Tastes of Spring: Deliciously Healthy Lemony Recipes
- jaimepalinchak
- 3 hours ago
- 12 min read
What screams Spring more than the refreshing taste of lemon? Not only is it delicious and a powerful flavor addition to any type of meal, it is also a great way to incorporate some anti-inflammatory properties into your food!!
Lemon juice (and zest) just happen to sneak their way into everything from breads and muffins to dressings, main dishes, and of course, cakes, cookies, and bars. It adds freshness and acidity to things like dressings & marinades, plus adds bright flavor to sweet treats.
Try one of these lemony recipes!
Lemon Blueberry Smoothie
This easy, vegan lemon blueberry smoothie is naturally sweetened with fruit and made with just five simple ingredients. Options to add your favorite nutritional boosters for the perfect breakfast or snack!
1 serving
Ingredients
1 cup frozen blueberries (or mixed berries)
1 frozen ripe banana
½ lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice)
Zest from 1 lemon
⅛ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup dairy free milk of choice, plus more to thin if necessary
Instructions
In a large high-powered blender, add in all ingredients and blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until all ingredients are well combined. If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie.
Garnish with lemon zest and more blueberries and granola.
Notes
Optional add-ins include:
2 cups spinach
1 scoop protein powder of choice
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Meal prep this smoothie: make it as-is or even double it and then prep and store smoothies right in your freezer.
Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
Deliciously fluffy lemon blueberry pancakes with greek yogurt for a wonderful boost of protein!
4 servings
Ingredients
For the dry ingredients:
1 cup (92g) oat flour + 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
¼ teaspoon salt
For the wet ingredients:
½ cup (113g) vanilla greek yogurt or sub dairy free yogurt (I love siggi’s plant based yogurt)
1 egg
Zest from 1 lemon
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup (60g) unsweetened vanilla almond milk, plus more if necessary (any milk should work!)
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
For the mix-in:
⅔ cup (100g) fresh blueberries, plus extra for serving
For cooking:
Butter, olive oil or coconut oil
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour (1 cup + 1 tablespoon), baking powder, poppyseeds and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together yogurt, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, almond milk, coconut sugar, vanilla and almond extract until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined; gently stir in blueberries, if using. If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon milk; if the batter is too thin, add 1 tablespoon more oat flour. (Based on the yogurt brand you use the batter thickness may very slightly.)
Lightly coat a griddle with butter and place over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of the batter to the griddle for each pancake and cook for 2-4 minutes until the pancakes puff up and you see bubbles along the edges. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside. If you find that pancakes are browning too quickly then you need to lower the heat a bit.
Wipe the skillet clean and repeat with more butter or oil and remaining batter. Serve with maple syrup and extra blueberries on top.
Notes
To keep pancakes dairy free: use a dairy free yogurt and dairy free milk of choice. Be sure to cook the pancakes in oil or vegan butter.
*To make your own oat flour: you can easily make your own flour right at home using rolled oats!
For an extra little bit of joy, increase the almond extract to ½ teaspoon.
Feel free to sub raspberries for the blueberries.
Spring Green Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
Beautiful spring green salad filled with fresh seasonal produce, seeds & creamy avocado, and tossed in the BEST lemon basil vinaigrette.
6 servings
Ingredients
6 cups organic spinach
½ head red or green cabbage, shredded
1 cup microgreens (or alfalfa sprouts)
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 persian cucumbers, sliced or roughly chopped
3 radishes, trimmed and chopped or sliced
¼ cup pickled red onions OR very thinly sliced raw red onion
½ cup pitted Castelvetrano green olives, halved
1 medium ripe avocado, sliced or chopped
4 ounces crumbled feta or crumbled goat cheese
¼ cup roasted and salted pistachios
¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the lemon basil vinaigrette:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
4 basil leaves, finely chopped
Freshly ground salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
To make the basil lemon vinaigrette: Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl until well combined and emulsified. You can also blend everything together in a high-speed blender. Taste, add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Add spinach to a large bowl and drizzle on half of the dressing, toss gently to coat.
Add salad to a platter (or leave in the large bowl), then arrange and layer the other ingredients on top of the greens. Garnish with salt and pepper.
Serve with the remaining basil lemon vinaigrette on the side for guests to drizzle on if they desire.
Notes
To store: I recommend storing this salad without the dressing for up to 4-5 days. Dress the salad as soon as you're ready to eat it so that the spinach doesn't get soggy.
