Spring is a great time to whip up some light and fresh dishes with all the great produce being in season! As we move into warmer weather and away from the cold, you may be looking to update your go-tos from soups and hearty dishes, to something a little lighter that is packed with lots of in-season produce!
Seasonal Spring Produce Includes:
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Avocadoes
Bananas
Broccoli
Carrots
Herbs
Kale
Kiwi
Lemons
Lettuce
Limes
Mushrooms
Peas
Pineapple
Spinach
Strawberries
Swiss Chard
To help you get back including some fresh seasonal favorites in your fueling routine, I've shared a few of my favorite spring recipes!
Loaded Veggie Egg Bake
This is a great make ahead recipe that you can make ahead of time and enjoy on a busy, early morning.
Ingredients:
12 eggs
⅔ cup of milk or half and half
1 lb of breakfast sausage or other protein, cooked
4 cups of cubed crusty bread, roasted potatoes, or hashbrown potatoes
1 to 2 cups of each of your favorite vegetables (like spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, or spring onions)
1 cup of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning to taste
Directions:
Cover a 9x13 baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray
Fill the pan with bread or potatoes of choice, pre-cooked protein, and vegetables
Pour in 12 whisked eggs with milk, cheese, and season with salt and pepper
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. This allows for the bread or potatoes to soak up the liquid and for the ingredients to develop a really rich flavor
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the bake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the dish
Western Omelette Egg Cups
Quick and easy morning breakfast full of nutrients
Ingredients:
12 eggs (to fill all 12 molds of a standard muffin tin)
1/4C milk
3oz ham, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
¼ cup of shredded cheese
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350F
Heat up skillet with a nonstick cooking spray or ½ TBSP of olive oil
Saute the ham, peppers, and onions for 5 minutes, until they start to get soft
Grease a non-stick muffin tin. Spoon the ham and vegetable mixture evenly into the wells of the muffin tin. Top each well with cheese.
Whisk together the eggs and milk, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs into the muffin tins.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the eggs have set. Let cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days
Build a performance plate by adding toast or a bagel and a side of fruit.
Pineapple Ginger Smoothie
Enjoy this refreshing morning treat loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1 inch piece of ginger that is peeled and minced
½ cup of greek yogurt
1 cup of pineapple juice
⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of ice (if using fresh pineapple)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
Build Your Own Grazing Board
Very customizable and easy to pack for school lunches!
Ingredients:
Pre-sliced salami
1-2 types of cheese (I love using pepper jack and mozzarella pearls!)
2-3 fruits (my go-tos are strawberries, grapes, and apple slices)
2-3 vegetables (I like sliced cucumbers and peppers)
Hummus
Pita bread
Pretzels / pretzel thins (or your favorite crackers)
Directions:
Cut your fruits and vegetables into slices or fun shapes
Put all ingredients in various meal prep containers for an easy grab and go lunch!
Caprese Pasta Salad
Great warm or cold, and easy to pack for school lunch or pre-practice fuel
Ingredients:
Favorite box pasta
Mozzarella cheese pearls
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
Basil leaves and/or arugula
Olive Oil
Italian seasoning
Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions on the box
Slice tomatoes into smaller pieces
Tear basil leaves into several pieces
Combine pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil leaves/ arugula together
Drizzle olive oil and Italian seasoning on top to finish
Shake it all up in a meal prep container to mix flavors together
Chicken Taquitos
A tasty fueling lunch or dinner. Great for adding in extra veggies and protein!
Ingredients:
Tortillas
16oz Ground beef
Bell peppers
Corn
Black beans
Tomato paste
Taco seasoning
Fiesta blend cheese
Directions:
Dice peppers into small pieces
Spray a skillet with cooking spray or olive oil and cook meat until browned
Add the corn, black beans, and peppers to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes (they don’t have to fully cooked through at this point)
Add the taco seasoning and tomato paste and mix to combine
Lay out the tortillas. Put a scoopful of all toppings into a tortilla and roll up ensuring nothing falls out
Place tortillas with the opening facing the bottom of a 9x13 pan or casserole dish (pack them there tightly so that they hold their shape)
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees
Take out of oven, sprinkle with cheese on top, and cook for 2 more minutes to allow the cheese to melt
Enjoy with salsa and guacamole. This recipe is also delicious for leftovers the next day - just re-heat in the microwave!
Loaded Baked Ziti
This high-protein version of a traditional favorite is delicious and great for meal prepping!
Ingredients:
1 box of Ziti noodles
1 lb of ground beef
1 white onion
1 Zucchini
2 Bell Peppers
1lb of mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
4oz Mozzarella cheese
2oz Shaved Parmesan cheese
6oz Spinach
Italian Seasoning
2C Pasta sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cook noodles at dente according to directions on box
Cook ground beef in an oiled skillet over medium heat, add in garlic until fragrant
Dice and chop all vegetables while meat is cooking
Add cut vegetables to the skillet with the meat and Italian seasoning - continue stirring
Add in the pasta sauce and most of the mozzerella cheese to the meat. Stir to combine and add to a casserole dish.
Top with the rest of the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese
Cover with tin foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, uncover and back for 5 more minutes, until the cheese has browned
Recipe adapted from A Paige of Positivity
Strawberries and Chocolate yogurt dip
Ingredients:
Strawberries
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1-2 TBSP of Nutella
Directions:
Combine Greek yogurt and nutella together in a dish
Enjoy with strawberries (or other fruit or graham crackers)
Copycat Wendy’s Frosty
Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
½ TBSP of cocoa powder
¾ cup of chocolate milk
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
¼ cup of cool whip
A dash of vanilla extract
Handful of ice cubes
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth!
Adapted from A Paige of Positivity