Two Meals, One Snack: Spring’s Soft Launch (Featuring Greens That Don’t Suck)
Bright food for in-between seasons and in-between moods
Spring in New England feels kind of like a custody battle between winter and summer. And I, like these meals, am tired of being caught in the middle.
This week leans into spring greens and that lemony, herby energy that makes you want to eat outside, even if it’s still sweater weather. (As I write this, it’s snowing.)
In just three recipes, you’ll hit 22 different plants. Science recommends 30 per week to support gut health, reduce inflammation, and boost longevity (sources at the end). Since going vegan, I usually get 50 or 60—not because I’m counting, but because when you love food and plants are the baseline, variety just happens. You’ve probably noticed: my meals are all over the place.
And if there’s one thing research agrees on, it’s this: eat leafy greens every day. They’re linked to better brain health and pretty much every good thing a body can do. This has been a real challenge for me. I don’t like them in smoothies (I’ve tried), and I’ve never been much of a salad girl (tried this, too). I’m always trying to eat what’s good for me in ways that still feel good. That’s the only approach that sticks. Forcing yourself to ruin every smoothie you used to enjoy by shoving spinach into it? Not effective. Eating salads when that kind of food doesn’t actually appeal to you just makes nutrition feel like a chore.
What works for me—and probably for more people than we admit—is finding ways to eat well that actually feel satisfying. Not just physically, but emotionally. Food should taste good. It should make you feel good. So I’ve made it a kind of challenge: how do I get in the things I know are good for me without making it a miserable experience? That mindset changed everything. Now, leafy greens show up in my meals almost every day, and I never dread them.
That’s the whole goal here, really: to get people to like good food. And by good, I mean both delicious and nourishing. You don’t have to pick one.
Make it flexible. Make it feel good. Make it yours.
DINNER
Lemon-Herb Lentil & Quinoa Tabbouleh Bowl with Sumac-Roasted Chickpeas
Makes: 2–4 servings
Time: 45–60 minutes (really depends on the tools you have and how fast you chop)
Protein-rich, herb-packed, and bold with a hint of heat.
When I was 20, I waited tables at a small deli and café that served the best pancakes I’ve ever had—like, truly unmatched—but they also had this tabbouleh and hummus salad. At the time, it was way outside my comfort zone. I was a ham-and-cheese Hot Pocket girl (Lean Pockets when I was trying to be “healthy”), but I was weirdly intrigued by it. Intrigued enough that two decades later, I’m still thinking about it.
This version is inspired by those early moments of curiosity and by the Levantine roots of traditional tabbouleh—especially the Lebanese version, which leans heavily on parsley, lemon, and olive oil. I added lentils, a super food in it’s own right, to bring extra protein and fiber, and I’ve kept it gluten-free with quinoa. It’s bright, fresh, and satisfying in that quietly confident way.
Ingredients
For the bowl:
1/2 cup dry green or brown lentils
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/2 English cucumber, finely diced (you can use any cucumber here. I prefer English cucumbers.)
1/4 red onion, finely diced
3/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 small jalapeño, finely minced (remove seeds for less heat)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1–2 lemons (to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
For the sumac-roasted chickpeas:
1 can chickpeas, drained and patted dry
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sumac (sub: lemon zest + smoked paprika)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt to taste
For the sautéed greens:
2 cups chopped spinach or kale
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of salt + splash of lemon juice
For the garlic tahini drizzle:
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup
1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
Warm water to thin
Instructions
Simmer lentils in salted water for 20–25 min until tender. Drain and cool.
Rinse quinoa. Cook in 1 cup water with a pinch of salt. Simmer 15 min, then sit 5 min, then fluff.
Toss chickpeas with oil, sumac, garlic powder, and salt. Roast at 400°F for 25–30 min until crisp.
Sauté greens in olive oil with garlic until wilted, 2–3 min. Season with salt and a splash of lemon.
Whisk all tahini drizzle ingredients until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix lentils, quinoa, cucumber, onion, parsley, cilantro, jalapeño, zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt + pepper. Let sit 10–15 min.
Assemble bowls: tabbouleh mix, sautéed greens, chickpeas. Drizzle with tahini sauce.
Time for a Little Prep Talk
I always keep a few staples ready in the fridge—cooked quinoa, steamed broccoli, a jar of something saucy. Usually a veg, a grain, and a protein. Not because I’m organized—because I know a day will come when I’m a rotting blob with no motivation, and I’ll still need to eat something that won’t make me feel worse.
Meal prep isn’t about eating the same thing 16 times a week. It’s about having building blocks on hand so that when you’re too drained to cook—or when a recipe like this one has you chopping 16 different things (GAWD, tabbouleh)—the rest of your plate is already halfway done.
Think of it less like meal planning, more like ingredient readiness. Anytime you see quinoa in one of my meals, just know: it’s been waiting in the fridge for this exact moment.
LUNCH
Spring Greens Soup with White Beans, Peas & Lemon
Makes: 2 large bowls
Time: 30 minutes
Hello, I have once again made soup as an excuse to eat fresh-made naan.
Let me be clear: the soup is great. But it also gave me an excuse to make naan, which I now apparently want to eat every single day for the rest of my life. No regrets.