Chickpea Arugula Quinoa Salad
Packed with 20g of plant-based protein and ready in just 30 minutes, this easy arugula quinoa salad is a perfect filling weekday lunch!
4 servings
Ingredients
For the quinoa
1 cup uncooked tri-colored quinoa
2 cups water
½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the lemon vinaigrette
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
Freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
⅓ cup finely diced red onion
For serving
3 to 4 cups loosely packed arugula (about 3 ounces)
4 ounces feta, crumbled
½ cup roughly chopped toasted/roasted almonds (slivered toasted almonds are great too)
½ heaping cup chopped Medjool dates or dried apricots (or sub dried cranberries)
1 slightly ripe avocado, sliced or diced
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Instructions
Cook the quinoa: Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cool water for about 30 seconds. Transfer quinoa to a medium pot, then add in the water and salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for exactly 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the pot from heat and let it stand covered for another 5-10 minutes. Next, fluff quinoa with a fork.
Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or mason jar: add the lemon juice, olive oil, dijon, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, sugar (or honey) and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk until well combined and emulsified, or alternatively, place a lid on the jar and shake until well combined. Set aside.
Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, arugula, parsley and red onion. Add in half of the dressing. Gently toss to coat. Next add the feta, toasted almonds, dates and avocado on top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing (about ¼ cup) or serve on the side. Garnish with salt and pepper. If making and serving later, reserve toppings until it is time to serve.
To store: Keep any leftover salad in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. This salad is also great with leftover shredded or chopped chicken.
Notes
If you aren’t into quinoa, feel free to sub farro, pearl barley or pearl couscous.
To make vegan/dairy-free: Leave out the feta or use a dairy-free feta.
BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Jalapeño Cashew Dressing
This easy, healthy BLT pasta salad recipe is tossed in an incredible, creamy jalapeño cashew dressing for a delicious twist on your favorite sandwich.
6 servings
Ingredients
1 batch of jalapeno cashew cream dressing
¾ cup raw cashews*
1/3 cup water, plus 2 tablespoons more if necessary
1 medium jalapeno, seeded
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
Freshly ground back pepper
Instructions
Soak the cashews in 2 cups of warm water for at least 2 hours; otherwise I've found that you can easily speed up the process by adding the raw cashews to a pot with water and placing over high heat. Bring water to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat; let the cashews sit for about 30 minutes in the hot water, then drain.
Once the cashews have finished soaking you'll be ready to make the sauce: add drained cashews, fresh water, jalapeno, garlic, fresh lemon juice, salt, onion powder and black pepper to a blender. Blend on high until sauce comes together. If you want a bit of a thinner sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons more water. Makes roughly 1 cup sauce.
For the pasta salad:
12 ounces bacon
10 ounces pasta of choice (I suggest bowties or large shells, gluten free if desired)
1 ½ cups corn, grilled, raw or sauteed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I love using heirloom cherry tomatoes for color variety)
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
2-4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 slightly ripe but still firm avocado, diced
Instructions
While the cashews are soaking for your dressing, I suggest chopping all your veggies and having them ready to go. You can also cook your bacon: add bacon to a large skillet or pan and place over medium heat, cook bacon on both sides until crispy and golden brown. If the pan starts to smoke at any point, simply lower the heat. I always cook my bacon on medium low heat.
Once bacon is done, blot with a paper towel to absorb excess grease, then chop into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Next cook your pasta until al dente, drain and then place in a large bowl. Add all of the jalapeno cashew dressing, then stir together to combine.
Next add the chopped bacon, corn , halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, romaine lettuce and avocado.
Gently toss again, then taste and adjust seasonings as necessary, adding more salt and pepper if you’d like.
Garnish with extra corn, tomatoes, red onion, avocado and bacon.
Notes
This BLT pasta salad will stay fresh covered in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Feel free to prep it the night before a picnic or bbq, or prep it for your weekday lunches. I would recommend adding the avocado and romaine on when you're ready to serve so that they stay fresh.
Garlic White Bean Basil Hummus
This easy white bean hummus recipe is the perfect snack to pair with veggies, crackers, pita chips, and even to use as a spread or sauce!
Servings 8
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 large basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling on top
Water to thin, if necessary
Instructions
Make your hummus: add beans, garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse a couple of times until the mixture looks somewhat chopped.
Add in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil while the machine is still running. Let process until the mixture is creamy.
If the mixture appears to be too thick, add in a tablespoon of water at a time to thin it out. Add more salt and pepper to taste, as necessary.
Drizzle the top with a tiny bit of olive oil.
