Winter recipes give way for spring treats

Our nation's love for pizza is no secret, but this sweet and nutty breakfast pizza is something entirely new. The crust is made out of granola. Knowing it's waiting for you in the freezer will make you actually want to jump out of bed.

In a food processor, finely chop walnuts. Add dates and pulse until a paste forms. Scrape into a large bowl and stir in granola and 2 tablespoons honey.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and press granola mixture, using damp hands, into a 9-inch circle in center of baking dish. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt with remaining tablespoon honey and vanilla. Spread on top of granola crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and then arrange strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries on top.

Top with chopped walnuts before slicing and serving.

Lighter Lemon Pound Cake

For this lovely golden cake, use fat-free yogurt to trim the calories. It's a comforting dessert for days when it's warm enough to dine outside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in oil, lemon juice, zest, vanilla and, if desired, poppy seeds. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beating after each addition just until combined.

Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, top with candied lemon slices.

Candied Lemon Slices: Bring 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water to a boil; stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add 1 thinly sliced lemon and simmer 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool slices completely on a wire rack.

Two-Berry Pavlova

Here's a light and airy dessert that everyone loves and family members can build their own with their favorite fruits. The whipped cream makes the perfect icing on the cake. Don't be intimidated by this simple dessert and give it a try at your next opportunity.

Toppings:

Every spring I get the urge to try recipes that are new and different to me. All winter it is easy to get into a cooking rut, and I find myself not being as creative or adventurous as I do in the spring. As I went looking for fresh ideas for salads and entree recipes I found so many I want to prepare. I have included a couple of dessert recipes as well, including a pavlova, which I love for dessert. A big, pillowy cloud of goodness piled high with fresh whipped cream and a variety of fresh berries, makes a perfect warm-weather dessert.

Crab and Avocado Salad

• Kosher salt
• 1/2 pound fresh haricots verts or fresh green beans, halved
• 2/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 pound lump or claw crabmeat
• 1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted and diced
• 3 romaine hearts, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat croutons
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the haricots verts or green beans and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Puree the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, basil and anchovies in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss the crabmeat, half of the avocado and about 1 tablespoon of the yogurt dressing in a small bowl. Toss the romaine, croutons, haricots verts or green beans and the remaining avocado with the remaining dressing in a large bowl.

Divide the romaine salad among plates, top with the tomatoes and place some of the crab mixture in the center.

Sesame Chicken Slaw Salad

• 4 cups torn romaine
• 1 package (14 ounces) coleslaw mix
• 1 large sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
• 3 clementines, peeled and segmented, or 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
• 3/4 cup crunchy garlic ginger or plain wonton strips
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat Asian toasted sesame salad dressing

Divide all ingredients except salad dressing among six bowls. Serve with dressing.

Note: Fresh Gourmet Wonton Strips can often be found in or near the produce section.

Asparagus Spinach Salad with Chicken

We love all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available in the summer. This salad is one of our favorites because it packs in so much great produce, plus it's quick and easy on a warm day. The dressing is good you'll want to make it for many other salads.

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup prepared poppy seed salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 8 cups fresh baby spinach
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries or fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine asparagus and water. Microwave, covered, on high until crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes; drain. Remove asparagus and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry.

In a small bowl, whisk dressing, orange juice, honey, orange zest and mustard until blended.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, chicken, strawberries, almonds, sesame seeds and asparagus. Add dressing and toss to coat.

Citrus Cod

If you enjoy fish, this baked version has a tempting mild orange flavor. It comes out of the oven flaky and moist, and it's just the thing to make for a delightful light meal.

• 4 cod fillets (4 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place fillets in an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

In a skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat; saute onion and garlic until tender. Spoon over fish. Mix orange zest and citrus juices; drizzle over fish.

Bake, uncovered, until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper and parsley.

Shrimp Roll

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 half-sour pickle, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon brine
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 ounces large cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 split-top hot dog buns
• 8 small leaves Boston or Bibb lettuce
• Potato chips and pickles, for serving

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, pickle brine, and 1â„4 teaspoon pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Fold in the scallions, parsley, and pickle.

Line the buns with the lettuce, then spoon the shrimp mixture inside. Serve with the potato chips and pickles, if desired.

Note: Most supermarket shrimp are frozen at sea then thawed at the display counter. For freshness and quality, buy IQF shrimp (individually frozen), which makes it easy to defrost only what you need.

Swapping the 1/4 cup mayonnaise for low-fat Greek yogurt saves 40 calories and 4.5g fat per serving.

