3 Spring Recipes to Get You in the Mood for a New Season

Spring is a time for renewal, the ideal moment to start eating healthier and feeling more energetic. To celebrate the arrival of a new season, we have three spring recipes that can help you get back on track after a harsh winter!

The first recipe is a refreshingly light soup that skips cream for a healthier, vegan version. The second recipe is a tasty, juicy salmon with crispy skin, perfect for a dinner party! Finally, a traditional polenta dish with fresh herbs—comfort food to get you right back into spring cooking.

Spring Recipe #1: Vegan Vegetable Soup

The first recipe is a vegan light creamy soup with a delightful spring aroma. Soups come with numerous health benefits, including your daily needs for vitamins, minerals, plant compounds and fiber. This soup especially is packed with fresh vegetables and has a light and refreshing taste. The necessary ingredients for this vegan vegetable soup are: 

• 1 onion;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 3 carrots; 
• 1 zucchini; 
• 3 potatos; 
• ½ teaspoon of thyme; 
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms;
• 4 cups of vegetable broth;
• 2 tablespoons coconut cream;
• salt and pepper.

To prepare the soup:

1. Start by chopping the onion and garlic.
2. Peel and chop the carrot and zucchini.
3. Peel and chop the potato.
4. Add all of the vegetables to a pot.
5. Chop the shiitake mushrooms and add them to the mixture.
6. Add the vegetable broth to cover all of the vegetables in their entirety.
7. Bring everything to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft enough to easily be mashed with a fork. If you want your soup creamier, add 2 tablespoons of coconut cream to the soup before turning off the heat.
8. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Spring Recipe #2: Salmon with Crispy Skin

The following recipe is for salmon with crispy skin. Salmon is known to have fantastic health benefits, including being one of the best sources of vitamin B12. Salmon also has great amounts of vitamin D and potassium and is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. 

This salmon with crispy skin recipe is perfect for spring because it uses fresh, healthy ingredients and is quick and easy to prepare. The necessary ingredients for this recipe are: 

• 1 pound of salmon filets;
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
• salt and pepper to taste; 
• 1 lemon.

To prepare the salmon:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. 
3. Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper. 
4. Place the salmon skin-side down on the baking sheet. 
5. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the salmon. 
6. Bake the salmon for 10 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue cooking for about 7-10 minutes, until it’s crispy on the outside but still rosy on the inside.

Spring Recipe #3: Polenta with Fresh Herbs

The final recipe is a classic polenta dish with fresh herbs. Polenta is a great gluten-free food with many benefits for your health, including being a great source of fiber, vitamin A and essential minerals: iron, magnesium and zinc. Polenta dish with fresh herbs is the perfect spring dish because it uses healthy seasonal ingredients and has a light and refreshing flavor; plus, it is easy to make! The necessary ingredients for this recipe are: 

• 1 cup of cornmeal;
• 4 cups of vegetable broth;
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil;
• salt and pepper to taste;
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped.

To prepare the polenta:

1. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. 
2. Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the cornmeal, constantly whisking to prevent lumps from forming. 
3. Cook for 10 minutes or until the polenta becomes thick. 
4. Once the polenta is thick, add olive oil and parsley. 
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

A Parting Reminder

Springtime is the perfect time to experiment with new recipes. Something about the spring makes cooking and eating fresh food so much more enjoyable, so experiment with different ingredients and flavors to create your unique dishes. With these recipes, you’ll be able to enjoy all that spring has to offer!