proud to bring it to any gathering of friends or family.
If carrots are one of your family’s go-to vegetables, this fresh preparation is sure to become a favorite. The orange roots are roasted in the air fryer, which brings out their natural sweetness as it tenderizes them. Add a little parmesan cheese for a bit of salty, savory flavor, then spice this Air Fryer Roasted Parmesan Carrots recipe with herbs, cayenne pepper, garlic powder or any other seasonings you like.
The closest you can get to a taste of a spring day just might be this luscious Easy Lemon Meringue Pie recipe. Each bite treats you to sunny lemon filling and puffy clouds of meringue on top of the sweet graham cracker crust. With this simple recipe, you can whip up the pie for a party or anytime you want a diet-friendly treat.
Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious and satisfying. This One-Pan Lemon Chicken Rice Skillet recipe is a complete meal, featuring chicken breast, brown rice and zucchini or any other vegetable you and your family like. It all cooks together in a single skillet and comes out fork-tender and full of flavor.
There are many ways to enjoy asparagus when it’s in season, but we believe that cooking the spears in the air fryer brings out the best in them. All you do is toss them in a little olive oil with garlic and pepper, then heat them for 10 minutes in the air fryer. The asparagus stays firm but tender and juicy, with a lightly sweet flavor. Top this Air Fryer Asparagus recipe with a little grated parmesan cheese for a hint of salty taste.
Turkey or chicken sausage have all the flavor of standard varieties, but much less fat and fewer calories. They’re perfect for this Spring Sausage and Herb Pasta recipe, paired with your favorite shape of whole wheat pasta, fresh spring peas, herbs and a rich lemon-butter sauce. Make the meal even more filling and nutritious by adding your choice of non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, tomatoes or summer squash.
If you want to bring out an eye-catching dessert at your next dinner party, this Easy Lemon Berry Trifle recipe will spark lots of oohs and aahs. It’s made by alternating layers of fluffy angel food cake (try our Healthy Angel Food Cake recipe! >), berries, low-sugar lemon Greek yogurt and light whipped cream. Because it’s made with healthy ingredients, you can dig in guilt free.
Frittatas are light yet filling meals that are ideal for warm spring days. This Spring Asparagus Frittata recipe features Swiss and parmesan cheeses along with seasonal vegetables like shallots, spinach and asparagus. You can serve this for an impressive weekend brunch or make it for yourself and keep the extra servings in your refrigerator for quick and healthy breakfasts or lunches all week.
Lamb is a spring holiday tradition for many families, and it can be a healthy choice when you’re trying to lose weight. It’s high in protein and heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids, and it’s loaded with flavor. We marinate the classic rack of lamb and season it with lots of fresh herbs in this Air Fryer Rack of Lamb recipe. Cooking it in the air fryer keeps it juicy and tender yet it’s ready in less than 30 minutes.
Get the party started with this warm and cheesy Baked Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It’s made with two tasty spring vegetables blended with parmesan, mozzarella and cream cheeses. Serve the dip with carrot and celery sticks, whole wheat pita bread or whole grain crackers.
Quiche, a kind of savory pie, can be a filling breakfast or lunch. Like the classic version, we make this Ham and Spinach Quiche with eggs and lots of Swiss cheese, along with low-fat ham and fresh spinach. It’s all baked until the filling is firm and the whole wheat crust is crisp. Each slice is a balanced serving of SmartCarbs and PowerFuels, all in one dish.
Muffins are sweet and fun to eat, but the ones that come from bakeries and coffee shops usually are loaded with fats and sugar. Our Healthy Blueberry Muffin recipe is moist, fluffy and crumbly, and has the lightly tart taste of blueberries. We make these muffins with healthy ingredients like whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt, so you can enjoy one for breakfast or snack time without derailing progress to your weight loss goal.
A healthy meal can be delicious and sophisticated, yet simple to make. This Shrimp Pasta With Garlic Asparagus recipe, for instance, has tender and juicy shrimp sauteed with asparagus, garlic, and lemon juice and lemon zest, then served over pasta. It’s a complete meal that’s not too heavy for a warm day but still hearty enough to satisfy any appetite.
Spring is prime time for radishes at farmers markets and grocery stores, and in gardens. We like to use their lightly spicy flavor to put a little zip in this Creamy Radish Feta Dip. The red roots are blended with feta cheese, sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, and herbs to make a zesty partner for dipping fresh vegetables or whole grain crackers.
