If your winter diet consisted of one too many stew and casserole dishes, we hear you, and we bet your current recipe arsenal is due for a spring refresh. Few people know how to celebrate seasonal fare like Jeanine Donofrio, the face behind the plant-forward recipe blog Love & Lemons, where healthy, rainbow-bright dishes take centre stage. That’s why we’re showcasing three mouth-watering vegetarian spring dinner ideas from her brand new cookbook, Love & Lemons Every Day (Available April 2).
The best part? Each recipe brilliantly incorporates lemon in a new way. The star ingredient adds a bright, citrusy finish to each main that denotes the sunny season ahead.
Asparagus, Snap Peas & Chive Blossom Pasta
This stunning pasta dish, featuring seasonal produce like radishes, asparagus, snap peas and chive blossoms, is a staple no matter the occasion; it’s easy enough to cook for the family on busy weeknights, and pretty enough to serve at your next dinner party. The pasta is lightly dressed in a mixture of fresh lemon juice and Dijon mustard, before being garnished with Parmesan cheese and lemon zest. We love how the pasta shape mimics that of the veggies! Get the recipe here!
Spring-on-a-Plate Socca Flatbread
Meet your new favourite healthy pizza alternative that’s the epitome of spring. The flatbread itself is made from chickpea flour, and requires only three ingredients. A cashew-based herb spread featuring fresh lemon juice acts as the perfect base. Topped with red radishes, pickled red onions, frozen peas, preserved lemons, mint leaves and feta cheese, this heavenly main can do no wrong, and is a delicious way to usher in the vibrant season ahead.
Cauliflower Steaks with Lemon Salsa Verde
By now, we’re sure you need no convincing that cauliflower is an incredibly versatile vegetable worth celebrating. But in case you still had your doubts, this spring-focused dish is proof on a plate. A flavourful puree of cauliflower florets, garlic cloves, miso paste and lemon juice act as the base, with a perfectly roasted cauliflower steak placed on top. The vegan, dairy-free main is then topped with a zesty salsa verde starring preserved lemons, parsley, pine nuts and capers.
Images excerpted from Love and Lemons Every Day: More than 100 Bright, Plant-Forward Recipes for Every Meal by Jeanine Donofrio. Copyright © 2019 Jeanine Donofrio. Photography by Jeanine Donofrio, Christopher Broe, and Jack Mathews . Published by Penguin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
