5 Recipes Perfect for Spring

Spring brings with it a whole new crop of fresh flavors to enjoy. With the warmer weather, we like to shift from heavier, spiced dishes to lighter, brighter, more refreshing fare.

Here are five recipes to get your spring started on a yummy note.

For an easy dinner that’s full of flavor, try a plate of your favorite pasta dressed in a bright lemon cream sauce with spring peas and a nice sprinkling of parmesan.

Nigella Lawson from Food Network shared this recipe for Lemon Linguine that calls for lemon zest and juice. It’s delicious as it is, but you can also add an extra dose of spring by adding some peas and changing out the parsley for a sprinkling of dill.

As the temperatures rise, you might want to take a break from warm, spicy soups and stew. We’re used to cucumbers in our salads and in pickle form, but we think this recipe for Cucumber Soup from Food & Wine magazine is a fresh take on this familiar veggie.

You might be more familiar with mint in tea and ice cream or in jelly paired with lamb, but it also brings a certain brightness to roasted chicken. This recipe from Bon Appetit for Roasted Chicken Thighs with Peas and Mint is great for dinner or a weekend lunch. We also love that it uses chicken thighs which are tender, full of flavor and often less expensive than other cuts.

Here is another chilled soup, but we chose Peach & Tomato Gazpacho from the food blog What’s Cooking Good Looking because it’s a vegan option and uses ingredients you can find in season in Florida right now, like cucumber and tomato. Yes, peaches won’t be in season until summertime, but you don’t need to shy away using from canned or frozen peaches with this dish.

In Florida, we don’t have to wait for summer to enjoy zucchini. If you’re looking for a recipe that can be an appetizer, snack or quick lunch paired with a salad, go for these  Middle Eastern Zucchini Fritters from Food 52. They’re great for sharing or making in batches. You can freeze what you don’t eat. Then just defrost and pop in the toaster oven to crisp them up again.

When you’re looking for fresh herbs and produce this spring, visit your local Doris Market. Remember to check out our weekly ad, published each Wednesday, for sales and the best deals of the week.