Quinoa, the high-protein grain, makes a hearty foundation for this easy spring salad. It features creamy feta cheese, crunchy walnuts and fresh parsley. An easy homemade vinaigrette dressing flavored with basil and shallots ties it all together. You can make this Spring Quinoa Salad with Basil Vinaigrette recipe into a satisfying meal by adding grilled chicken or salmon.
Treat yourself to the naturally sweet taste of beets with this simple Spring Beet Orzo Risotto recipe. The roots are roasted to tenderize them and then pureed before mixing with orzo, the rice-shaped pasta. Creamy goat cheese is added for its tangy flavor, while toasted almonds give the dish a bit of crunch and a hint of salty taste.
We understand that it’s hard to resist the iced lemon loaf at the popular coffee shop chain, so we came up with a version that tastes just as good but has healthy ingredients. Our Iced Lemon Loaf Cake recipe is moist and sweet, with a rich lemony icing, just like the store-bought cake. But it is so nutritious you can enjoy it for breakfast.
The creamy texture and mild taste of avocados make them a healthy base for a simple pasta sauce you don’t have to cook. To make this Creamy Avocado Pasta recipe, you just put the avocados in the blender with basil, garlic and lemon juice. The smooth sauce is tossed with whole wheat spaghetti, cherry tomatoes and asparagus tips, or you can use any non-starchy vegetables you like, such as mushrooms, bell peppers and summer squash.
This Mixed Triple Berry Scone recipe can be the highlight of an elegant brunch or just a healthy companion for your morning coffee or tea. We make them with whole wheat flour to provide lots of fiber. A combination of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries add color and natural sweetness. If any scones are leftover, store them in the freezer and pull one out whenever you’re ready for a tasty start to your day.
You don’t need a special occasion to whip up this flavorful and filling breakfast. The smoked salmon provides a salty, savory contrast to the creamy eggs and cottage cheese, with spinach and scallions adding color and nutrients. Best of all, this Simple Smoked Salmon and Spinach Frittata recipe is easy to make even if you’re an inexperienced cook.
We’ve put together this complete dinner that’s perfect for sharing. It starts with tender and juicy lamb chops, a perfect portion of protein, which are topped with a flavor-boosting garlic mint sauce. Spinach sauteed with garlic and mashed sweet potatoes round out the meal. Whip up this Garlic and Mint Lamb Chops recipe for a hearty main course that’s perfect for spring!
Roasting softens both the texture and taste of these two spring vegetables, allowing their natural sweetness to come out. To make this Roasted Radishes and Brussels Sprouts recipe, you need only a little olive oil, pepper, garlic powder and a half hour in the oven to be transformed into a side dish you can enjoy with your favorite chicken or seafood entrée.
Sweet strawberries and tangy rhubarb bring out the best in each other. You can enjoy them in this super-easy Skinny Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble recipe that also features the flavors of cinnamon and maple syrup. Almond flour and real oats keep the calories down and the nutrition up.
This Easy Cheddar Scones recipe is buttery and crumbly. We give it a savory flavor with cheddar cheese, spinach and green onions. They bake for about 20 minutes in the oven and come out golden-brown on the outside, yet warm and soft inside. For even more flavor, top them with salsa, an unlimited Free Food when you’re on a Nutrisystem weight loss plan.
Carrot cake usually just sounds healthy but is loaded with empty calories. Our version is made with freshly grated carrots and crisp walnuts, it’s seasoned with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg, and it’s topped with rich maple icing. We use Greek yogurt and applesauce to ensure this Healthy Homemade Carrot Cake recipe is moist and lightly sweet. Now here’s the best part: each serving has less than 150 calories, so you can enjoy it while you’re losing weight.
This Leek Mushroom Quiche recipe is bursting with the flavors of spring, thanks to leeks (a mild relative of onions), mushrooms and fresh goat cheese. They’re blended with eggs and milk to make the creamy filling. The simple quinoa crust provides a crisp, protein-rich base for each slice.
Break up your same-old, same-old vegetable routine with this simple and savory Roasted Rosemary Beets and Carrots recipe. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of beets and carrots, while making them perfectly tender. We add a little red onion and rosemary to pump up the flavor.
You can have pie for lunch when you make this easy Crustless Spinach Feta Pie recipe. Along with the spinach and feta, it includes eggs, cream cheese and asiago cheese, so you get lots of protein. There’s no crust, so the pie comes together in just a few simple steps and is ready to eat in under an hour.
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