These healthy Salmon Burgers with Lemon Dill Sauce are super easy and perfect for spring or summer. Serve on a grain-free bun or just with a salad or fresh vegetable sides (like our Roasted Spring Vegetables) for a filling and yummy anti-inflammatory dinner!
These healthy Salmon Burgers with Lemon Dill Sauce are super easy and perfect for spring or summer. Serve on a grain-free bun or just with a salad or fresh vegetable sides (like our Roasted Spring Vegetables) for a filling and yummy anti-inflammatory dinner!
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:8 minutes
Total Time:28 minutes
Yield:41x
Category:Dinner
Method:Cooktop
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Lemon Dill Sauce
1/2cup Paleo mayonnaise
1 lemon (juiced and zested)
2 TBSP chives (minced)
1 Garlic clove (minced)
1 TBSP dill (fresh, minced)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Salmon Patties
1lb salmon (Wild-caught, fresh, with no skin)
1/4cup onion, minced
1 TBSP dill (fresh, minced)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBSP almond flour (can sub in coconut flour if needed)
1 TBSP capers, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2cup arrowroot starch (or tapioca)
2 TBSP avocado oil (for frying)
Instructions
Prepare the Lemon Dill Sauce
Mix all of the ingredients together really well and store in the fridge until needed.
*If meal prepping, store in a sealed container in the fridge up to 5 days.
Make the salmon patties
Cut the salmon into strips, then chop into very small pieces. (Chopping tends to be better than using a food processor.)
Put the salmon into a medium-sized bowl, then add the onion, dill, mustard, almond flour, capers, salt, and pepper.
Combine really well, then divide the mixture into four, creating patties out of each portion.
Pour the arrowroot flour into a flat bowl or container; dredge the patties in it, coating both sides.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the avocado oil and give it a minute to heat the oil.
Place all four salmon patties in the pan; cook 4-5 minutes on each side.
Remove patties from the pan. Plate them while hot and top with the Lemon Dill Sauce.
Notes
*If meal prepping, the patties can be stored layered with parchment paper in a sealed container or baggie in the fridge for up to 3 days.
*If you like a tangier sauce, substitute the Paleo mayo for Greek yogurt.
Keywords: salmon burgers with lemon dill sauce, Paleo salmon burgers, anti inflammatory dinners
One thing that always makes me super happy in spring is to have already meal prepped roasted spring vegetables ready to add to any meal.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to effortlessly roast your favorite spring vegetables with maximum flavor and minimal effort. From choosing the right vegetables to testing for doneness, we’ve got you covered. So, grab your sheet pan, and let’s get roasting!
Before you start roasting your spring vegetables, it’s important to choose the right ones. Not all vegetables are created equal when it comes to roasting. Some may become too mushy, while others may not cook through evenly.
Also, we’re going for in-season vegetables because of their natural nutrient content and also price. So, how do you choose the right spring vegetables for roasting?
In-season spring vegetables
Since choosing veg that are in season is the name of the game, just know that we’re in North America (just outside Houston), so our spring may be different than yours.
If you’re in the same hemisphere, here are some great spring vegetables to roast (that I’m using in these photos):
First and foremost, consider the size of the vegetable. Vegetables that are too big, such as large broccoli or cauliflower florets, may take longer to cook and may not roast evenly.
It’s super easy to just cut up larger vegetables or buy it already cut and bagged. Or you can stick to smaller and more uniform vegetables like baby carrots and thin green beans.
Next, consider the texture of the vegetable. Vegetables with a firm texture, like Brussels sprouts or cauliflower, will hold up well during roasting and won’t become too mushy. On the other hand, softer vegetables like zucchini or yellow squash may become too tender and fall apart during roasting.
Finally, think about the flavor profile of the vegetable. Roasting can bring out the natural sweetness of vegetables, so choose vegetables that will complement each other. For example, try roasting a mix of sweet bell peppers and red onions for a delicious and colorful side dish.
Prepping your spring vegetables
Before you can start roasting your spring vegetables, it’s important to properly prep them.
Start by washing and drying the vegetables thoroughly. Then, cut them into evenly sized pieces to ensure they cook uniformly.
