15 Delicious Ways to Eat Healthy This Spring
It may sound counterintuitive, but as someone who writes about food and develops recipes for a living, I often have a really hard time deciding what to cook and eat. I spend so much time thinking about and handling food that when it actually gets to be mealtime…I'm sick of everything. Something that helps to counter my chronic food fatigue is making an effort to eat as seasonally as possible. I'm much more likely to get excited about a food when I only eat it for a few months of the year, as opposed to just eating everything year-round. Plus, in-season produce usually tastes better, and it's probably better for you.
"If you’re eating a tomato on your salad in February it most likely wasn’t grown in your backyard or by a local farmer," Jessica Beacom, R.D., cofounder of The Real Food Dietitians tells SELF. Rather, it was probably imported to a distribution center near you, "where it may have been force-ripened using ethylene gas before being trucked to your local supermarket." Here's why that's bad: "A tomato picked before it has been allowed to naturally ripen in the sun on a living plant is far less tasty than one you grow yourself or pick up at the farmers’ market," says Beacom. And, she adds that the longer a vegetable or fruit sits on the shelves, the lower its nutritional value. When a food ripens or matures for too long, it loses valuable vitamins and minerals.
Whether you're trying to add more seasonal produce to your diet, or you just want to shake up your routine with some fun new recipes, here are some (pretty seasonal) recipes I love, that you should totally try in April.
https://www.loveandlemons.com/1Spring Onion Frittata From Love and Lemons
If you like onions, shallots, and scallions—alliums, for those of you produce nerds out there—you should definitely spend the next few months eating spring onions. And, if you're lucky enough to find ramps, you would be crazy not to buy a bunch. They'd work great in this recipe instead of the spring onions. Get the recipe here.
Jessica Merchant / http://www.howsweeteats.com/2Asparagus Potato Salad With Hot Bacon Dressing from How Sweet It Is
Did you know that instead of using olive oil in a vinaigrette, you can use bacon grease? YUP. Try it once, and it'll change the way you think about salad forever. Get the recipe here.
https://www.scalingbackblog.com/3Fava Bean and Greens Pasta from Scaling Back
No doubt about it, fava beans are a pain. You have to shell them and blanch them, and then they need a little dressing up, since they're pretty bland on their own. But, done right, they're such a great addition to pastas, stir-fries, or egg dishes. Every spring, they find their way into my kitchen at least once. This year, it's in the form of this simple, fresh-flavored weeknight pasta. Get the recipe here.
Lindsay Ostrom / http://pinchofyum.com/4Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep Magic Bowls from Pinch of Yum
Honestly, I eat a lot of salads for lunch—they're easy to prep ahead of time, easy to pack, and you can literally put anything you want inside. Some weeks I feel like switching things up, though, and these bowls are a great alternative for weeks when you feel like something hearty and warm. I halved the recipe, which serves eight, and topped the bowls with avocado twice and hummus the other two times. Get the recipe here.
Jeanine Donofrio / https://www.loveandlemons.com/5Roasted Artichoke Avocado Toast from Love and Lemons
Pretty sure this makes me a horrible "food person," but I'm not crazy about avocado toast (so much avocado), artichokes (so much work), or radishes (so bitter/spicy). … That said, last week I had artichokes, radishes, dill, and half of an avocado in my fridge after developing a bunch of spring recipes, so I basically had no choice but to make this for dinner. And, guys, it was great. There's less avocado than in most versions, just a quarter of a small avocado per slice of bread. The radishes add a good crunch without being super overpowering, if you slice them thin enough. And artichoke-dill combo really works. Get the recipe here.
6Savory Herb French Toast from Spoon Fork Bacon
Before you raise your eyebrows, remember that french toast is essentially just break soaked in eggs and milk (or cream, if you're feelin' that), which means it can totally swing savory. It's great with toppings like blistered tomatoes or caramelized onions, but herbs and an egg is the quickest, simplest way to go, and the combo doesn't disappoint. Get the recipe here.
Angela Liddon / http://ohsheglows.com/7Oh Em Gee Veggie Burgers from Oh She Glows
I am not a vegetarian. Not even close. But in the name of switching things up and staying up-to-date on the latest trendy cookbooks, I made these burgers one night on a whim. And they were GOOD. Try them for a meatless Monday, or keep them in mind for any vegetarian friends at your summer BBQs, which will be here before you know it. Get the recipe here.
Elizabeth Stark / http://brooklynsupper.com/8One-Pan Parmesan Chicken With Turnips and Asparagus from Brooklyn Supper
This sheet pan dinner is perfect on nights when you want something that feels a little bit special without having to do too much work (so...most nights?). The Parmesan breadcrumbs add a little something extra to the chicken thighs, and the veggie mixture is healthy but not boring. Get the recipe here.
Deb Perelman / https://smittenkitchen.com/9Broccoli Pizza from Smitten Kitchen
Pizza will never be a health food, but a homemade pie with good ingredients makes for a fun dinner that isn't totally not healthy. This is great for a dinner party, since it's not super expensive and you can easily double the recipe as long as you have two sheet trays. Oh, and the key to a vegetable pizza that no one will complain about? Really good cheese. Get the recipe here.
Maria Lichty / http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/10Honey Lime Salmon Tacos from Two Peas and Their Pod
Christine Byrne / Instagram11Marinated Fennel Salad with Spinach, Dried Cherries, and Salmon from BuzzFeed Food
Full disclosure: I wrote this recipe. It was part of last year's BuzzFeed Clean Eating Challenge, and honestly, I've been eating it ever since. Fennel is a great make-ahead salad ingredient, because the longer it sits in dressing, the better it gets. You can use any kind of dried fruit, but I love that cherries are a little bigger than raisins and just as sweet. Get the recipe here.
http://littlespicejar.com12Spring Couscous With Basil Vinaigrette from Little Spice Jar
The best thing about this recipe is that you can serve it as a side dish, then pack a big serving for lunch the next day. Be careful not to overblanch your peas, and don't skimp on the basil vinaigrette. Get the recipe here.
Lindsay Cotter / http://www.cottercrunch.com/13Garden Veggie Buddha Bowls from Cotter Crunch
Every time I've eaten this for lunch, I'm so satisfied by all the variety in the bowl that I forget it's vegan. Get the recipe here.
Bob Deutscher / http://bsinthekitchen.com/beet-arugula-goat-cheese-grilled-cheese/14Beet, Arugula, and Goat Cheese Sandwich from BS In The Kitchen
I get that beets and goat cheese are two very polarizing ingredients, but this sandwich is a good way to get skeptics to try either or both of them. It's the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and it feels just healthy enough. Get the recipe here.
Chungah Ree / http://damndelicious.net/15Easy Spinach and White Bean Soup from Damn Delicious
This simple soup is a great Sunday meal prep option, especially after a particularly indulgent weekend. If you want something a little heartier, you can always throw in shredded chicken before you heat it up for lunch. Get the recipe here.
SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
