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The Perfect Recipes to Brighten up Your Spring

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

Despite all this snow, spring will be here before we know it! The perfect way to get out of this winter funk is to start incorporating spring vibes into our lives!

From adding our spring wardrobe back into our closet to planting flowers in windowsills, spring is full of life and color. There’s nothing better than adding a few new recipes into the mix to really make this spring shine.

One of my absolute favorite springtime recipes is pasta salad. It’s not only quick and easy, but it’s healthy! I love it because there is a large variety of recipes and flavors to choose from. It is the perfect grab-and-go to meal prep for your week! My go-to add-ins are: cucumber, tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, and Italian dressing. Cut everything up, throw it in with your noodles, mix it up and enjoy! Here are a few more delicious combinations of pasta salad to try.

Another perfect option for a yummy spring dinner is salmon with mint and vegetables. This refreshing, easy-to-prepare meal will satisfy any craving and become a staple in your springtime dinner rotation. The combination of mint leaves, peas, and potatoes creates a flavor you never knew you needed in your life. 

My go-to spring meal is artichoke flatbread pizza. If you haven’t tried it before, you’re not living! Starting with a flatbread, spread pesto like a pizza sauce, then top it with bacon bits, feta cheese, artichoke hearts, and mozzarella cheese, then throw it in the oven! When it’s done, top it with arugula tossed in lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cut it up and enjoy! You’ll never get enough of it.

We all have heard of charcuterie boards, I’m sure. Taking over the internet during quarantine, charcuterie boards deserved every bit of attention they got. They’re easy to change up and match to any season. Need some ideas for this spring? Try a mix of things like asparagus, radishes, cheese, artichokes, and various flavors of your favorite dips. They’re perfect for sharing and you can alter them to accommodate any dietary preferences or allergies.

What says spring more than a bright and colorful fruit tart? A fruit tart is a light and flavorful addition to any dessert table this upcoming season. Pick out your favorite fruits, arrange them on your shortbread, and you have a show-stopping dessert to bring to your garden parties. If you’re looking for something with a little more sugar but just as fun, try funfetti cupcakes. They’re sweet, they’re colorful, and they’re delicious. This light, bright, and hard to resist dessert will be the perfect end to a warm spring day. Get creative with the frosting and customize them for any occasion!

Lily Knetl

Illinois '24

Hi! My name is Lily and I am a sophomore at UIUC studying HDFS with a minor in English. I absolutely love reading and writing in my free time as well as movie nights with friends. In the future, I hope to go to law school to pursue family law :)