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5 Spring Dinner Party Recipes
Nothing says springtime like an al fresco dinner party! If you’re anything like us, you’ll love treating your guests to innovative, super tasty and super healthy dishes. There’s just something so satisfying about well-fed, happy and healthy guests! We’re sharing our love for spring dinner parties with our top 5 recipe ideas that will give your guests that light and energised spring feeling, but will also tick the boxes of hearty and comforting as we ease through the seasonal transition. These recipes will hopefully take any stress out of hosting, and get you excited for al fresco dining and catch-ups on these warmer, longer days.
Miso Roasted Salmon Bowl
This colourful and balanced bowl offers big flavour, plenty of freshness and a lot of tasty texture. It really is the ideal springtime bowl; surprisingly hearty without weighing you down. For your spring dinner party, we suggest prepping and plating each element of the dish separately, then creating a buffet setup for guests to put together their own bowl of goodness. That way, everyone has control over how much of each ingredient they have and can make something that will match and delight their own senses!
Nutritional Bonus: Quinoa is one of our fave base grains for any type of bowl, not only for its light and nutty flavour, but also its ‘superfood’ status. With a rich content of dietary fibre and protein, you can rest assured this bowl will fill you up and give your body plenty of energy. Star ingredient, salmon, will also provide a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which is great for all-round health, specifically heart health, brain health, hair, skin and nails.
Get the recipe here!
Pumpkin & Caramelised Onion Tart
Prepare this beauty ahead of time and serve alongside one of the salads we’ve highlighted below or a simple green salad. This savoury tart has a smooth and creamy pumpkin filling, a crisp buckwheat base and a topping of sweet and tender caramelised onion. Rather than traditional white flour to make the base, buckwheat flour takes a mundane to an interesting base, providing a rich flavour that complements the topping.
Nutritional Bonus: The buckwheat flour base is a safe option for those gluten-free guests without compromising on flavour. Psyllium husk and ground flax have also been included in the base to take its nutritional value up a further notch, providing a whole lot of dietary fibre, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. The nutritional content of this tart is more than meets the eye!
Get the recipe here!
Puy Lentil Salad with Halloumi
This crowd-pleasing salad is sure to go down a treat with all dinner guests! It is an absolute explosion of flavours, including the sweet juiciness of cherry tomatoes, the clean earthiness of asparagus and the ever-delicious saltiness of halloumi. It is super quick to whip up so no need to prep anything in advance. We think it’s absolutely delicious served on its own, but you may choose to eat it alongside additional vegetables, a simple green salad, or some fish or meat from the BBQ to make it a little more hearty. If you’re wanting a fully plant-based meal, feel free to just omit the halloumi from this recipe.
Nutritional Bonus: The unique puy lentil base gives this salad an appealing nutrition profile, with significant amounts of protein and polyphenols. Polyphenols are active compounds that fight against harmful agents in the body and have been linked to long-lasting health benefits, including cardiovascular health and diabetes prevention. There’s no question about happy and healthy dinner party guests with this recipe!
Get the recipe here!
Walnut & Black Bean Meatballs with Parsnip Noodles
Not quite ready for salad season? For your meat-free friends & family (and everyone else!), the humble and ever-popular spaghetti & meatballs just got a makeover! These walnut and black bean meatballs have a ‘meaty’ texture, and the herbs and spices make them oh-so-tasty. The simple tomato sauce adds a layer of freshness and the spiralised parsnip acts as the perfect light, whole food substitute for spaghetti. Your guests will certainly not be going home hungry and are sure to be asking to take home the recipe of this one!
Nutritional Bonus: Black beans as the base of these meatballs provide a satiating, protein-rich option. They absorb their surrounding flavours well so taste amazing incredible, but they also boast nutritional benefits including being rich in calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. These minerals all contribute to building and maintaining strong bones and supporting heart health. Yes, please!
Get the recipe here!
Freekeh Mushroom Salad with Pea Hummus
A lovely transitional dish to ease you into spring, this hearty salad is light and healthy but still ticks the ‘comforting’ box we often crave as we transition from winter to spring. Serve this delicious salad alongside some BBQ’d goods and fresh bread, and you’ve got yourself a winning spring dinner party! The pea hummus is sooo good, we recommend making extra and serving it on a platter for when guests arrive as a dip for veggie crudites or crackers.
Nutritional Bonus: Freekeh is a delicious and hearty grain packed with fibre and protein. It’s not gluten-free but does not cause as much digestive upset as some gluten-containing grains. It contains prebiotics that make it easier to digest and actually help to fuel the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Get the recipe here!
