Healthy Springtime Recipes
We’re all enjoying Spring vibes right now. The longer days and shorter nights combined with the warmer weather gives us more energy to live our lives to the fullest. I think a big part of this is about enjoying good, nutritious, wholesome food.
With that in mind, I’ve decided to take some of our favourite recipes from our member’s area and share them in this blog post. We’ve got one for each meal of the day, plus my favourite, dessert. Yum!
Breakfast / Brunch
‘Egg in a Hole’ Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 Salad Peppers
- 1 Avocado diced
- 1/2 cup Diced Red Onion
- 1 Jalapeño Pepper minced
- 1/2 cup Fresh Coriander, plus more for garnish
- 2 Tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1 Lime juiced
- 3/4 tsp Salt divided
- 2 tsp Olive Oil divided
- 8 Large Eggs
- 1/4 tsp Ground Pepper divided
Instructions
- Slice tops and bottoms off the peppers and finely dice. Remove and discard seeds and membranes. Slice each pepper into four 1/2-inch-thick rings.
- Combine the diced pepper with avocado, onion, jalapeño, coriander, tomatoes, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 4 pepper rings, then crack 1 egg into the middle of each ring. Season with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until the whites are mostly set but the yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip and cook 1 minute more for runny yolks, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more for firmer yolks. Transfer to serving plates and repeat with the remaining pepper rings and eggs.
- Serve with the avocado salsa and garnish with additional coriander, if desired.
Lunch
Spring Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Garam masala
- 2 x 400 g can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 250 g Ready-to-eat mixed grain pouch
- 250 g Frozen peas
- 2 Lemons, zested and juiced
- 1 Large pack of parsley, leaves roughly chopped
- 1 Large pack mint, leaves roughly chopped
- 250 g Radishes, roughly chopped
- 1 Cucumber, chopped
- Pomegranate seeds, to serve
Instructions
- Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Mix 4 tbsp oil with the garam masala and some seasoning. Toss with the chickpeas in a large roasting tin, then cook for 15 mins until starting to crisp. Tip in the mixed grains, peas and lemon zest. Mix well, then return to the oven for about 10 mins until warmed through.
- Transfer to a large bowl or platter, then toss through the herbs, radishes, cucumber, remaining oil and lemon juice. Season to taste and scatter over the pomegranate seeds. Any leftovers will be good for lunch the next day.
Dinner
Lemon Garlic And Herb Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, chives, rosemary and thyme
- 1 Clove of garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp Lemon zest, grated
- ¼ tsp Red peppered flakes
- ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1¼ pound pork tenderloin
- Salt
- ¼ cup Low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Honey
- ¼ cup Creme fraiche
- 1¼ tsp Thyme leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- In small bowl, combine herbs, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup oil.
- Heat remaining tablespoon oil in large frying pan on medium-high. Season pork with 1 teaspoon salt and cook until browned on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Brush herb mixture over top and sides of pork.
- Add chicken broth and vinegar to skillet, then transfer skillet to oven and roast until pork registers 60°C on instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Return frying pan with liquid to medium-low and whisk in mustard and honey. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes; remove from heat and whisk in crème fraîche and thyme. Serve over sliced pork.
Dessert
Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pound Cake
Equipment
- 1 9-by-5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1½ cups White whole-wheat flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¾ tbsp Unsalted butter, room temp.
- ¾ cup Part-skim ricotta cheese, left to stand at room temperature for a few minutes
- ¾ cups Granulated sugar
- 3 Large eggs, room temp.
- 2 tbsp Lemon zest
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice + 1 tsp, divided
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Fresh blueberries
- 2 tbsp Packed confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated into the mix.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in ricotta, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and vanilla until just combined.
- Sprinkle flour on top, then evenly sprinkle baking powder and salt over the flour.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat until almost combined.
- Add blueberries and gently fold into the batter.
- Transfer to the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake until starting to brown around the edges and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
- Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake, then invert it onto the rack. Carefully turn it right-side up. Let cool completely.
- Clean the bowl, add confectioners' sugar and whisk in the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth.
- Brush the glaze on the cake.
I hope you’ll give these fantastic meals a try this Spring. If you’ve got any awesome Spring recipes of your own, then I’d love you to link us in the comments so we can give them a try.
Davie McConnachie
Davie McConnachie is Scotland’s leading health and wellness coach, multi-award-winning gym owner, motivational speaker, and the founder of DMC Fitness, a fitness education facility known as the premier choice for 1-2-1 personal training. He has inspired thousands of people to fall in love with fitness – his true mission in life.
In his own fitness journey, Davie has athletically competed in Mixed Martial Arts fighting for Scottish and British titles, boxed for Scotland’s top amateur boxing team, and competed internationally in Girevoy (kettlebell) Sport.
Diving into the world of sports and wellness has helped Davie to deal with his own inner demons. He. overcame many dark times using his own unique method to complete his cycle of H.E.A.L.I.N.G.