Spring brings with it a sense of new beginnings. With the blooming flowers and warmer weather, we tend to spend more time outside and enjoying fresh and flavorful warm-weather recipes. Below, we rounded up a few of our favorites from our culinarians to try this Spring!
Chef Chris Ivens-Brown’s Chinese Chinois Fire Braised Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. all natural fire braised chicken thigh meat (julienned thin)
- 1 head napa cabbage (julliened)
- 3 heads radicchio (julienned)
- 2 cups packed spinach (julienned)
- 1 head romaine (julienned)
For the vinaigrette:
- 2 bunch scallions
- 1/3 cup packed pickled ginger
- 1/4 cup Chinese mustard powder
- 1/2 cup shallots (chopped)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 2/3 cup ginger vinegar from the pickled ginger
- 2 cups peanut or vegetable oil
- 3 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup chili oil
- Dried wonton strips for garnish
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, butternut squash and poblano and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
- Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute.
- Stir in the beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle, 3 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the corn.
Divide the chili among bowls and top with the cheddar and scallions.
Chef Caroline’s Cranberry Curd Tart

Ingredients:
For the hazelnut crust:
- 1 1/4 cups raw hazelnuts
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 Tablespoons softened butter, more as needed
For the cranberry curd:
- 12 oz. cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- Peel (orange part only) and juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 stick softened butter
- 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
Instructions:
- Make the crust; heat oven to 325 F. Put hazelnuts on baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, until skin darkens and cracks.
- Put roasted nuts in clean towel and rub skins off. Discard skins and let nuts cool.
- In a food processor, grind nuts with half of the rice flour until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining rice flour and salt and pulse briefly.
- Cream sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minuts until pale and thick. Add nut mixture and combine until dough forms. If crumbly, add 1-2 Tablespoons softened butter or a little cold water.
- Press the dough evenly into a 10-inch tart pan; use half the dough for the sides and half for the bottom. Prick the bottom with a form and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake chilled tart shell for 15 minutes until lightly brown. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the cranberry curd; Put cranberries, sugar and orange juice & peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries have popped and softened, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a food mill or medium mesh sleeve and press the liquid and solids into a bowl. Whisk butter into the warm liquid.
- Put eggs and yolks into a bowl and beat lightly. Slowly whisk a cup of warm cranberry liquid into the eggs to temper, then combine both and whisk together.
- Wipe out the pot if necessary, then return the liquid to the pot and cook over low heat until nearly bubbling and thickened, about 10 minutes.
- If using immediately, let cool to room temperature. If working ahead, cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap (plastic wrap against the curd) and refrigerate. This may be cooked 1 day ahead.
- Pour the cooled cranberry curd into the cooled tart shell and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake at 350 F to set the curd. Cool on a rack. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Registered Dietitian Karleigh’s Berry Protein Pancake Muffins

Ingredients:
- 1 cup protein pancake mix
- 1 cup water
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup berries of choice
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Combine protein pancake mix, water and egg.
- Add in berries, pecans and chia seeds. Mix until combined.
- Pour batter into muffin tin. Pro tip: use an ice cream scoop to make them even!
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.