Seasoning for Flavor
With your vegetables prepped and ready to go, it’s time to move on to seasoning them for maximum flavor. Salt and pepper are essential, but don’t be afraid to experiment with other spices that complement your vegetables. For example, rosemary and thyme are perfect for hearty spring root vegetables like potatoes and carrots.
For a more exotic flavor, consider using cumin and coriander on cauliflower or turmeric on Brussels sprouts. To add a little kick, try a pinch of red pepper flakes on your asparagus or broccoli.
When seasoning your vegetables, be sure to coat them evenly with (an appropriate) oil or butter to help the spices stick. This will also help them crisp up in the oven.
Roasting techniques
To ensure that your roasted vegetables come out perfectly, it’s important to use the right roasting techniques. Here are a few tricks to keep in mind:
First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (163 C). This ensures that your veggies cook evenly and don’t dry out. Next, chop your vegetables into evenly-sized pieces so that they roast uniformly. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet before adding oil or butter and seasonings.
Make sure to toss your vegetables halfway through the cooking process. This helps them cook evenly on both sides and ensures that they’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Finally, let your vegetables rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow the flavors to meld together.
Testing for Doneness
Roasting vegetables can be a breeze, as long as you know when they’re done cooking. Overcooking can result in a mushy or burned, unappetizing mess while undercooking can leave them tough and lacking in flavor. Here are a few tips for testing for doneness when roasting your favorite spring veggies.
First, use a fork or a skewer to test the texture of your vegetables. You should be able to pierce them easily without too much resistance. If they’re still hard or crunchy, they need more time in the oven. On the other hand, if they’re too soft or mushy, they may be overcooked.
Second, check the color of your vegetables. They should be evenly browned and caramelized, with no raw or uncooked areas. If they’re still pale or green, they need more time in the oven. Conversely, if they’re starting to char or blacken, they may be overcooked.
Third, use your senses to determine if your vegetables are ready. They should smell fragrant and delicious, with a slightly sweet and nutty aroma. They should also sound crispy and crackly when you move them around in the pan.
Once you’re confident that your vegetables are done, take them out of the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to mingle and intensify, resulting in a more delicious and satisfying dish.
If you’re cooking your spring veg for meal prep, let them cool completely before putting them into storage containers and into the fridge. I recommend separating them out as some vegetables have more liquid in them than others.
Roasting spring vegetables doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right techniques and a little bit of patience, you can achieve crispy and delicious veggies every time to take advantage of the seasonal anti-inflammatory produce!
How to effortlessly make your favorite roasted spring vegetables with maximum flavor and minimal effort. Perfect for side dishes during the week or meal prep!
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:25-30 minutes
Total Time:36 minute
Yield:41x
Method:Oven
Ingredients
Scale
1 head of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
1 bunch of asparagus
1/2 onion
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (163 C).
Chop your vegetables into evenly-sized pieces so that they roast uniformly.
Spray a sheet pan with avocado oil.
Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Give a light spray of avocado oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and any other seasonings you wish.
Roast for 25-30 minutes until done. Let cool, then serve.
This Spring Blanched Vegetable Platter takes a veggie board to the next level! Not only does blanching bring out even more flavor in veggies, it also brightens their colors, making an even more gorgeous spring vegetable board.
Steamer basket or colander insert that will sit inside the pot, but low enough for water to reach the vegetables inside
If you don’t have a steamer basket or colander insert, you can still blanch the veggies in the pot of water. It’s just much easier with the insert.
Also, many people would rather simply steam the veggies with this basket to lose as few nutrients as possible in the boiling water. Either method works.
Difference between Steaming and Blanching
So let’s talk about the difference between steaming and blanching really quick…
Blanching is actually fully submerging the veggies in the water, then putting in an ice-bath to stop the cooking process;
While Steaming is letting the hot water boil below the veggies, enough to create steam, and that steam is actually what’s cooking the vegetables.
Many people like steaming over boiling because you can cook a lot of the nutrients out of vegetables if you boil them, and they’re left in the water.
Blanching is sort of the compromise between the two because you’re only cooking the vegetables for 3-5 minutes, not longer times like is typical with longer cooking in boiling water.
