961 spring recipes

Chilled peach strawberry soup blended with yogurt and lemon juice. A no-cook fruit soup that's light, creamy, and ready after a quick chill. Swap in nectarines when peaches aren't in season.

Garlic garbanzos are roasted chickpeas tossed with olive oil, garlic, and fresh thyme, then served warm on toothpicks like a Spanish bar snack. A fast, low-fat, vegan appetizer that's ready in about 30 minutes.

Fat-free grapefruit vinaigrette with garlic, basil, thyme, parsley, and vinegar. A completely oil-free, low-fat salad dressing using unsweetened grapefruit juice as the base.

Vanilla buttermilk panna cotta with fresh strawberry jam on top. A make-ahead individual dessert that sets in small glasses and feeds six for dinner parties or date nights.

Ruby pears poached in Beaujolais wine with currant jelly, rosemary, vanilla bean, and whole cloves. Pressure cooked and chilled 24 hours for deep ruby color.

Light basmati rice pudding made with skim milk, raisins, and vanilla, folded with whipped topping for a creamy, airy texture. A low-fat Indian-inspired dessert.

Chilled peach soup blended with sour cream, tropical fruit juices, and dry sherry, garnished with fresh mint. A no-cook cold soup inspired by The Greenbrier resort, served as a first course or dessert.

Chilled cantaloupe soup blended with fresh mint, white wine, and yogurt. A no-cook summer starter with just 5 ingredients that needs only a blender and a couple hours to chill.

Traditional meat dolma: small green bell peppers stuffed with seasoned meat and rice, gently simmered over parsley stems until tender. Served hot with cool yogurt on the side.

Fizzy pineapple cooler punch with unsweetened pineapple juice, frozen orange juice concentrate, and lemon juice topped with club soda. A refreshing non-alcoholic party drink.

Italian chicken escarole soup with homemade broth simmered from chicken pieces, onion, celery, and parsley, strained clear, then finished with chopped escarole and grated cheese.

Pickled shallots in red wine vinegar with bay leaf and thyme. Crunchy, rosy-pink no-cook refrigerator pickle that brightens salads, sandwiches, and cheese boards.

Pear avocado mousse blended with dark rum, orange zest, chopped peanuts, and allspice. A no-cook, dairy-free dessert with a silky, tropical-spiced richness.

Traditional English steak and kidney pie with flour-dredged beef and kidneys braised in gravy with mushrooms and carrots under a golden pastry crust. A proper British pub classic.

Use fresh rosemary, if possible (many supermarkets carry it). The flavor it imparts to the lamb will be far superior to that of dried. If you like, white potatoes may be substituted for the sweet potatoes, and turnips for the parsnips. You can also flavor lamb by covering it with lemon slices before roasting.

Tender eggplant meets the salty bite of ricotta salata in this rustic Italian pasta that brings together roasted garlic, fresh rosemary, and sweet cherry tomatoes for a weeknight dinner with soul.