Not Your Gramma’s…

Growing up in a French-Canadian household, mealtime and gatherings with extended family typically included meat-and-potato centered dishes with little to no fresh produce. My grandparents nearly always utilized canned vegetables, unless there were sun-ripened varieties coming out of the garden during the sweltering days of summer. For fruit, bananas were a routine staple as were ripened pears being picked off their trees. While I still rely on canned produce and common fruits like bananas to help meet fruit and veggie goals, there is something quite special about fresh Spring produce that my grandparents were rarely able to enjoy.

Using what’s in season, from sweet corn and tart rhubarb to mild asparagus (one of the earliest crops harvested each Spring!) and tender peas, I’ve come up with a menu that lets fruits and vegetables shine – versus meat taking the center of the plate.

You’ll also notice some updated ingredients compared to what my grandparents had access to in their kitchens, including white whole wheat flour (provides the benefits of whole grains with the light texture of all-purpose flour); neutral avocado oil (perfect for high-heat cooking with a heart-healthy profile compared to lard or butter) and rich and creamy Skyr (a strained Icelandic-style yogurt, which provides more protein than traditional yogurt).

Enjoy this comforting Spring-inspired meal around the table with family to infuse nutrition and fresh produce into what grandma’s table may have looked like years ago.

Starter: Sweet Corn Fritters
Recipe and image from Andrea Luttrell, RDN, LDN

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup lowfat milk
• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 ears corn, cooked and kernels removed from cob (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 scallion, sliced, plus additional for garnish
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• Salt, to taste
• Sour cream, for garnish

Directions:

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Rinse fresh produce.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add flour, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder to mixture and stir to combine.
4. Add corn kernels, cheese and scallion to mixture and gently fold to evenly incorporate ingredients together. Wash hands after handling raw batter.
5. In a cast iron skillet or large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, turn down heat to medium and drop 5 mounds of batter, 2-3 tablespoons each, into pan. Spread out into rounds with the back of a spoon.
6. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until both sides are crispy and fritters are cooked through.
7. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Repeat with remaining batter.
8. Serve garnished with sour cream and additional scallions.

Entrée: Spring Vegetable Pasta Primavera
Recipe from Siggi’s^®

Ingredients:

• 1 pound uncooked fettuccine
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups haricots verts (or traditional green beans), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup thinly-sliced carrots
• 1 cup fresh peas (or thawed frozen peas)
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 2/3 cup Siggi’s 4% Milkfat Plain Icelandic-cream Skyr
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Salt & black pepper, to taste
• Flaked Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Rinse fresh produce.
3. Prepare pasta to al dente, according to package directions, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
4. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
5. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
6. Add asparagus, haricots verts and carrots; cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in peas and artichokes; cook one more minute to heat through.
7. Stir in Skyr along with lemon zest and juice. Add enough of the reserved liquid to reach desired consistency.
8. Season with salt and pepper and toss with pasta.
9. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese.

Dessert: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Recipe and image from Andrea Luttrell, RDN, LDN

Ingredients:

• 3 cups quartered strawberries
• 1 cup sliced rhubarb
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour), divided
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into slices

Directions:

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Rinse fresh produce.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, granulated sugar, cornstarch, 2 tablespoons flour, orange zest and cinnamon. Spread evenly in a 2-quart (or 8×8-inch) baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare topping by combining oats, walnuts, light brown sugar, butter and remaining 1/4 cup flour in a food processor. Pulse just until mixture is crumbly.
6. Sprinkle topping over strawberry-rhubarb mixture and wash hands after handling flour.
7. Bake for an additional 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Big Y’s recipes reflect the guidance of the Partnership for Food Safety Education. To learn more, visit fightback.org!