Instructions
Make sure to watch the video at the top to see this in action! 😉
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt.
Fill an extra large bowl halfway with ice, and fill to 3/4 full with cold water. Keep near the pot of water.
Put your first vegetables into the steamer basket or colander insert.
Lower the steamer basket into the pot of boiling water.
Cook about 3-5 minutes, then lift the steamer basket out of the water.
Dump veggies into the bowl of ice water to immediately stop the cooking process.
While those veggies are cooling, move on to the next set of vegetables.
While that set is cooking, spoon the first veggies out of the cold water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl for the water to drain.
Keep this going until all vegetables are blanched, cooled, and into a bowl to rest.
The vegetables can be stored a few days in the fridge, or plated on a platter.
This Spring Blanched Vegetable Platter takes a veggie board to the next level! Not only does blanching bring out even more flavor in veggies, it also brightens their colors, making an even more gorgeous spring vegetable board.
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:15
Total Time:20 minutes
Yield:61x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
4 quarts of water
2 TBSP kosher salt
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
8oz snow peas
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt.
Fill an extra large bowl halfway with ice, and fill to 3/4 full with cold water. Keep near the pot of water.
Put your first vegetables into the steamer basket or colander insert.Lower the steamer basket into the pot of boiling water.
Cook about 3-5 minutes, then lift the steamer basket out of the water.
Dump veggies into the bowl of ice water to immediately stop the cooking process.
While those veggies are cooling, move on to the next set of vegetables.
While that set is cooking, spoon the first veggies out of the cold water with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl for the water to drain.
Keep this going until all vegetables are blanched, cooled, and into a bowl to rest.
The vegetables can be stored a few days in the fridge, or plated on a platter.
Pair with our Anti-Inflammatory Homemade Ranch Dip for the ultimate healthy, delicious, and gorgeous crowd-pleaser!
Notes
If you’re not using the vegetables immediately, you can store them in the fridge for a few days in a sealed container.
Keywords: blanched vegetables, blanched vegetable platter, spring vegetable platter, spring charcuterie board
This delicious Flaky Lemon Pepper White Fish is packed with flavor, and is a super easy anti-inflammatory dinner to make! It’s amazing paired with seasonal spring veggies but can truly be enjoyed year-round.
Preheat oven to 425F. Cover a sheet pan with foil.
Place fish on pan. Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle all seasonings on top evenly.
Place lemons on top of fish, then bake for 12-15 minutes. The fish should be flaky and done, but not dry.
Serve with parsley sprinkled over fish.
Notes
*To meal prep this dish, simply close the foil into a pouch, sealed on all sides so no liquid leaks out, and store in the fridge until the night needed.
This delicious Flaky Lemon Pepper Fish is packed with flavor, and is a super easy anti-inflammatory dinner to make! It’s amazing paired with seasonal spring veggies but can truly be enjoyed year-round.
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:12-15 minutes
Total Time:17-20 minutes
Yield:41x
Category:Dinner
Method:Oven
Ingredients
Scale
4 pieces of white fish (like cod)
1 TBSP lemon pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 TBSP avocado oil
1 lemon, sliced
2 TBSP parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Cover a sheet pan with foil.
Place fish on pan. Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle all seasonings on top evenly.
Place lemons on top of fish, then bake for 12-15 minutes. The fish should be flaky and done, but not dry.
Serve with parsley sprinkled over fish
Notes
*To meal prep this dish, simply close the foil into a pouch, sealed on all sides so no liquid leaks out, and store in the fridge until the night needed.
This Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes isn’t just a super easy one-pan dinner. It’s a delicious anti-inflammatory and gluten-free healthy dinner that also happens to be super easy to prep ahead using whole food ingredients that are fresh for spring!
This Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes isn’t just a super easy one-pan dinner. It’s a delicious anti-inflammatory and gluten-free healthy dinner that also happens to be super easy to prep ahead using whole food ingredients that are fresh for spring!
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:25-30 minutes
Total Time:41 minute
Yield:41x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
8 boneless chicken thighs
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp pepper, divided
1 TBSP avocado oil
2lbs fingerling potatoes, halved
1 bunch of asparagus, with ends cut off
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can of black olives, drained and sliced
1 TBSP oregano, fresh and chopped
1/2 TBSP thyme, fresh and chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 F. Cover a large sheet pan with foil, and lightly coat with avocado oil.
