Life
7 Healthy Spring Recipes Starring Fresh Veggies To Help You Feel Your Best This Season
There's something about spring that makes me super excited to eat healthy again. Spring recipes packed with fresh veggies are just what I need right now to beat the winter blues once and for all. I kinda never thought I'd say this, but I'm bored with my carb-lovers only diet, and even worse, I feel sluggish, apathetic toward everything, and tired. Shouldn't I be overflowing with I-can-do-anything-now-it's-warm-outside energy? Why the hell aren't I?
As tasty as my winter woe-filled diet was, I wasn't exactly paving the way for a healthy start to this new, warmer season. All those carbs, though happy as they made me, left me feeling bloated all season long. (Thankfully I own enough oversized sweaters to keep this truth a secret from the general public and myself.) Now the seasons are changing, and spring is so close I can smell the flowers itching to bloom just beneath the surface. Now, I'm ready to beat the bloat once and for all.
So I put my belly to the pavement, and found seven bloat-busting recipes to satisfy the need for something filling, fresh, and flavorful and to help me kick the last of my frumpy winter woes to the corner. The result was deliciously delightful.
Image: Cookie and Kate
Sesame and Almond Asparagus Salad
The main bloat-buster in this dish by Love and Lemons is the asparagus, and even though the recipe calls for two cups, don’t be afraid to load up. Asparagus is full of inulin, which helps your body produce probiotics. Your pee might smell a little funky tomorrow at the office, but your body’ll feel fantastic.
Image: Love and Lemons
Marinated Greek Chicken Tostadas
I know, it seems kind of counterproductive to eat this heavenly stack and somehow feel lighter, right? This plate by How Sweet It Is is loaded with artichokes, which are known for their cynarin properties that help rid your body of nasty gunk (so I’ll take two, please).
Image: How Sweet It Is
Spinach Potato Soup
Eating spinach may not exactly be novel news, but it doesn’t make it any less powerful for your tired, wintry bod. I Am A Food Blog found a way to make spinach lovable even for non-spinach lovers. The veggie is loaded with fiber and helps ease water retention so you aren’t carrying around more than you need to. (Fair warning: You might have to pee more.)
Image: I Am A Food Blog
Pasta with Kale-Almond Pesto and Salmon
This bloat-fighting veggie requires absolutely no introduction. Stocking your diet full of kale means you’ll be flying high on fiber and low on unnecessary water weight. As for this it’s-almost-warm-enough-to-leave-the-house-without-crying recipe, well, Sugar et al. can take credit for that.
Image: Sugar et al.
Swiss Chard Taco Wraps with Cumin-Lime Sauce
Another offspring of the leafy green veggie family, swiss chard will keep you feeling light on your feet without all the excess weight. And if you’re looking for something totally seasonal, this recipe from The Kitchn will have you thinking sun, sand, and warmth faster than you can say “dinner!”
Image: The Kitchn
Strawberry Basil and Balsamic Pizza
Pretty sure when I Googled “bloat-busting spring veggies,” it was with the expectation I wouldn’t find “pizza” anywhere on the list. Oh, how wrong I was. Strawberries are spring’s sweet all-star loaded with antioxidants, and this Cookie and Kate stunner transforms them like never, ever before. Smother them in goat cheese and mozzarella. Just trust me.
Image: Cookie and Kate
Fava Bean and Radish Bruschetta
Fava beans are loaded with insoluble fiber, which makes them perfect for passing through your digestive tract — they don’t break down and don’t dissolve in water. They even act as a “broom” shuffling gunk out of your gut. Doesn’t that make you hungry for this classic bruschetta recipe from The Kitchn? Thought so.
Image: The Kitchn
