Published by

Ellie on 7th April 2021

Springtime is an invigorating season with the flowers beginning to bloom and the sun starting to show again after winter, It is also a great time for delicious, healthy meals. Produce like asparagus, carrots, garlic and lemons are now in season, making for the perfect opportunity to get creative in the kitchen.

We have picked some of our favourite springtime recipes for you to try at home. We hope you love them as much as we do!

These recipes are not only delicious but also offer a wide range of health properties such as anti-inflammatory agents, antioxidants and vitamin B12.  Whether you are cooking for your family at home or want to spread joy by gifting homemade dishes for those you love in isolation, this list of springtime Sunday lunches should get you excited to be in the kitchen!

Spring lamb

This tasty roast lamb with aromatic stuffing from Sweet and Savory Meals is guaranteed to make your mouth water even when it’s still in the oven.

The stuffing of garlic, shallots, thyme, rosemary, and parsley will create a balanced combination of flavours to go with the tender and juicy lamb legs – a perfect healthy indulgence for a Sunday lunch celebration.

© Sweet and Savory Meals

Ingredients (Serves 6)

Stuffing:

• 54g olive oil
• 14ml lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ red bell pepper (diced)
• 8 cloves garlic (minced)
• 129g cashews (finely chopped)
• 1.48g kosher salt
• 0.58g tsp ground black pepper
• 8g dried Italian seasoning
• 28g parsley (chopped)
• 28 grams rosemary (chopped)

Sauce:

• 54g olive oil
• 85g honey
• 28ml lemon juice

And the really good news? This meal boasts a range of health benefits! Lamb is a great source of protein and vitamin B12 which are important for healthy nerve growth, while the caramelised carrots contain beta-carotene and vitamin A that reinforce your body to fight inflammation.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2. Dry the lamb legs gently with paper towels. Rub the meat with salt and pepper on both sides. On a chopping board, gently make a cut halfway down into the leg to make an incision to open up the meat, creating a pocket.

3. Prepare, cut, and mix all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl.

4. In a separate bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients.

5. Lightly grease a 23×30 cm baking dish with olive oil.

6. Scoop the stuffing into the created pockets and lock the opening with toothpicks.

7. Move the legs of lamb into the prepared baking dish and top with the sauce mixture.

8. Distribute whole garlic and carrots in the baking dish evenly with 3 sprigs of rosemary.

9. Roast for about an hour and a half, basting the lamb after 30 minutes and every 15 minutes after that until the meat is cooked and golden brown.

10.  Once cooked, replace rosemary on the dish with remaining fresh rosemary sprigs and chopped parsley as garnish.

11.  Let the meat rest for 15 minutes before serving.

12.  Ready to serve!

Infinitely Adaptable Frittata

This vegetarian recipe from Delish is the ultimate Sunday dish and makes eggs the star of the show! Eaten for either lunch, brunch or dinner, these savoury umami flavours pair nicely with the rich and creamy texture of mozzarella and ricotta any time of the day.

Besides being rich in flavours, this dish is also rich in Vitamin D (To Better Days favourite vitamin!), essential for facilitating the absorption of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are both necessary to build and maintain bones.

© Parker Feierbach

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 4 large eggs
• 40ml heavy cream
• 48g shredded mozzarella 
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 14ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 113g baby bella mushrooms, sliced (or use chestnut mushrooms for even more vitamin d!)
• 32g ricotta
• 45g baby spinach

Already salivating? Well, the best thing about this dish is you can add a multitude of ingredients depending on your desired flavour. Experiment with leafy greens like kale or deep-coloured vegetables like red cabbage to get even more anti-inflammatory combinations.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2. Whisk eggs, heavy cream, and mozzarella together in a bowl, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

3. Heat oil in a large frying pan at a medium temperature.

4. Add shallot and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft.

5. Add mushrooms and cook for another 5 more minutes.

6. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.

7. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Pour egg mixture into the pan then put a round shape of ricotta on top.

9. Move the pan to the oven.

10.  Bake for 12 minutes.

11.  Enjoy!

Lemony spring pasta salad with vegetables and herbs

If you’re vegan and love pasta, this dish by The First Mess is for you. A pasta dish with lemon, mustard, and agave nectar dressing delivers a nice punch. Delicious and easy to make, this dish is also nutritious and contains powerful antioxidants.