Cut the potatoes, onions, asparagus, garlic, and herbs.
In a large bowl, place the potatoes, onions, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and 1/2 TBSP avocado oil. Stir really well to combine.
Place the chicken on one end of the pan, leaving about 2/3 for the veggies.
Place the asparagus on the pan and sprinkle the olives around. Drizzle with oil.
Fill in the rest of the pan with the potato mixture.
Salt and pepper the entire pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is done. Remove from oven.
Let cool, plate, and enjoy!
Keywords: greek lemon chicken and potatoes, mediterranean diet recipes, anti inflammatory dinners, anti inflammatory recipes, healthy sheet pan dinners
The anti-inflammatory breakfast smoothie offers the fun spring flavor of orange creamsicles but without the sugar. It’s creamy but with the familiar sweet and tangy hints of orange and vanilla, while keeping you full with a serving of protein.
1/4 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy free)
3/4 cup unsweet almond milk
1/4 vanilla protein powder
zest from 1/2 large orange
1/4 tsp real vanilla extract
5-7 drops liquid stevia (to taste)
4 ice cubes
Notes
*For a creamier texture, you can add 1 tsp chia seeds or 1 TBSP of almond or cashew butter. Cashew butter will give a milder flavor than almond butter.
*Make in bulk by placing all ingredients except ice cubes into a container and save in the fridge for 2-3 days until needed.
The anti-inflammatory breakfast smoothie offers the fun spring flavor of orange creamsicles but without the sugar. It’s creamy but with the familiar sweet and tangy hints of orange and vanilla, while keeping you full with a serving of protein.
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:5 minutes
Total Time:5 minutes
Yield:1 smoothie 1x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
1/4 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy free)
3/4cup unsweet almond milk
1/4 vanilla protein powder
zest from 1/2 large orange
1/4 tsp real vanilla extract
5–7 drops liquid stevia (to taste)
4 ice cubes
Instructions
Add all ingredients into a high-powered blender.
Blend on high until smooth.
Adjust sweetness, if desired.
Pour into glass and enjoy immediately!
Notes
*For a creamier texture, you can add 1 tsp chia seeds or 1 TBSP of almond or cashew butter. Cashew butter will give a milder flavor than almond butter.
*Make in bulk by placing all ingredients except ice cubes into a container and save in the fridge for 2-3 days until needed.
Keywords: orange creamsicle smoothie, anti inflammatory smoothies, dairy free smoothie
Making bulk breakfast and snack recipes like these anti-inflammatory Strawberry Breakfast Muffins is one of my favorite ways to save time and brainpower cooking for the week during meal prep.
Not only are these anti-inflammatory breakfast muffins gluten-free and sugar free, they’re also packed with flavor and fresh seasonal berries!
1/4 cup allulose (or other granulated natural zero-calorie sweetener for baking)
1/8 tsp salt
1 TBSP coconut oil (melted)
3 eggs (medium)
1 TBSP ghee (melted)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 cup strawberries (sliced)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C) and grease muffin tin or line with baking cups.
Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl: almond flour, baking soda, cardamom, allulose, and salt. Stir until well combined.
Combine all wet ingredients in a separate medium bowl: coconut oil, eggs, ghee, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.
Pour wet ingredients into large bowl with dry ingredients and mix well.
Fold in strawberries.
Divide batter into all 12 muffin cups.
Bake 20-25 minutes until golden on top. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
Let cool and enjoy!
Notes
*You can chop up strawberries really small and fold in, or keep them halved to quartered and place a few on top like I did in the video.
*If I make a batch of muffins like these and realize I won’t be able to eat them all before they go bad, I’ll cut them into quarters and pop them into the freezer in a freezer bag– instant Frozen Muffin Bites! (Great with yogurt or as an ice cream topper!)
Making bulk breakfast and snack recipes like these Strawberry Breakfast Muffins is one of my favorite ways to save time and brainpower cooking for the week. Not only are these anti-inflammatory breakfast muffins free of sugar and gluten, they’re also packed with flavor and fresh seasonal berries!