Serve with extra basil on top and pita chips.
Honey Lemon Garlic Salmon
This flavorful lemon garlic salmon recipe makes a delicious, protein packed dinner served with your favorite salad or side dishes, and the marinade is perfect for your go-to proteins.
4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound salmon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey (or sub pure maple syrup)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard, preferably grainy dijon
½ lemon, juiced
Zest from 1 lemon
½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 3 cloves garlic, minced)
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and grease lightly with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
Place salmon skin side down.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, honey, dijon, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Generously brush the salmon with the marinade.
Place salmon in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until salmon easily flakes with a fork. Enjoy immediately.
Sheet Pan Herby Lemon Garlic Chicken and Potatoes
This easy lemon garlic chicken recipe is packed with flavor and protein, and delicious served as is or over a bed of arugula or rice! The perfect weeknight meal everyone will love.
4 servings
Ingredients
For the marinade:
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested
2 lemons, juiced (about ½ cup fresh lemon juice)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
LOTS of freshly ground black pepper
For the potatoes:
1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved vertically (cubed Yukon Gold potatoes will also work)
1 lemon, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks
For the chicken:
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
To garnish:
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled*
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Red pepper flakes, if desired
Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients of the marinade until well combined: olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, dijon mustard, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.
Add the potatoes, lemon slices, and onions to a large sheet pan. Pour 1/3 cup of the marinade over the potatoes, lemon slices and onions and toss with your hands to coat, then spread out the potatoes, onions and lemon slices evenly on the sheet pan. If using fingerling potatoes, place them flesh side down to encourage browning.
Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
After putting the potatoes in the oven, marinate the chicken: add the chicken to the remaining marinade in the large bowl and use tongs to coat the chicken in the marinade. Set aside.
After 25 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven and use a spatula to flip the potatoes. Allow excess marinade to drip off chicken (discard remaining marinade in the bowl) then nestle the chicken thighs onto the pan in between potatoes whenever you can fit them.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and potatoes are tender. The lemons will caramelize and the chicken will be nice and golden brown and juicy with flavor.
Garnish with crumbled feta, parsley, dill, red pepper flakes (if you like a little heat!) and extra salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Healthier Lemon Bars
These bars are gluten free and dairy free! The perfect Spring treat!
Servings 12 bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
1/4 cup melted and cooled butter, vegan butter or melted coconut oil
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups packed fine blanched almond flour (do not use almond meal)
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
Zest from 1 lemon
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2-4 lemons)
½ cup pure maple syrup
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon coconut flour, sifted (or sub tapioca flour or arrowroot starch)
To garnish:
Powdered sugar (sifted)
Lemon zest
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. (Do not use a glass pan as it will likely cause the bottom of the crust to burn.)
First make the crust: whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour and salt. Next stir in the butter, pure maple syrup and almond extract. Mix until a dough forms. Press dough evenly into prepared pan with your hands. Bake for 15 minutes.
While your crust bakes, you can make the filling: in a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, pure maple syrup, eggs and sifted coconut flour. You want to whisk really well so that no egg white remain visible.
Once crust is done baking, immediately and slowly pour filling over crust. Do not allow the crust to cool first, this is critical.
Lower your oven temperature to 325 degrees F, place bars immediately in oven and bake the bars for 20-25 minutes or until filling is set and no longer jiggles.
Cool completely on a wire rack then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to firm up bars.
Once ready to serve, use a sharp knife to cut into 12 bars. I recommend garnishing them with powdered sugar and a little lemon zest before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
To store: store these lemon bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
To freeze: wrap the bars tightly before putting them in the freezer and simply let them thaw in the fridge before enjoying. They should stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months.
6-Ingredient Lemon Poppy Seed Energy Bites
Delicious and easy lemon poppy seed energy bites that taste like a slice of lemon cake! The perfect no bake snack to keep in your fridge or freezer.
14 servings
Ingredients
1 cup pitted soft large Medjool dates (about 10-12 large dates)
1 cup raw cashews
Zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds or chia seeds
Optional coating:
½ cup fine shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
If your dates aren’t super soft and gooey, soak them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, then drain before using in the recipe.
Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until ingredients are well combined and sticky. Roll into 14 balls.
Next roll in shredded coconut if desired and place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Feel free to freeze these for up to 3 months.
Notes
For an extra delicious option: feel free to roll them in toasted coconut.
Enjoy even more lemony delicious recipes in the free collection below and get Springing toward better health.
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