Low-Calorie Spring Menus

March 22, 2011
Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Get you out of the winter rut with fresh low-calorie menus for spring featuring seasonal produce and fresh ingredients. The best part? They are all under 500 calories.
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Cobb Salad Pizza Menu

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro
Cobb Salad Pizza Menu Menu
This recipe gives you the best of both worlds—pizza and salad combined! To save time, use refrigerated pizza dough and rotisserie chicken. The colorful vegetables and crunchy crust are perfect for a light spring meal. Serve with fresh orange spritzers and impress your guests with this quick meal.
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Pepper Jack, Chicken, and Peach Quesadillas Menu

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro
Pepper Jack, Chicken, and Peach Quesadillas Menu Menu
Give your chicken quesadillas a spring makeover by adding pepper jack cheese and peaches. The peaches are a sweet and unexpected addition to this meal. If you’re not a pepper jack fan, try substituting fontina or brie to get the same creamy texture. Serve the quesadillas with a spinach salad with cumin vinaigrette for flavorful meal.

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Flank Steak Salad with Plums and Blue Cheese Menu

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro
Flank Steak Salad with Plums and Blue Cheese Menu Menu
Try something new with your salad by adding flank steak, a great source of lean protein. At less than 300 calories, this hearty salad is a great weeknight meal that’s healthy too. Switch it up by replacing the plums with seedless red grapes or peaches. To give this meal a true Southern flair, make crunchy cornmeal breadsticks for your family.
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Farro Tabbouleh Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Farro Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
This simple salad is easy to put together. Simply combine all ingredients together in a bowl and serve either chilled or at room temperature.

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Asparagus and Smoked Trout Frittata Menu

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Asparagus and Smoked Trout Frittata Menu Menu
This frittata is great for brunch or a light dinner. By serving it with a watercress-radish salad, you’ll add a gourmet touch to a simple meal. At less than 200 calories and only taking 30 minutes to make, this is an easy go-to recipe for any occasion.

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Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad Menu

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad Menu Menu
This menu definitely screams winter is over. The chopped cilantro and chipotle chili give the spicy shrimp salad a Southwestern twist, while the avocado, mango, and pineapple salad add a sweet touch. Looking to cut back on calories? Using lettuce cups instead of bread makes this dish less than 250 calories.
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Spring Pea and Pasta Salad with Chicken and Asparagus

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Spring Pea and Pasta Salad with Chicken and Asparagus Recipe
If your herb garden is going strong, you can snip parsley and chives fresh from the source. Tarragon is worth seeking out for this dish; its anise notes are the distinguishing flavor.

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Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts Menu

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts Menu Menu
Take advantage of spring vegetables, like asparagus, by including it in your pasta dish. Asparagus is low in calories and adds color to a meal. Toss it with pancetta and pine nuts, for a dish that’s rich in flavor and full of nutrients. Create your own crostini by toasting a baguette and topping with a white bean and thyme spread.

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Spring Veggie Pasta

Photo: Christopher Testani; Styling: Alistar Turnbull
Spring Veggie Pasta Recipe

If peas and carrots bring back memories of that dreaded cafeteria side dish, this simple, fresh pasta will change your mind. Any soft herb (chervil, chives, mint, parsley) would be perfect for this delicate dish. Use a zester to get long curls of lemon rind, or grate with a Microplane grater.

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Herbed Arugula-Tomato Salad with Chicken Menu

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Herbed Arugula-Tomato Salad with Chicken Menu Menu
Spice up your salad with peppery arugula, sweet cherry tomatoes, and herbes de Provence. Kalamata olives also add a Mediterranean touch to this dish. This salad is a quick weeknight meal and a healthy choice at less than 300 calories. Bring out the flavors of the salad by serving Asiago-black pepper bread. Your guests will feel like they’re in a restaurant because the food tastes just as good as it looks.

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Spaghetti with Anchovies, Garlic, and Red Pepper with Lemon-Caper Broccoli

Photo: Jason Varney; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Spaghetti with Anchovies, Garlic, and Red Pepper with Lemon-Caper Broccoli Recipe
Anchovies break down, or "melt," into the warm olive oil, adding savory depth to this simple pasta toss. For a vegetarian dish, substitute 3 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives for the anchovies.

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Chunky Gazpacho with Sautéed Shrimp Menu

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro
Chunky Gazpacho with Sautéed Shrimp Menu Menu
Gazpacho is a cold soup and a springtime favorite. By using the freshest ingredients, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and red bell peppers, your meal will be full of flavor and nutrients. Gazpacho is also a great source of fiber and has only 175 calories per serving. Consider the shrimp on top like icing on a cake, they round out the meal. Serve with toasted pita slices for a delicious and filling menu.
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Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce with Garlic Cheese Toasts

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower, Claire Spollen
Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce with Garlic Cheese Toasts Recipe
We really liked this dish with the fruity heat of Turkish Aleppo pepper, but you can substitute crushed red pepper.

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Pea and Fresh Mint Ravioli

Photo: Annabelle Breakey
Pea and Fresh Mint Ravioli Recipe
Frozen peas make this pasta especially fast, but shelled fresh peas are wonderful too; cook in boiling water 2 to 3 minutes before making the filling.

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Crab and Grilled Corn Salad Menu

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
Crab and Grilled Corn Salad Menu Menu
Add a Southwestern flair to your salad by combining grilled corn, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. Crab and Grilled Corn Salad is perfect for supper or a dinner party. It’s high in fiber and low in calories. By serving the salad in lettuce cups, it adds a fun touch to this light dish. To finish the meal, bake Manchego-Black Pepper Breadsticks using the creamy Spanish cheese.
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Spring Pea Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower/Claire Spollen
Spring Pea Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing Recipe

Wonderful flavor comes from Madras curry powder--it's bold but not too heavy. If you can only find regular curry powder, start with half the amount we call for.

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Walnut and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken Menu

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Walnut and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken Menu Menu
Save on the calories by baking fried chicken using panko crumbs. At less than 300 calories, the panko crumbs will add a crunchy texture and golden-brown hue to the dish. The chopped walnuts also add a delightful texture to the chicken, while the rosemary adds flavor. Make this meal kid-friendly by serving with honey-mustard dipping sauce. To balance out this meal, include a green salad and Toasted Garlic Escarole for added vitamins.
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