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:20-25 min
Total Time:30 – 35 minutes
Yield:12 1x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
2 cups Amond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 dash cardamom, ground
1/4cup allulose (or other granulated natural zero-calorie sweetener for baking)
1/8 tsp salt
1 TBSP coconut oil (melted)
3 eggs (medium)
1 TBSP ghee (melted)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1cup strawberries (sliced)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C) and grease muffin tin or line with baking cups.
Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl: almond flour, baking soda, cardamom, allulose, and salt. Stir until well combined.
Combine all wet ingredients in a separate medium bowl: coconut oil, eggs, ghee, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.
Pour wet ingredients into large bowl with dry ingredients and mix well.
Fold in strawberries.
Divide batter into all 12 muffin cups.
Bake 20-25 minutes until golden on top. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
Let cool and enjoy!
Notes
*You can chop up strawberries really small and fold in, or keep them halved to quartered and place a few on top like I did in the video.
*If I make a batch of muffins like these and realize I won’t be able to eat them all before they go bad, I’ll cut them into quarters and pop them into the freezer in a freezer bag– instant Frozen Muffin Bites! (Great with yogurt or as an ice cream topper!)
This Broccoli Strawberry Salad is the perfect spring anti inflammatory meal prep lunch or dinner side. It’s full of color, flavor, and fresh spring produce!
*We love to premake these salads for meal prep for the week! Simply chop the veggies and store in separate containers until you want to assemble them.
OR you can choose the mason jar method where you put the dressing in the bottom of the jar, then layer the veggies. When you’re ready to eat, just shake the jar to mix all the ingredients and enjoy!
This Broccoli Strawberry Salad is the perfect spring anti inflammatory meal prep lunch or dinner side. It’s full of color, flavor, and fresh spring produce!
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:5 minutes
Total Time:5 minutes
Yield:41x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
2 cups of broccoli florets
1cup of strawberries (cut in half or chopped)
1/4cup red onion (finely chopped)
1/4cup feta cheese
1/4cup chopped almonds (or sliced)
3 TBSP Green Goddess Dressing
5oz mixed spring salad greens (arugula or mesclun mix)
Instructions
Chop all the veggies and almonds if not purchased that way; crumble the feta.
Mix the broccoli, onion, strawberries, almonds, and feta in a bowl.
Portion out the salad greens into bowls, top with the broccoli and strawberry mixture.
Drizzle with Green Goddess Dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
*We love to premake these salads for meal prep for the week! Simply chop the veggies and store in separate containers until you want to assemble them.
OR you can choose the mason jar method where you put the dressing in the bottom of the jar, then layer the veggies. When you’re ready to eat, just shake the jar to mix all the ingredients and enjoy!
This Green Goddess Chicken is full of flavor and will quickly become a weeknight favorite. Use your favorite cuts of chicken for a healthy, anti-inflammatory dinner that’s quick, juicy, and delicious!
Make the Green Goddess Dressing first, as it will be the marinade. The recipe is for way more than is needed for this chicken recipe, so either use the rest for salads all week, or cut the recipe into 1/3 to fit this recipe.
Place the chicken into a bowl or baggie and pour enough dressing to coat the chicken. (If only making enough for this recipe, make sure to reserve around 2-3 TBSP for drizzling on the finished chicken.)
Toss the chicken to coat, then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to marinate.
Set your cooktop to medium-high heat and let a large non-stick skillet get warm. Add the oil, then the chicken to the pan. (Don’t save any of the marinade from the bowl or baggie!)
Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side, then remove from the skillet.
Drizzle the reserved dressing over the top and serve!
Notes
*To prep this for the week, simply leave the chicken to marinate in a baggie or container in the fridge until the night it is needed.
This Green Goddess Chicken is full of flavor and will quickly become a weeknight favorite. Use your favorite cuts of chicken for a healthy, anti-inflammatory dinner that’s quick, juicy, and delicious!
