Eating seasonally means the freshest vegetables and the sweetest fruits. In the springtime, seasonal ingredients like strawberries, rhubarb, basil and broccoli fill the stands of farmers markets and the local grocery store. Bringing these ingredients to the table with beautiful spring recipes makes clean seasonal eating a breeze. (Because we know, sometimes in the winter, its a little too easy to reach for the cheesy comforting casserole or that big bowl of pasta and meatballs). Not only is seasonal food often fresher and better tasting, but its also important for the environment, too. In purchasing local food thats seasonal to your area, you help farms and farmers in your community. In doing so, youre able to focus on a cleaner form of eating overall. From strawberry salads to homemade pestos, youll find some of our favorite clean eating inspiration from the Bobs Red Mill team below! When it comes to spring recipes, healthy eating is not only delicious its easy, too. Lets dive in (fork first). Just make sure to include a glass of iced tea and a lemon wedge for your seasonal eating journey.
Strawberry Basil Farro Salad
When it comes to recipes for spring, this Strawberry Basil Farro Salad is a winner on the late spring dinner table. Made with sweet basil, fresh strawberries and chewy whole grain farro, this dish is both nutritious and delicious. Our Organic Farro is a popular ancient grain and a relative of modern-day wheat. It was a mainstay in the daily diet of ancient Rome, and for good reason! It can be used in soups, salads, casseroles and pilafs and is a good source of iron and plant-based protein. This salad features a dressing of minced shallot, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, poppy seeds and light olive oil. Make it ahead of time and take it on the go, or enjoy it in the evening outdoors when the air is warm. Strawberries flourish during the springtime and are packed with vitamins, fiber and antioxidants known as polyphenols. So if you find you have a lot of springtime strawberries on hand, thats great! You can incorporate them in a variety of other recipes, too, like this Four Layer Millet, Roasted Beet and Strawberry Salad. This salad is as nutritious as it is colorful, and can be served as a side or a main dish. Its vegan, gluten free and beautiful! Its made with Hulled Millet and many of the seasons flavors, like beets, spinach, strawberries, basil and mint. Raw hazelnuts offer an extra boost of energy and the dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, diced shallot, sea salt and black pepper is both light and flavor-filled. For the beets, make sure to coat them with oil, wrap in aluminum foil, place on the baking sheet and roast in the oven until cooked through (about 45 minutes to an hour).
Spring Rhubarb, Herb, and Wheat Berry Salad
It cant get much more clean and seasonally inspired than this vibrant Spring Rhubarb, Herb and Wheat Berry Salad. The salad is made with Hard Red Spring Wheat Berries (or White Wheat Berries), chicken stock, slivered almonds, minced tarragon, minced basil, fresh strawberries, rhubarb stalks, honey, microgreens and queso fresco. The star ingredient, rhubarb, is red in color and is said to aid in digestion and improve bone health and vision. Though its considered a vegetable in other places around the world, in America we consider it a fruit. If you find yourself loving rhubarb like we do, you can incorporate it into everything your salads and even into nutrient-packed pies. At Bobs Red Mill, we use rhubarb for everything from Rhubarb Almond Cake to Rhubarb Tea Cake. (Because we think clean eating in the spring certainly includes the indulgence of dessert every now and again.) In addition to rhubarb, this salad recipe also utilizes another favorite spring ingredient, wheat berries. Organic Hard Red Wheat Berries are high protein dark northern wheat kernels with a nutty flavor. They can be ground into whole grain flour or used in soups, stews and salads! These wheat berries contain protein, fiber and iron, and zero saturated fat. Alongside the rhubarb and other tasty ingredients, the wheat berries help this salad shine as a clean eating recipe to try this spring.
Hemp Pesto
Pesto is a quintessential spring dish that highlights one of the seasons most important ingredients, fresh basil. Pesto is versatile and can be used for pasta, on chicken and as pizza sauce. This recipe for Hemp Pesto is made with fresh basil, Hulled Hemp Seed, grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt and extra virgin olive oil. As one of the reviews mentions, make a double batch of this pesto, freeze in an ice cube tray and bag the pesto cubes in a zippered bag. When youre ready, pop them out of the freezer and mix with pasta or spread on French bread. Brilliant! If youre a basil lover looking for more spring recipes that integrate this wonder herb, check out this recipe for Tomato Basil Lentil Salad. Its fragrant, delicious and easy to throw together when youre short for time. Its made with dried red lentils, chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic cloves, finely grated Parmesan cheese, crumbled feta cheese, salt, black pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Enjoy it as a salad or with homemade corn tortilla chips. This Pearl Couscous with Pesto & Vegetables is another good one for springtime. The pesto is made with walnuts and the couscous incorporates tomatoes and zucchini.
Ensalada De Quinoa
In the springtime, corn and lima beans begin to surface in the farmers markets and grocery stores. This Ensalada De Quinoa is based on a traditional Peruvian dish and is delicious, beautiful and nutritious. Organic Red Quinoa, yellow corn kernels, lima beans, queso fresco, red onion, cilantro, extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, white wine vinegar, salt and black pepper combine for a simple and flavorful lunch or dinner. Serve chilled or at room temperature alongside baked or barbecued chicken for a tasty meal. As for a similar recipe, this 5 IngredientMexican Quinoa from Chef Billy Parisi is equally as yummy. It can be used as a side or main dish and is packed with flavor and protein. Its loaded with peppers, tomatoes, corn, beans and cilantro. This dish tastes good, too, when served with chicken (white fish with a Mexican twist makes for a nice addition also).
Lemony Pearl Couscous with Broccoli and Salmon
Salmon is the perfect springtime meal if youre looking for clean recipe ideas. This Lemony Pearl Couscous with Broccoli and Salmon showcases salmon alongside another spring favorite, broccoli. The recipe calls for traditional pearl couscous, broccoli, salmon, capers, olive oil, lemons, salt and pepper. Try using fresh salmon as opposed to canned for this dish and add some additional spring veggies, like asparagus, if youd like. This is a great recipe to make on Sunday for dinner so you can have leftovers the following day for lunch. After all, part of clean eating in the springtime (and all the time) has to do with being prepared and prepping your meals if you have a busy week ahead. Another tried and true salmon recipe for the season is this Sweet & Spicy Salmon Rub. Its a combination of brown sugar and fragrant spices, and can even be made paleo-friendly (by substituting coconut sugar for the brown sugar). We love the flavors of cayenne, ground ginger and mustard for a clean lunch or dinner dish. Eat this salmon on its own, add it to pasta or serve it alongside roasted spring veggies or a big spinach salad. Whether youre focusing on clean eating in the form of salads, pestos, pizzas or pastas, we hope this guide has led you in the right direction of all things spring and seasonal!Eating seasonally may not only benefit your waistline, but it can help you feel better about your food choices and how they impact the environment and the world overall. Besides, strawberries in the springtime taste much sweeter than strawberries in the winter, dont you agree? In this case, seasonal eating in the spring is a win-win overall!Have any favorite seasonal spring recipes that are both nutritious and tasty, too? Feel free to share your ideas with our community in the comments below. We cant wait to hear what sort of seasonal dishes you enjoy whipping up.From all of us at the Bobs Red Mill team, we wish you a happy and healthy spring season ahead. We have a feeling its going to be great one!Sources:https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/nutritional-benefits-of-the-strawberryhttps://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/rhubarb.htmlhttps://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/why-eat-seasonally