Hello Spring!

The arrival of Spring is not just apparent on the calendar, we can feel it with the warmer weather, see it with the blooming flowers and trees and taste it with some new lightened up recipes. Life is transforming all around us and if you’re like me, you’re thinking about some changes you would like to make heading into this beautiful season. Cleaning up our houses and yards, swapping our sweaters for t-shirts and turning to our kitchens for some new inspirations are just a few ways to get ready for this time of year.

When it comes to my Spring kitchen I’m looking for some lighter dishes with lots of fresh ingredients. I am also trying to focus a little more on what I’m eating and playing around with some of the multitude of diet plans out there (Keto, Paleo, Vegan) and seeing what suits my palate (cauliflower rice with kale pesto yum!), and what I can skip altogether (avocado chips yuk!).

Restrictive diets have never held my attention, I love food too much. I do try to watch what I eat and make my portions sensible, at least the majority of the week. I pay strict attention to ingredients because I, along with some members of my family, have food allergies and sensitivities. I am allergic to almost all raw fruits and vegetables, but I can eat anything if its cooked (or pickled). My son-in-law is gluten and dairy free. This has pushed me to get creative with my recipes to adjust them without sacrificing taste.

Some of this Spring collection of recipes are a nod to these very common diets (gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian/vegan). I will explain how you can adjust them for personal preference and to accommodate the tastes of your family and friends. Most of the fruits and vegetables will be cooked or pickled in my recipes but I will note when you can substitute for raw.

Happy Spring!