Happy Sunday, everyone! We're fully in spring produce season—I’m even planting veggies on my back patio this morning—and today’s recipe will make sure you're taking full advantage of it! Today’s green veggie lemony orzo salad is citrusy, crunchy, loaded with green veggies, and filling enough for your weekly meal prep. It’s part of the accidentally fancy spring brunch menu that just went up on Friday, perfect for adding something savory but simple to any table.
The salad relies on fresh, seasonal produce for flavor, which means it’s pretty hard to mess up. The orzo bulks everything up just enough to make it genuinely satisfying and meal-prep friendly. My biggest tip: go for a really small dice on all your raw veggies. It makes a huge difference in texture. And if you’d rather roast or blanch them first, I’ve got instructions for that too! But don’t worry, you can eat asparagus and zucchini raw!
✨ A couple of things before you cook:
This recipe is part of the full spring brunch menu. Head over to grab a new breakfast (bacon, egg, & cheese scones) to add to your rotation and upgrade to paid to access the full menu!
Today’s newsletter also includes a mother’s day gift guide for any mothers, mothers-to-be, or mother-figures in your life 💕
If you like this salad, you’ll love the Farmer’s Market Lentil Salad from Don’t Think About Dinner! Page 96!
Every day, but especially Mother’s Day, is a good time to prioritize women’s health and take a deeper look at our routines, nutrition, and what our bodies need. Needed was created by women, for women, for every stage of life. I started incorporating their collagen into my morning routine to support the health of my skin, hair, nails, and joints*, and I love it in my matcha lattes! Needed makes for a functional, useful gift for the women in your life (or yourself!): they have products to support women before, during, and after pregnancy, plus general women’s health and cycle support. On sale!
steal my simple iced collagen matcha latte:
1 teaspoon matcha powder
1/3 cup hot water (I aim for 170°F, or almost boiling)
1 scoop collagen powder
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon honey
1 scoop of ice
8 ounces milk of choice
Sift the matcha into a glass measuring cup. Pour the hot water over the matcha and whisk vigorously until frothy, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 1 scoop of collagen powder and whisk again. Add the vanilla extract and honey and whisk until combined.
Fill a 12-ounce glass with ice and milk. Carefully pour the matcha mixture into the glass. Stir the matcha and milk until the mixture turns a uniform light green. Add more honey to taste.
The matcha mixture can be refrigerated in a sealed container (without the ice) for up to 2 days. It will separate, so you’ll need to whisk or blend it.
Green Veggie Lemony Orzo Salad
serves 4 | prep time: 15 minutes | cook time: 10 minutes
gluten-free, dairy-free option, nut-free
INGREDIENTS
1 cup dry gluten-free orzo
3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach (optional)
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and small-diced
1 medium zucchini, small-diced
3⁄4 cup crumbled feta
1⁄2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
For the Lemon-Shallot Dressing
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar
juice and zest of half a lemon
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes (Refer to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. Note: If you’re using gluten-free orzo, I find it’s helpful to put it back in the pot and drizzle with some olive oil to prevent sticking.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, shallot, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper to a small jar and shake or whisk rapidly until emulsified, 30 to 45 seconds. For a completely smooth dressing, blend in a food processor instead.
Add the cooked orzo, spinach (if using), asparagus, zucchini, feta, and dill to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top and toss to evenly combine.
Serve immediately or keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Store it: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days. I like this salad best chilled!
recipe notes
Shallot vinaigrette: If you’re not a fan of the punchy raw shallot flavor, lightly sauté the shallot before adding it to the vinaigrette.
Raw vegetables: This salad uses raw asparagus and zucchini, which are completely safe to eat and add a nice crunch. If you prefer it, you can roast the vegetables on a sheet pan tossed with olive oil until softened, or blanch them for about 2 minutes in a saucepan with boiling water before assembling the salad.
Protein: Add chickpeas, diced or shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works!), cooked salmon, shrimp, or tofu.
Kitchen Sink Chopped Salad
It’s no secret I love a chopped salad and my friend Sabrina Rudin’s upcoming cookbook Healthy with a Side of Happy has an entire chapter dedicated to the most delicious, nutritious salads, just like this prep-friendly Kitchen Sink Chopped Salad!
From Sabrina: This is the salad I make when I want to use up every vegetable in my refrigerator. The fine chop ensures that even veggie-discerning family members or guests will dig in. I’ve given you a blueprint here based on what I usually have on hand, but the beauty of this salad is that it can be made from whatever you have around at any given moment. I’m very openly not a batch cooker or meal planner, but if you are, you can make a big batch of this salad, keep the dressing on the side, and eat it for three days.
Whether you’re celebrating your own mom, grandmother, aunt, new mom, or anyone in your life who has shown you care and love, here are my recs for meaningful gifts they’ll use and love. Mother’s Day can be a challenging time; skip this section of the newsletter if needed.
for the mom who deserves a kitchen upgrade
splatter basin bowl (JENNEATSGOOOD for 15% off)
Rifle & co. kitchen apron (MOTHERSDAY for 20% off)
MK midi cutting board or grab the set! (JENNEATSGOOOD for 20% off)
muffin tin (JENNLUEKE for 10% off)
for the fashion-forward mom
initial necklace (JENN20 for 20% off)
bag charms (JENNEATSGOOOD for 15% off)
for the organized mom
skylight digital calendar (JENNEATSGOOOD for 15% off)
personalized notepads (JENNEATSGOOOD for 10% off)
for the cozy mom
candle or a candle subscription! (JENNEATSGOOOD15 for 15% off)
fancy chocolate bars—these also come in sets of three!
cozy earth PJs (15% off!)
for the new mom
personalized flower vase (32% off!)
personalized photo album (30% off!)
for the mom who has everything
prep a week of breakfasts—give the gift of not thinking about making breakfast for the next week (or month), or stock her freezer!
take something off her plate—organize a closet or help clear an outdoor space just in time for the summer.
long lasting plants—this is the gift that keeps on giving for a whole season. Herbs like rosemary are hearty, or something low maintenance, like pansies, last for a full season.
eat goood newsletter subscription—gift it with this printable tag!
I hope you all have a great Sunday! Let me know if you make today’s recipe and don’t forget to send pics in our chat. If you’re looking for the April breakfast and lunch prep plan, head here. If you’re looking for the dinner plan archive, head here.
Folks...do not sleep on this recipe! It might be my favorite meal in a couple of weeks. So good! I omitted the asparagus since it's the only food that for sure causes gout for my husband but used a head of broccoli plus a container of the rotisserie chicken from Aldi. It's dinner tonight plus my dinner this week when my husband is on a business trip. Seriously...this is shockingly delicious and so simple 🥰
This has inspired me to try and use the orzo that has been sitting in my pantry for 3 months untouched.