3 springtime recipes to tickle your taste buds

As the weather warms up here are 3 ideal springtime recipes that are easy to make, delicious to serve, and a delight to eat!

Spinach is rich in folate, a B vitamin with anti-carcinogenic properties, and lutein, a carotenoid that helps prevent macular degeneration. Here, the spinach is served with a light sauce lifted with fat-free cream cheese.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 11 minutes

Ingredients:

• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 125 ml (1/2 c.) chicken or vegetable stock
• 300g (1 1/3 c.) baby spinach
• 60 g (4 tbsp.) fat-free cream cheese
• 50 g (1/4 c.) Romano cheese, grated
• 2 g (1/2 tsp.) nutmeg, grated

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Brown the onions for about five minutes. Add the stock and cook for one minute.
2. Add the spinach and cook for a further three minutes, stirring, until wilted.
3. Add the cream cheese and romano cheese, and cook, continuing to stir, for three minutes or until smooth.

Nutritional value: 178 calories, 7 g protein, 14 g carbs, 5 g fibre, 12 g fat (total),  4 g saturated fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 328 mg sodium.

Rich in fibre and protein, quinoa has a nutty flavour and a light, creamy texture. It can be used as a substitute for white rice in many dishes, and it cooks in half the time of brown rice. This dish is best served with spring vegetables, at the time of the year when they are at their freshest.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200-250 g (1 c.) quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 g (1/2 tsp.) salt
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) olive oil
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 125 ml (1/2 c.) chicken or vegetable stock
• 450 g (1 3/4 c.) asparagus, cut into 5 cm (2 in.) pieces
• 200-250 g (1 c.) fresh or frozen green peas, thawed

Method:

1. Bring 500 ml (two cups) water to the boil in a small saucepan containing the quinoa and salt. Turn down to a low heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
2. In the meantime, heat the oil over a medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Brown the onion in the oil for four minutes. Add the stock, asparagus and peas and cook for five minutes or until the vegetables are still a slightly crunchy.
3. Stir in the quinoa.

Nutritional value: 171 calories, 8 g protein, 28 g carbs, 5 g fibre, 4 g fat (total), 1g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 262 mg sodium.

Fresh and tasty, this salad is made with fruits high in antioxidants, with an added zing from ginger and lime. In addition, banana and cantaloupe are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps to lower blood pressure.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Makes: 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 250 ml (1 c.) fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 5 g (1 tsp.) lime zest, grated
• 2 red grapefruits
• 2 kiwis, peeled, cut into thin slices
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1 small cantaloupe or a large papaya, seeded, cut into pieces
• 30 g (2 tbsp.) crystallized ginger

Method:

1. Mix the yogurt and lime zest in a small bowl.
2. Cut the grapefruit into pieces over a large bowl in order not to lose the juice, and mix the pieces and juice.
3. Add the kiwis, bananas, cantaloupe and ginger. Stir.
4. Serve in six individual bowls and garnish each with 22 ml (one and a half tbsp.) of the yogurt mixture.

Nutritional value: 164 calories, 4 g protein, 37 g carbs: 7 g fibre: 1 g fat (total), 1g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 39 mg sodium.

With the arrival of the warmer weather, nothing is more satisfying than making – and enjoying – healthy, delicious meals from the fruits of the spring harvest. Why not take advantage of the milder temperatures to pick up some veggies from your local markets.