Shrimp Scampi Alfredo Dinner

Just combine a box of pasta, bag of shrimp and a few other pantry staples into a dish and bake. Right before serving, stir in the heavy cream and top with grated cheese and fresh parsley for a rich and creamy weeknight dinner in a flash.

• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for the casserole dish
• 12 ounces rotini pasta
• 1 pound frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with butter.

Spread the rotini in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared dish. Scatter the shrimp over top and dot with the cubes of butter. Pour in the broth, then sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, garlic, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt and some black pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the pasta is al dente, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss together the Parmesan and parsley. When the pasta is done, stir in the warm cream and top with the cheese mixture.

Pork and Balsamic Strawberry Salad

• 1 pork tenderloin (1 pound)
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1-1/2 cups halved fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Place pork in a shallow dish. Add salad dressing; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 8 hours. Combine strawberries, vinegar and sugar; cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drain and wipe off pork, discarding marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork; brown on all sides.

Bake until a thermometer reads 145 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from skillet; let stand 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add broth to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add strawberry mixture. Heat through.

Place greens on a serving platter; sprinkle with cheese. Slice pork; arrange over greens. Top with strawberry mixture.

Crunchy Lemon-Pesto Garden Salad

Fresh vegetables straight from the garden are used to prepare this salad. If the squash and cucumbers are picked early enough, their skins are so tender that there's no need to remove them. Best yet, it's easily adaptable, as any fresh vegetables from the garden can be swapped in with delicious results.

• 5 tablespoons prepared pesto
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2-1/2 cups yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
• 1-3/4 cups mini cucumber, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup fresh peas
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 5 thick-sliced bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients until blended. In another bowl, combine squash, cucumber, peas, Parmesan and green onions. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Top with bacon to serve.

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

This chicken is easy to prepare and always turns out moist and delicious. "Bruise" the thyme sprigs by twisting them before adding to the buttermilk mixture; this releases the oils in the leaves and flavor the chicken better.

• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 garlic cloves, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 4.5 pounds)

Place the buttermilk, thyme, garlic and salt in a large bowl or shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Grill, covered, over medium heat until a thermometer reads 165 degrees, 5-7 minutes per side.

Tortilla Pie

Your family is sure to love this delicious layered tortilla pie recipe because it tastes lighter than some of the traditional lasagnas made with pasta and has a nice, light flavor.

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Mexican diced tomatoes, drained
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided
• 4 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, cook and crumble beef with onion and garlic over medium heat until no longer pink, 4-6 minutes. Stir in spices and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Place one tortilla in a 9-inch round baking pan coated with cooking spray. Layer with half of the meat sauce, one tortilla, ricotta mixture, another tortilla and remaining meat sauce. Top with remaining tortilla; sprinkle with cheddar cheese and remaining cilantro.

Bake, covered, until heated through, 15-20 minutes.

Tomato Salad

This crazy good salad uses cherry tomatoes, squash and blueberries together in one bowl, then layer on the flavor with fresh corn, red onion and mint. This may become your new favorite salad this summer.

• 4 medium ears sweet corn, husks removed
• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes (about 6 cups), halved
• 1 small yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a 6-quart stockpot, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add corn; cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes. Remove corn and immediately drop into ice water to cool; drain well.

Cut corn from cobs and place in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients; toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, about 30 minutes.

Deviled Chicken Thighs

This recipe is just enough for the two people, but can easily be enlarged to feed a crowd. This tasty chicken is tender and moist, with a bit of crunch from the cashews.

• 1 teaspoon butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Dash pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1/2 pound)
• 3 tablespoons soft bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped cashews

In a large bowl, combine the butter, vinegar, mustard, paprika and pepper. Spread over chicken thighs. Place in a greased 11x7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the cashews. Bake until chicken juices run clear and topping is golden brown, 7-12 minutes longer.

Fruit and Granola Pizza

• 1 1/2 cups toasted California walnuts, plus more chopped for serving
• 5 large medjool dates, pitted (3 1/2 ounces)
• 2 cups plain granola, plus more for serving
• 3 tablespoons honey, divided
• 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 medium strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, optional
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt
• Candied lemon slices, optional
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

Place egg whites in a large bowl. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment; draw a 10-inch circle on paper. Invert paper.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold in cornstarch and lemon juice.

Spoon meringue onto prepared pan; with the back of a spoon, shape into a 10-inch circle, forming a shallow well in the center. Bake until meringue is set and dry, 45-55 minutes. Turn off oven (do not open oven door); leave meringue in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely on baking sheet.

To serve, toss berries with 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add remaining sugar; beat until soft peaks form.

Remove meringue from parchment; place on a serving plate. Spoon whipped cream over top, forming a slight well in the center. Top with berries.

Until next time, happy cooking.