This lunch is packed with all the goods that deliver—leafy greens, beans, peas. It’s one of those meals where you eat it and immediately think, yeah, I’m probably going to have abs tomorrow. I’m basically a health coach now. But without also sucking.
p.s. add a spoonful of quinoa to the bowl if you want to make it a little heartier.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
½ yellow onion, chopped (about 75g)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp dried thyme or dried basil
30g baby kale
30g arugula (spinach works great in place of either—or both.)
½ cup (65g) frozen green peas
1 cup (165g) cooked white beans (cannellini or Great Northern)
3 cups (720mL) vegetable broth
Juice of ½ lemon
Optional: Zest of ½ lemon
1 tsp white wine vinegar (start with less and add to taste)
Salt + black pepper, to taste
Optional: ½ cup cooked quinoa per bowl, for serving
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in minced garlic and dried herbs. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add baby kale, arugula, peas, white beans, and vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), and white wine vinegar.
Blend with an immersion blender until creamy but still a little textured, or go fully smooth if you prefer. (You can totally use a regular blender for this, too.)
Season generously with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve hot, optionally ladled over ½ cup of cooked quinoa for a heartier bowl.
Prep Talk: I know naan isn’t the “correct” bread for this kind of soup—but I love it, and sometimes that’s enough. That said, for leftovers tonight, I’m making a socca-style chickpea flatbread that I think will pair better with the flavors. A nice sourdough would also be perfect here. Honestly, all bread is good bread. Go with what works.
Lemon-Pistachio Snack Bars with Coconut & Chia
Makes: 6–8 bars
Time: 10 minutes + chill time
I gotta be honest with y’all—these are so good, I rarely make it to the bar part. I just eat the mixture straight off the spoon. (Which, for the record, you can totally do. It works great as a chunky, granola-style snack—but you’ll still want to chill it.)
Of all the snacks I’ve shared so far, these might be my favorite. Imagine this: a homemade granola bar meets a lemon tart, and they have a nutrient-dense cookie baby.
Seriously—if you’re into lemon and want a snack that’s completely addictive and good for you, this is it.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp pistachios, chopped
1 tbsp chia seeds
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp nut or seed butter (sunflower or cashew work great—I’ve also used almond because it’s what I had)
Pinch of salt
Optional Lemon Glaze (if you're feeling fancy, which I always am):
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1–2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions:
Mix your base ingredients.
Press firmly into a parchment-lined small container, baking sheet, or loaf pan.
Chill for 20–30 minutes until firm.
Slice into rectangles or squares.
Optional: Mix 1/4 cup powdered sugar with 1–2 tsp lemon juice and drizzle over top.
Prep Talk: Toast the oats and coconut first for deeper flavor. Not necessary, but I recommend it.
Common Substitutions (Flexible + Pantry-Friendly):
Lentils → Canned lentils, cooked mung beans, cooked split peas
Quinoa → Bulgur (traditional), couscous, millet, short-grain brown rice, wild rice, or buckwheat (If using bulgur, just note it’s not gluten-free, but it’s delicious and traditional. Gluten can absolutely be part of a healthy, balanced diet. I only avoid it because I physically can’t tolerate it.)
Chickpeas → White beans, roasted tofu, roasted edamame
Pistachios → Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds
Coconut → Ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, chopped nuts, or rolled oats (for texture)
Peas → Diced zucchini, asparagus, chopped green beans, or shelled edamame
Fresh herbs → Use dried (1/3 the amount), or swap parsley for cilantro depending on the vibe
Spinach, Arugula, or Kale → Any leafy green works here. Use spinach for everything if you want. Mix and Match. Try collard greens, mustard greens, or Swiss chard—just sauté the tougher ones a little longer to soften them up. Do whatever feels good. Use whatever you already have.
Chia seeds → Swap for hemp seeds or ground flaxseed in the bars
Tahini → Almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter (flavor will shift slightly, but they all can work)
Storage & Batch Cooking Tips
Tabbouleh → Holds up 5–7 days in the fridge. Chickpeas stay crisp longer if stored separately.
Soup → Keeps well for up to a week in the fridge. Add the lemon juice just before serving for the brightest flavor. Freezes well for 1–2 months—just leave out the lemon until reheating.
Snack Bars → Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage (they thaw quickly and hold up great).
Sources to Gently Bully You Into Eating More Plants and Less Animals:
Morris, M.C. et al. (2018). Nutrients and bioactives in green leafy vegetables and cognitive decline. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004815
McDonald, D. et al. (2018). American Gut: An open platform for citizen science microbiome research. mSystems. https://doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00031-18
World Health Organization. (2015). Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat. https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr240_E.pdf
Satija, A. et al. (2016). Plant-based diets and the risk of coronary heart disease in US adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.05.047
Zhang, Y. et al. (2023). Associations between plant-based dietary patterns and risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Journal. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-023-00877-2
I’ve got a hundred billion more, y’all.
Next Week’s Recipes
We’re leaning into Japanese and Korean flavors and honoring the gut king themself: miso. Think comfort food meets gut health, meets flavor-first plant-based cooking. On the menu?
Miso-Garlic Tofu with Toasted Sesame Spinach & Crispy Shallots
Creamy Miso-Tahini Ramen with Roasted Veggies, Pickled Cucumber, & Seared Tofu
Miso Maple Sweet Potato Blondies (trust me)
You know the drill. See you next Sunday with more food.
xo,
Becki