It’s official – spring is on the way, and with it, an abundance of wonderful seasonal ingredients. Even better, cooking seasonally is great for the planet and our wallets, as well as being delicious and nutritious.

“There is a huge variety of seasonal produce available to us here in the UK at this time of year,” enthuses nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert. “With spring comes all the delicious and tasty fruits and veg that start to come into season around this time of year, including spring greens – dark leafy green veg like kale, spinach and cavolo nero. These are usually high in calcium, which we need for bone health, as well as many other essential micronutrients needed for optimal health, like vitamin K, vitamin C, folate and iron too.

“Eating seasonally is a great way to help lower food costs as produce is often cheaper when in season, and sourcing our fruits and vegetables from local producers is also more sustainable for the environment.”

With this in mind, here are three of Lambert’s favourite spring dinner recipes, so you can have a fresh, seasonal feast on the table before it even gets dark. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

450g spaghetti

130g packed, torn kale leaves

15g of basil (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup walnuts, toasted if desired

Juice of half a lemon

Grated pecorino romano cheese, for serving

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and boil until al dente, this is about 10 minutes, or according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, make the pesto: In the bowl of a food processor combine all the ingredients for the pesto and pulse until smooth.
3. Reserve 4oz of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Toss with the pesto and cooking water. Serve topped with the grated pecorino romano and chopped walnuts.

Serves 2

Ingredients

500g of cooked gnocchi

250ml of double cream

1 garlic bulb

1 shallot, chopped

50g of cavolo nero (about two full leaves)

chilli flakes

handful of fresh oregano, chopped

Method

1. Cut top of the garlic bulb, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in foil and bake at 180ºC for 30-35min.
2. Fry shallot until soft, add double cream. Season with salt and pepper, add roasted garlic. Stir and bring to boil.
3. Add cooked gnocchi, chopped cavolo nero and cook for further five mins.
4. Serve sprinkled with chilli flakes. 

This dish makes a great, speedy supper – but also works for a nourishing packed lunch.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower

200g dried quinoa

1 tsp allspice (or, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground cloves)

1 tsp smoked paprika

100g kale, chopped

½ red onion, diced

Juice ½ lemon

100g Greek style vegan cheese

Handful pomegranate seeds

Handful parsley, chopped

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower, and chop in half. Chop off the florets, and remove the inner core. Place the florets in a food processor, and blend for half a minute, until broken down. The consistency should resemble couscous grains, rather than being broken down to a paste.
3. Pour the cauliflower into a mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add the spices and toss to coat. Spread the cauliflower evenly over the baking tray in a thin layer, and place in the centre of the oven. Roast for 10-12 minutes, until lightly brown and toasted. Shake the baking tray half way through cooking.
4. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to packet instructions, simmering on a low heat for approximately 8-10 minutes. 
5. While the cauliflower is cooking, place the chopped kale on another baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven for 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it to ensure it does not burn.
6. Allow the cauliflower to cool slightly, before mixing with the quinoa. Add the diced red onion and baked kale, squeeze through the lemon juice, and toss together.
7. Divide into plates or lunchboxes, and top with the crumbled feta, pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley. 

Images: Getty; Rhiannon Lambert