Author:Laura Brigance, MS, CHC
Prep Time:2 hours, 5 minutes
Cook Time:15
Total Time:2 hours, 20 minutes
Yield:41x
Ingredients
Scale
8 boneless chicken thighs (or equivalent of favorite chicken cuts)
Make the Green Goddess Dressing first, as it will be the marinade. The recipe is for way more than is needed for this chicken recipe, so either use the rest for salads all week, or cut the recipe into 1/3 to fit this recipe.
Place the chicken into a bowl or baggie and pour enough dressing to coat the chicken. (If only making enough for this recipe, make sure to reserve around 2-3 TBSP for drizzling on the finished chicken.)
Toss the chicken to coat, then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to marinate.
Set your cooktop to medium-high heat and let a large non-stick skillet get warm. Add the oil, then the chicken to the pan. (Don’t save any of the marinade from the bowl or baggie!)
Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side, then remove from the skillet.
Drizzle the reserved dressing over the top and serve!
Notes
*To prep this for the week, simply leave the chicken to marinate in a baggie or container in the fridge until the night it is needed.
*I’ve always loved chicken thighs better than breasts for their extra flavor. However, you can still use the equivalent in weight in chicken breasts if you prefer those over thighs.
If you’re looking for an easy way to pack in yummy and healthy seasonal anti-inflammatory meals, this Spring Anti-Inflammatory Meal Prep Plan and Guide is for you!
I really love to eat seasonally, I think mother nature provides us specific nutrients we need for each season, but also—it costs less to buy produce that’s in season.
Now I love to prep ingredients to be able to throw together, but I also know that weeks are CRAZY so it’s also important to have recipes that you’ve prepped for so you have as little as possible to think about during the week.
So this spring meal prep does both of those things –
And I’ve created a PDF with instructions and links to the recipes so you can do this meal prep at home.
Get our Spring
Anti-Inflammatory Meal Prep Guide!
Spring into feeling fabulous with this 1-week gluten-free, sugar-free meal plan and prep guide! Featuring delicious anti-inflammatory recipes from fresh spring produce!
Mix and bake anything that needs to go in the oven,
And then while that’s cooking or baking, put together marinades and dips to store in the fridge until you need them during the week.
So let’s start with chopping everything.
Chopping
For this spring anti inflammatory meal prep session and meal plan, I started out chopping the vegetables – which were broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and onion.
Baking + Cooking
There are more veggies that I need to chop, but we can just go ahead and put that in the oven at 350 F for about 25-30 minutes and work on other stuff while that’s roasting.
While those are cooking, we’re gonna finish chopping fruits so we can get our smoothie packs, salad, and marinades put together, as well as get the muffins ready to go in the oven.
The spring fruits we’re using this week are oranges, strawberries, and lemons.
The orange needs to be zested, sliced in half, and then juiced.
The strawberries just need to be washed and then the leaves cut off the tops and cut in half or quartered—this mostly depends on your preference.
And the lemons just need to be sliced and juiced.
Then I want to go ahead and mix my batter for the strawberry muffins, because as soon as the roasted veggies come out of the oven, the muffins go in.
We start out mixing the dry ingredients: mix in the wet ingredients, and then combine it really well. Then divide the batter evenly into the muffin tins.
By this time the veggies should be done in the oven, so we’ll pull the roasted veggies out of the oven to let them cool, and then the strawberry muffins go in at 325F for 20-25 min.
Once the veggies are cool we’re gonna put them in separate containers to be stored in the fridge for side dishes through the week.
Remaining veggies + herbs
Next, I chopped the potatoes, and then moved on to the herbs. This week I need parsley, chives, and dill.
I also need some chopped almonds. You can buy these in slivers or chopped, I just happened to have whole ones, so I needed to just give them a rough chop.
Now that everything’s chopped and ready, and I’m still waiting on the muffins to finish baking, I can start assembling prep packs and containers for stuff that will go in the fridge until the night or day I need it.
Assembling prepped items for the fridge
Smoothie packs
So let’s start with the orange creamsicle smoothie packs. I’m making 2 of these for the week.
And we just throw all the ingredients into a baggie that’s labeled.
These little handy things I’m using are called Baggie Stands, and I’m telling you—this makes it SO much easier to use baggies for storage when you have anything liquid, because if it tips at all—you’ve got liquid all over the counter.
