Spring Vegetable Salad with Feta, Banza Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Strawberry–Apricot Paleo Crisp

Asparagus, Sugar Snap Pea and Artichoke Salad with Feta

Brief blanching keeps the spring vegetables sweet and crisp. Lemon cuts through the feta and artichokes without overwhelming their flavor.

Ingredients

• 12 oz asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 8 oz drained cooked artichoke hearts, quartered
• 2 cups baby arugula, optional
• 4 oz feta, broken into irregular crumbles
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp finely minced shallot
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the asparagus for 2–3 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Transfer to the ice water.
2. Blanch the snap peas in the same pot for 45–60 seconds, then chill in the ice water. Drain both vegetables and dry thoroughly. Split some snap peas lengthwise to expose the peas.
3. Whisk the lemon juice, zest, shallot and olive oil together. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Toss the asparagus, snap peas and artichokes with enough dressing to coat lightly. Fold in the arugula, if using, immediately before serving.
5. Scatter the feta over the salad, keeping some larger pieces intact. Taste before adding more salt.

Notes

• Use steamed fresh artichoke hearts or plain jarred hearts. Rinse brined hearts if very salty and pat them dry.
• The blanched vegetables can be refrigerated a day ahead; keep them undressed until serving.

Tender Beef and Pork Meatballs

Pork adds moisture to the beef, while grated onion and a modest almond-flour binder keep the meatballs tender without breadcrumbs. Browning before simmering gives the sauce extra depth.

Ingredients

• 12 oz ground beef, approximately 85% lean
• 8 oz ground pork
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup blanched almond flour
• ¼ cup finely grated onion with its juices
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ tbsp ghee

Instructions

1. Combine the egg, almond flour, onion, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes so the almond flour hydrates.
2. Add the beef and pork and mix gently by hand just until evenly combined. Shape into 12 meatballs without packing them tightly.
3. Heat the ghee in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in two batches, turning gently, for 5–7 minutes per batch. They need not be cooked through yet.
4. Transfer the browned meatballs to the simmering tomato sauce. Cover partially and simmer gently for 12–18 minutes, turning once, until the centers reach 160°F.
5. Rest in the sauce over very low heat while the pasta finishes.

Notes

• Avoid a vigorous boil after adding the meatballs; gentle simmering helps them stay tender.

Garlic and Tomato Sauce

A simple tomato sauce lets the meatballs remain the focus. A short uncovered simmer concentrates the tomatoes while leaving enough moisture to coat the chickpea spaghetti.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup water, plus more as needed
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan or deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt; cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring, until soft but not browned.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until it darkens slightly.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, oregano and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the browned meatballs and finish cooking them as directed in their component. Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
5. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Keep the sauce loose enough to flow between the strands of spaghetti.

Notes

• If the tomatoes taste sharp, simmer a little longer before adjusting seasoning rather than automatically adding sweetener.

Banza Spaghetti with Parmigiano and Parsley

Finishing the spaghetti briefly in tomato sauce coats every strand. Fresh parsley and a generous dusting of Parmigiano bring the bright, savory finish visible in the bowl.

Ingredients

• 8 oz Banza chickpea spaghetti, gluten-free
• ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• ¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• as needed kosher salt for the cooking water

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti, stir gently to separate the strands, and cook according to the package, checking early for a tender but resilient texture.
2. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain. Follow the package's rinsing directions.
3. Temporarily lift the meatballs out of the sauce. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss gently over low heat for 30–60 seconds, loosening with reserved cooking water a tablespoon at a time.
4. Divide among bowls, return the meatballs to the pasta, and finish with Parmigiano and parsley.

Notes

• Chickpea spaghetti softens quickly once cooked; have the sauce and serving bowls ready before draining.

Strawberry and Apricot Paleo Crisp

Strawberries supply juicy sweetness while apricots keep the filling pleasantly tart. Almond flour and chopped walnuts form a coarse, grain-free topping that stays distinct from the bubbling fruit.

Ingredients

• 12 oz strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
• 12 oz ripe apricots, pitted and cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp maple syrup, divided
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp arrowroot starch
• ¾ cup blanched almond flour
• ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp tapioca starch
• 3 tbsp softened coconut oil, plus a little for the baking dish
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch-square baking dish with coconut oil.
2. Toss the strawberries and apricots with 1 tablespoon maple syrup, the lemon juice and arrowroot. Spread evenly in the dish.
3. Combine the almond flour, walnuts, tapioca starch, cinnamon and salt. Work in the coconut oil, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup until irregular crumbs and small clumps form.
4. Scatter the topping over the fruit, leaving small gaps for steam to escape.
5. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit juices bubble at the center as well as the edges. Tent loosely with foil if the nuts brown before the filling bubbles.
6. Let stand for at least 15–20 minutes before serving so the juices thicken.

Notes

• For especially tart apricots, add another tablespoon of maple syrup to the filling.
• Keep the topping in coarse clumps rather than pressing it into a solid crust.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The crisp bakes while the savory components come together, then rests through dinner. Blanching the salad vegetables ahead leaves only dressing and pasta to finish at the last moment.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 350°F. Assemble the crisp and put it in the oven by about 0:15.
2. 0:15 — Start the tomato sauce. While the onion softens and the tomatoes simmer, mix and shape the meatballs.
3. 0:30 — Brown the meatballs in ghee, then transfer them to the sauce to finish gently.
4. 0:40 — Blanch, chill and dry the asparagus and snap peas. Make the lemon dressing and prepare the artichokes and feta.
5. 0:50 — Check the crisp and remove it when golden and bubbling. Let it rest. Check the meatballs for a 160°F center.
6. 0:55 — Bring the pasta water to a boil. Dress and serve the salad while keeping the meatballs and sauce warm over low heat.
7. After the salad — Cook the spaghetti, toss with sauce and serve immediately with the meatballs, cheese and parsley. Serve the crisp warm or at room temperature afterward.

Plating

Separate courses preserve the salad's freshness, the pasta's texture and the crisp's crunchy topping.

Instructions

1. Mound the salad loosely in shallow bowls, keeping artichoke quarters and split snap peas visible. Scatter the larger feta crumbles on top.
2. Twirl the sauced spaghetti into warm bowls and arrange three meatballs over each portion. Spoon over any remaining sauce, then finish generously with Parmigiano and chopped parsley.
3. Spoon the rested crisp into small bowls or onto dessert plates, keeping some golden topping over each serving of fruit.

Leftover Path

Storing the pasta separately from the sauce limits softening, while dry heat restores some crunch to the dessert topping.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Keep undressed salad vegetables, greens, dressing and feta separate where possible; use within 2–3 days. Eat dressed salad the next day.
2. Store meatballs and sauce together for up to 4 days, with cooked pasta in a separate container. Freeze meatballs and sauce for up to 3 months.
3. Reheat meatballs and sauce gently with a splash of water until the centers reach 165°F. Add leftover pasta only at the end and warm briefly.
4. Refrigerate the crisp for up to 4 days. Reheat portions in a 325°F oven for 15–20 minutes, until hot and the topping has crisped again.