© The First Mess

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Lemony dressing:

• 4g finely grated lemon zest
• 30ml fresh lemon juice
• ½ small shallot, chopped
• 4.4g agave nectar/maple syrup
• 2g Dijon mustard
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to your liking
• 60ml neutral-flavoured oil, like avocado

Pasta salad:

• 170g asparagus, trimmed
• 64g shelled green peas, fresh or frozen
• 225g small pasta
• 175g cooked chickpeas, from approximately 1 can, drained & rinsed
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 3-4 radishes, finely sliced into half-moons
• 32g flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

This vibrant dish contains a medley of colourful ingredients like asparagus, green peas, radishes, and legumes like chickpeas, which are full of anti-inflammatory nutrients such as vitamin B12 and magnesium that can help reduce conditions such as lower back pain. But that is not all, the lemon dressing is also rich in vitamin C and citric acid which can help reduce arthritis symptoms.

Instructions

1. For the dressing, blend lemon zest and juice, shallot, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and oil until creamy and well-mixed. Prepare one large bowl and fill it with ice water and set aside for cooked asparagus and peas later on.

2. Boil a large pot of salted water and add chopped asparagus. Boil for 2 minutes or until tender.

3. Add peas into the pot and stir for a few seconds or until bright green.

4. Move the asparagus and peas into ice water until cool off.

5. Bring the water to a boil, add pasta and a pinch of salt.

6. Follow the directions for cooking on the pasta package.

7. Drain and rinse the pasta when done before moving it to a large bowl.

8. Add chickpeas. Pour the dressing you made earlier into the bowl, mix it well.

9. Drain the asparagus and peas, and then add them to the pasta bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

10.  Check the seasoning and add more spices or herbs to your liking.

11.  Bon appetit!

Deviled potatoes with turmeric yolk

This Know Your Produce recipe is a playful take on deviled eggs, a classic springtime, British favourite, and this recipe is also rich in antioxidants!

The soft texture of the red potatoes paired with the creamy and seasoned mayo delivers a harmonious flavour that will keep you coming back for more! Loaded with fiber and nutrients to keep your metabolism going, this special potato-based dish has it all.

© Know Your Produce

Ingredients (Serves 3)

• 1 dozen baby red potatoes
• 60ml regular mayo or vegan mayo
• 28ml vinegar
• 4.2g mustard
• 1.4g black salt
• a pinch of pepper
• a pinch of turmeric
• 7.4g parsley, chopped
• a pinch of smoked paprika
• a pinch of chopped parsley

The yellow colour comes from turmeric, an ingredient full of anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve joint pain. Based on a new Harvard research, turmeric extracts can be as effective as ibuprofen and diclofenac at alleviating osteoarthritis symptoms due to the significant anti-inflammatory agent called curcumin.

You might want to make more than planned, they are so moreish they will go quicker than you think!

Instructions

1. On a stovetop, place the red potatoes into a pot of water, making sure the potatoes are covered by 10 cm.

2. Boil them for 15-20 minutes or until they’re fork-tender.

3. When they’re done, take them out and put them into a bowl of iced water.

4. Cut each potato in half.

5. Make a crater for the filling by scooping the insides of the potatoes.

6. Mix and mash the insides of the potato with mayo, mustard, black salt, pepper, turmeric, parsley, and vinegar.

7. When you reach the desired taste and consistency, put the mixture into a piping bag and pipe it into each cratered potato.

8. Garnish with a dusting of smoked paprika and fresh chopped parsley.

9. Tuck in!

These recipes are our top picks to make an enjoyable spring Sunday lunch that is both delicious and healthy. Not only can cooking be therapeutic but by including seasonal, healthy produce with a range of vitamins and minerals you can help to decrease joint inflammation and pain. Plus you get to enjoy something tasty and even share that love with others. Winning all around! 

What are your favourite springtime lunch recipes? Share them with us on the To Better Days Facebook Group. We’d love to see what culinary delights you’re cooking up this season!