Spring is in the air! The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, the flowers are blooming … and fresh spring fruits and veggies are appearing in markets! A cool-season vegetable, cabbage can be harvested in the fall or the spring, with young, tender cabbage making delicious spring greens. Avocado is another favorite this time of year, perfect for featuring in fresh salads and sandwiches. Looking for something a bit sweeter? Apricot season gets into full swing in late spring. And healthful, whole-grain pasta is a great base for your favorite veggies any time of year. Find flavorful ways to serve these tasty crops in this bountiful recipe collection!
OUR RECIPES
Like everyone, you’re busy—and we keep that in mind when we select recipes. Many of them can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Others require short preparation times followed by long cooking times. We’ve also included symbols to help you more easily find those recipes especially high in fiber, low in fat, carbohydrates, and sodium.
HIGH-FIBER RECIPE
5g or more of fiber per serving
LOW-FAT RECIPE
3g or less of fat per serving
LOW-CARB RECIPE
15g or less of carbs per serving
LOW-SODIUM RECIPE
140mg or less of sodium per serving
Perfect Pasta
Pasta Peperonata
6 SERVINGS | ⅙ OF TOTAL RECIPE
CAL 176 | FAT 1G | SAT FAT 0G | PROTEIN 6G | CARBS 37G | CHOL 1MG | FIBER 6G | SODIUM 31MG
DIETARY EXCHANGE: 2 BREAD/STARCH, ½ FAT, 4 VEGETABLE
Nonstick cooking spray
4 cups sliced green, red, and yellow bell peppers (about 1 large pepper of each)
4 cups sliced onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
4 ounces spaghetti or linguini
4 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
1. Spray large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add bell peppers, onions, garlic, basil, and marjoram. Cook, covered, 8 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender. Uncover. Cook and stir 20 to 30 minutes, or until onions are caramelized and mixture is creamy.
2. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain.
3. Spoon pasta onto plates. Top evenly with peperonata (pepper mixture) and cheese.
TIP Should you ditch pasta? Not so fast. A 2018 study in the journal BMJ Open showed that when eating pasta as part of a low-glycemic-index dietary pattern, there is no weight gain but instead some minor weight loss (less than 1 pound). (The glycemic index is a system that indicates how quickly a food causes blood glucose levels to rise. Foods low on the glycemic index will cause a slow rise in blood glucose.) And whole-grain pasta offers an extra health benefit: Eating whole grains instead of refined grains has been associated with better systolic blood pressure (the top number) and better blood glucose management.
Pasta Salad Niçoise
4 SERVINGS | 1 CUP
CAL 162 | FAT 1G | SAT FAT 1G | PROTEIN 16G | CARBS 23G | CHOL 13MG | FIBER 3G | SODIUM 418MG
DIETARY EXCHANGE: 1 BREAD/STARCH, 1 VEGETABLE, 1 MEAT
¼ cup fat-free Italian dressing
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups cooked multigrain or whole-wheat pasta shells or rotini, rinsed in cold water and drained
1 can (6 ounces) tuna, packed in water, drained and flaked
¾ cup diced tomato