That does NOT happen with these baggie stands. You can find them online right here (affiliate link):
This recipe also includes a few ice cubes, but we hold off on those until the day we make them. You can write instructions for the ice on the baggie too if you want. And then once those are made, they go in the fridge.
Marinades, dips, and dressings
Next we’ll mix the marinades, dips, and dressing.
This Green goddess dressing is so fresh, you’re gonna absolutely love it! I like to make a really big batch of it so there’s enough for the chicken recipe and dressing for the week- we’ll be using it on our broccoli strawberry salad too.
So for the dressing we’re gonna use a blender cup, and put all the ingredients in. It’s super easy to make, you just throw it in and blend it on high.
Now, we’re gonna use part of it as a marinade for the Green Goddess chicken, part is to drizzle on the chicken once it’s cooked, and the extra is for dressing for salads for the week.
So we put our chicken in a labeled baggie, then pour just enough to coat the chicken, then store the green goddess chicken in the fridge, and for the rest of the dressing, store it in a sealed container or baggie to go in the fridge as well.
Next up is the lemon dill sauce for the salmon burgers.
First we’re gonna dump all the ingredients in a bowl.
Then we stir really well, then get it poured into a sealed container or labeled baggie to go in the fridge.
Next is the Homemade ranch dip. This is for the blanched veggie platter we’ll make in a few minutes.
Again- this recipe is super simple, and using a recipe like this eliminates the artificial junk and MSG that’s normally put into ranch dressing mix and dip mix.
So you start with organic sour cream, and just put all the other ingredients into it and stir really well. If you’re gonna store this for the week, you really can just mix it up right in the container it came in and then store it in the fridge until you need it.
And the last marinade we’ll make is for the Lemon Greek Chicken and Potatoes
And this marinade is actually for the vegetables, not the meat. The recipe has two separate steps for the vegetables, so using our baggie stands again, we’re gonna put potatoes, oil, and onions in one bag, and the asparagus and olives in the other. Then we just seal them up and store them in the fridge until the night they’re needed.
Next I’m gonna go ahead and prep the salmon burgers for the week.
To do that, I chop up the salmon into tiny pieces- do this rather than putting in the food processor, because it makes the whole thing too mushy really fast-
Mix in the rest of the ingredients, then shape into patties.
These are super easy to stack on parchment and store in the fridge until the day you need them. When you cook them you’ll dredge them in arrowroot flour first and then cook them in oil in a skillet.
So, depending on how long your prep is taking, your strawberry muffins should be coming out of the oven, and when they’re cooled you can store them a few days on the counter, or make them last longer in the fridge.
Blanched Vegetables
The very last thing I’ll make is the Blanched Vegetables—Now the reason I love to blanch veggies for a platter is because they taste amazing, and also, it deepens the color of the vegetables to make it that much prettier!
Blanching is actually really easy. You use a large pot and either a steamer basket or a colander basket. You can do without if you don’t have one, but it’s much easier to use a basket.
Then you boil the water, put each vegetable in for 3-5 minutes, then immediately put it into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Make it like an assembly line to be really efficient with this.
Then put each in a bowl to drain the excess water out, and you can store them for the week or go ahead and make a platter and then store it covered in the fridge.
And if you happen to have leftovers from your meal prep at the end of the week, my favorite way to use it is to make a nourish bowl or macro bowl with all the leftovers.
Now, as I mentioned at the start, I’ve created a spring meal prep guide for you that should hopefully make meal prep a little easier, because it has the full prep guide as well as links to the full recipes on the TRUEWELL website.
And—when you grab the free PDF for the spring meal prep, you also get a huge discount on the blood sugar balancing Spring Anti Inflammatory Meal Prep Kit that has 4 weeks of spring meal plans, full recipes, and prep guides that includes breakfast and snacks, lunches, dinners, and even desserts and cocktails—all sugar free, gluten free, and dairy free adaptable!
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Anti-Inflammatory Meal Prep Guide!
Spring into feeling fabulous with this 1-week gluten-free, sugar-free meal plan and prep guide! Featuring delicious anti-inflammatory recipes from fresh spring produce!
