Recipes Inspired by Spring!

I know many of you have been counting down the days, and now that we are only 3 sleeps away from Spring Equinox I thought it would be a great time to share some Spring Inspired recipes.

Spring officially arrives this Monday, March 20th (at 5:24pm to be exact)! Now we just need to keep our fingers crossed Mother Nature also hears the news!

As we welcome the new Season filled with growth, including that of our favourite Spring vegetables, I hope you enjoy these Spring inspired recipes as we enjoy the sun setting later.

 

Recipes:

 

Spring Vegetable Soup

Created by: Julia, Happy Foods Tube

This is an easy spring vegetable soup recipe. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this spring soup makes the perfect weeknight dinner or lunch.

 

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil

1 medium onion, finely minced (about 1 cup)

1 large celery stalk, diced (about 1 cup)

2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup heaped)

3 medium potatoes, diced (about 2 cups)

4 cups vegetable stock (1 liter)

½ tsp dried thyme black pepper, to taste

5 ounces frozen peas (1 cup/150 grams)

Optional: small pasta or noodles (you can add angel pasta, or any small-shaped pasta. If you have long-shaped pasta like tagliatelle, you can break these into small pieces and add to soup. Only a handful is needed.)

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, heat the oil and add minced onion and diced celery. Sauté on low-medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

2. Next, add sliced carrot, diced potatoes, stock, thyme and a pinch of black pepper. Stir and cover with a lid. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. After 15 minutes, add peas and pasta (if using) and cook for a further 5-8 minutes. Make sure the pasta and veg is soft before you turn off the heat.

4. Enjoy warm!

 

Spring Radish Salad

Created by: Aube Giroux

Radishes are one of the great joys of spring! This refreshing side salad is quick and easy to prepare, and adds color to your plate.

 

Ingredients:

1 bunch of red radishes, about 1 1/2 cups finely chopped

1/2 bunch of parsley, about 1/2 cup finely chopped

1 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 pinch of pepper

2 pinches of salt

Directions:

1. Wash the radishes and remove the stems and any long roots. Finely cube the radishes into tiny pieces.

2. Wash the parsley and gently shake it or pat it dry. Finely mince the parsley.

3. Place the cubed radishes and minced parsley in a small salad bowl.

4. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss gently.

5. Add the olive oil and toss again.

6. Taste the salad and make adjustments to your liking. (I sometimes add a little bit more lemon juice and salt).

 

Roasted Spring Vegetables

Created By: Sam Hu

Roasted spring vegetables are the side dish of the spring season. This easy sheet pan recipe is packed with all our favourite veggies of the season.

 

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (can use this week’s Yukon gold or sweet potatoes)

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces

½ lb medium asparagus, ends trimmed and halved

5-6 radishes (½ lb), ends trimmed and halved

2 large parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 TBSP fresh garlic, finely chopped

2 TBSP olive oil

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP balsamic vinegar

½ tsp salt (or to taste)

½ tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add potatoes, carrots, asparagus, radishes, parsnips, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and season with Italian seasoning, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine until well coated.

3. Arrange the vegetable mixture in a single layer on a large half sheet baking pan.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until tender and golden brown. Gently shake the sheet pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.

 

Sweet Potato, Kale + Quinoa Spring Rolls

Created By: Alyssa

A light & tasty meal idea!

 

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato diced

2 tsp coconut oil

2 cups kale (can use this week’s baby kale)

1/4 cup cooked quinoa

4 brown rice paper wraps or regular rice papers

Salt + pepper to taste

Optional: add ½ -1 cup of microgreens with the kale

For the dressing:

3 TBSP tahini

3 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp wheat-free tamari

1 tsp miso paste

1 small clove garlic grated

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Water as needed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss sweet potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 - 25 minutes until soft and starting to brown.

2. While sweet potatoes are roasting, toss kale and quinoa with 1 tablespoon of dressing and massage until kale has softened slightly. Set aside.

3. Using a large bowl of warm water, gently dip 1 rice paper at a time. Once the rice papers are a little soft, place them on a clean surface.

4. Lay the kale-quinoa mixture on the center of the paper, then top with some sweet potato. Like a burrito, first fold in both sides, then fold the closest edge to you over the filling and tightly roll away from you. Repeat with remaining rice papers.

5. When ready to serve, slice in half (optional) and dip in the remaining dressing!

 

Recipes are curated by Lauren