Freshness of Spring Recipes

Spring is finally here!  With warmer temperatures comes the excitement and desire to spend more time outdoors. This beautiful season is rich with the growth of plants and offers us a wider selection of fresh foods.  One of my families favourite Spring things to do is spend time on our backyard patio BBQ’ing and enjoying the freshness of what Spring has to offer.   I’d like to share some of my favorite Spring-time recipes with you. Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Chicken Kabobs

(from Real HouseMoms)

Ingredients

Kabobs

• 1-1/2 lbs chicken cut into 1-1/2” cubes
• 1 lb red potatoes cut into 1-1/2” cubes
• 1 large red onion cut into 1-1/2” chunks
• 2 medium zucchinis cut into ¼” slices
• Salt and pepper

Honey Mustard Marinade

• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Tamari
• 1 teaspoon EACH parsley, paprika, garlic powder and salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

• Whisk all the marinade ingredients together EXCEPT olive oil (“Reserved Marinade”)
• Remove ¼ cup marinade to a large freezer bag or shallow dish. Add chicken and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn to coat.Marinate in refrigerator for 4-6 hours.
• Add potatoes to a large microwave safe bowl.Add 2 tablespoons of water.  Microwave covered, 4-5 minutes or just until fork tender; drain.
• Add zucchini, onions, 3 tablespoons of reserved marinade, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate.
• All the remaining unused Reserved Marinade will be used for basting.
• If using wooden skewers, soak for at least 30 minutes in water before grilling.
• When ready to cook, thread chicken and veggies onto skewers.
• Grease grill and heat to medium-high heat.Grill chicken kabobs for approximately 8-10 minutes, rotating a few times until nicely browned and slightly charred on each side and chicken is cooked through, basting halfway through cooking.

Nectarine, Pistachio and Goat Cheese Salad

(from Vanilla and Bean)

Ingredients

Salad

• 8 cups fresh tender mixed lettuce greens such as read leaf, romaine, beet greens, spinach, bibb
• 3 nectarines cut into wedges
• 2 oz goat cheese crumbled
• 6 tablespoons pistachios roasted and salted; shells removed

Dressing

• 1-1/2 tablespoons raw honey
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons champaign vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

• Add all dressing ingredients into a lidded jar.Shake until well mixed.
• Add greens to a large bowl.
• Arrange the nectarines on the salad and top with goat cheese and pistachios.
• Toss with dressing just prior to serving.

Frozen Yogurt & Berry Ice Cream Pops

(from Clean Eating with Kids)

Ingredients

• 2 cups coconut milk yogurt
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
• 3 cups of your choice of mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, black berries, cherries)

Instructions

• Add yogurt, berries and honey to blender and blend until smooth.Stop halfway and scrape down the sides if needed.   It’s nice to leave chunks of berries.
• Pour into popsicle molds.
• Freeze for 3 hours until firm.
• Remove from mold and serve.