Healthy Recipes To Serve Up This Spring

Spring is easily one of our favourite seasons. The cold days are behind us, the weather slowly starts to warm up and most importantly, there's an abundance of delicious veggies that come into season. 

If you're wanting to incorporate some healthy low carbohydrate, high protein meals into your cooking, you can be rest assured that these three Be Fit Food approved recipes will be a hit at the dinner table. All packed full of seasonal veggies, nutritional goodness and under 300 calories per serve.  

Chicken and Spring Vegetable Zoodles – serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 200g chicken breast, sliced into strips
• 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
• 3 small yellow squash, quartered
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 5 cups baby spinach leaves
• 50g dry wholemeal spaghetti pasta
• 2 medium zucchini, spiralised into zoodles
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 60g reduced fat ricotta cheese
• 10g fresh basil leaves
• 20g grated parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve 2/3 cup of pasta liquid.
2. Heat a large frypan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove from the pan.
3. Place the onion and garlic in the frypan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the squash, broccoli, zucchini noodles and cook for 4-5 minutes until veggies are tender.
4. Add the cooked pasta, ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, peas, spinach and reserved pasta liquid into the pan and mix until combined. Season with pepper.
5. Divide between 4 bowls and top with fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese.

Potato and Asparagus Frittata

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 medium leeks, sliced
• 6 spears of asparagus, halved lengthways
• 1 cup shelled broad beans
• 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium potatoes, sliced
• 10g flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 60g reduced fat fetta cheese
• Sprinkle of pepper 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread the sliced potatoes out on the baking tray and place into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before placing into the bottom of a medium sized dish.
2. Place the halved asparagus spears and broad beans into a shallow dish and cover with boiling water and allow to sit for 3-4 minutes then refresh under cold water.
3. Heat a large frypan over medium heat and add olive oil, garlic and leek and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 3-4 minutes. Carefully transfer the contents of the frypan into the dish on top of the potato. Crumble the fetta evenly over the top.
4. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, and chopped parsley. Mix with a fork to combine. Pour over the top of the fetta.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the frittata springs back when pressure is applied.

Beef and Cashew Stir Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 300g rump steak, sliced into strips
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbs grated ginger
• 1 cup red capsicum, sliced into strips
• 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, julienne
• 1 cup small broccoli florets
• ¼ cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 tbs reduced salt soy sauce
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 1 tbs sesame seeds, lightly toasted
• ¼ cup cashew nuts

Method:

1. To make the marinade, mix the soy sauce, maple syrup and ginger together with ¼ cup water. Place the beef in a medium bowl and pour the marinade over the top. Mix well to coat and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. Cook the rice as per the instructions on the pack and set aside.
3. Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add sesame oil, onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the remaining vegetables along with ¼ cup of water and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the beef and all the marinade and cook until beef is browned.
6. Divide the cooked rice between bowls and top with stir fry. Top with cashews and sesame seeds.