717 spring recipes

Oven-roasted char siu pork tenderloin marinated in soy sauce, honey, red wine, and warm cinnamon. Basted until gloriously sticky and sliced on the diagonal.

Cold green vegetable soup with poached fish. Source: Olga Gorechev, St. Petersburg, Russia

Low-fat open-faced vegetable sandwiches on whole wheat toast with a cottage cheese, mushroom, and sprout spread topped with melted low-fat cheese. A vegetarian lunch under 100 calories.

One-pot red lentils and rice with mushrooms, carrots, kale, and warm Indian spices topped with cool yogurt. High-fiber, low-fat, and ready in 45 minutes.

No-cook tuna rice salad tossed in a tangy sweet-and-sour vinegar dressing with fresh tomatoes, red onion, celery, scallions, and green peas. Low-fat, filling, and ready in 20 minutes from pantry staples.

Crisp, colorful Chinese pickled vegetables in sweet-sour brine. Carrots, radish, cucumber, and peppers ferment for a week to create the perfect tangy condiment.

Curried corn salad with red bell pepper, cucumber, scallions, and spinach in a tangy curry-mustard vinaigrette. A no-cook, low-fat side dish ready in ten minutes.

Hint of ginger marinade combines soy sauce, dry sherry, fresh ginger, garlic, and lemon zest for poultry, pork, and fish. A fast Asian-leaning marinade ready in 5 minutes, no cooking required.

Cranberry-apple Stilton bites on Melba toast with port-braised fruit, creamy blue cheese, and chopped walnuts. A make-ahead holiday appetizer that balances sweet, salty, and funky in one bite.

Broiled crab melts on Melba toast rounds with lime, green onion, and hot mustard, topped with bubbling Swiss cheese. A two-bite appetizer for parties, ready in 20 minutes.

Crustless rice and turkey quiche with tomato, green pepper, basil, and reduced-fat cheddar. Uses egg substitute and skim milk for a lighter take on quiche. Great for using leftover turkey and rice.

Lasagna rolls with tomato-fennel sauce wrap mushroom-and-tofu filling inside lasagna noodles, then bake in a sweet fennel-spiked tomato sauce with mozzarella. A lighter, vegetarian take on baked pasta.

Pasta primavera verde with steamed broccoli, asparagus, green beans, and sugar snap peas tossed with linguine, fresh dill, and garlic. A light, veggie-packed spring pasta.

Easy, spicy-hot cold noodles for summer -- This recipe is an easy prepare-ahead dish for a hot summer day. It makes a good barbecue side dish for all of us who are tired of potato salads.

Plump shrimp steamed over beer with crab boil seasoning, then tossed with a fresh tomato salsa loaded with jalapeño, red onion, lime, and garlic. Serve hot, cold, or anywhere in between.

Fresh Italian antipasto salad with marinated mushrooms and artichokes over crisp vegetables drizzled with balsamic herb dressing for a light, impressive no-cook meal.