140 low spring recipes

Grilled steak and peppers vinaigrette stacks sirloin over butter-braised leeks and tops it with charred Cuban peppers in a Dijon-red wine dressing. A bistro-style three-layer plate.

Orange and spinach pasta salad with bow-tie pasta, fresh orange segments, baby spinach, and scallions, tossed in an Italian dressing spiked with orange juice and fennel. Bright, fresh, and lunchbox-ready.

A hearty healthy barley risotto is cooked with winter vegetables and fresh greens, definitely will bring some refreshing taste into your Thanksgiving dinner and a good appetizer for a start.

Grilled hoisin-marinated pork strips tucked into crisp lettuce cups with rice noodles, crunchy veggies, and a sweet peanut-chile dipping sauce. A fresh, hands-on Thai dinner for a crowd.

Chicken tagine with pine nut couscous braises chicken thighs in a fragrant Moroccan spice blend with dried apricots and prunes, served over couscous scented with lemon zest and toasted pine nuts. A dinner-party-worthy North African main.

Bow-tie pasta in a cheddar-Parmesan cheese sauce with sauteed broccoli, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. A veggie-loaded mac and cheese made from scratch on the stovetop.

Curried chicken and bow tie pasta salad with a homemade curry mayonnaise, tri-color bell peppers, and poached chicken on a bed of fresh spinach. An impressive main-course salad.

A hearty yet wholesome winter soup is made with apple, potato, butternut squash, cheddar and prosciutto, simmered in a mixture of cider, broth and milk. It's creamy, tasty and packed with goodness.

Vibrant asparagus and roasted red pepper soup, creamy with evaporated milk and ready in 30 minutes. A vegetarian, naturally low-fat bowl packed with spring flavor.

Pasta with asparagus gremolata tosses fresh asparagus and reduced chicken broth with an orange-zest, garlic, and parsley gremolata. A bright, low-calorie Italian spring pasta.

Fennel watercress salad tosses paper-thin fennel with peppery watercress and orange segments in a fresh orange-rice vinegar dressing. A bright low-calorie spring side, ready in 15 minutes.

Rhubarb and strawberry compote in a glossy orange juice syrup. Rhubarb simmers first, then fresh strawberries fold in off the heat for a fresh-tasting spring fruit topping. Light, tangy, low-sugar.