This Sunday the clocks go forward. Don’t leave your food in the past.

Springtime means longer days, more sunshine and the return of fresh produce. Make up for that lost hour of sleep with a delicious breakfast (or lunch, or dinner). Take advantage of the citrus still in stores to make glazed grapefruit halves for a simple and bright dessert. Cracking an egg over pizza makes the pie a perfect dish from dawn till dusk and anytime in between. Be sure to look out for French inspired recipes, too. French cuisine often relies on fresh herbs and vegetables to create clean and delicate flavors, perfect for springtime. 

Spring Vegetable Pizza

For the Dough:

1 ½ cups self-rising flour

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

For the Toppings:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chives, diced

1 dozen asparagus spears, trimmed into 1” sections

1 egg

¼ cup grated parmesan

¼ cup fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix self-rising flour and Greek yogurt until a thick dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead 1-2 minutes. Shape dough into a rough circle and crimp edges. Brush with olive oil and top with chives, asparagus spears, and parmesan cheese. Add egg before placing the pizza in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes for a hard cooked yolk, or bake pizza 2-3 minutes, then top with egg and return to oven for 8-9 minutes for a softer, runny yolk. Sprinkle basil and sea salt on top before serving. Makes 1 medium pie.

Ginger Glazed Grapefruit

2 medium grapefruits, halved

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon powdered ginger (or 1 tablespoon freshly grated)

2 tablespoon flaked coconut

Whipped cream or vanilla yogurt, for serving

Directions: Place oven rack 5” under broiler; set broiler to high. Divide brown sugar and ginger evenly between the 4 grapefruit halves and sprinkle on top. Place grapefruit under broiler, cut side up, for 5 -8 minutes, until the top is caramelized (the sugar should turn a dark brown and begins to bubble, but not black.) Remove from broiler and allow to cool 1 minute. Top each grapefruit with a dollop of whipped cream or yogurt and sprinkle with coconut shreds.

French Inspired Marinade for Chicken or Salmon

2 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

½ cup White Wine Vinegar

2 cups Olive Oil

2 whole Bay Leaves

2 cloves of minced Garlic

1 teaspoon fresh minced Rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh minced Tarragon

Half a Fresh squeezed Lemon (for chicken only)

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, then let meat of choice marinate for 30-60 minutes in the fridge. Afterwards, cook the meat in a pan or oven. Try reserving some of the marinade before adding the protein, and use to baste your chicken or salmon with towards the end of cooking.

Vegan Pea Soup

1 Bay Leaf

Salt, to taste

Black Pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon fresh minced Basil

1 teaspoon fresh minced Thyme

3 minced cloves of Garlic

1 small White Onion

5 cups of Vegetable Broth

1 cup Split Green Peas

4 cups diced Potatoes

2 1/2 cups Celery Stalks

1 teaspoon of Cinnamon, Paprika and Chili Powder (optional)

Directions: Start by sauteing the garlic and onions in your pot. Once the onions are translucent and the garlic is soft, add the celery, potatoes, peas, broth, and spices to the pot and stir to combine. Cook on a low to medium heat until the peas and potatoes are tender. If you want a finer texture for the soup you can scoop about half of the soup out and put it in a blender and puree. Once it is smooth, pour it back into the pot and stir. Simmer for 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Top it off with some fresh parsley and a dash paprika, cinnamon, and chili powder.

Collegian Foodies Matt Lawrence and Cody Moore write about food every week. They can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter at @LawrenceFoods and @codymoorecsu.