Health & Happiness: Spring Pot on the Hob - Simple Food and a Season of New Growth

There’s a gentle shift that happens at this time of year. The evenings stretch a little longer, the light softens, and suddenly there are splashes of colour along the roadside: daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops bravely announcing that spring is on its way.

Even if the weather hasn’t quite caught up yet, these small signs are enough to lift the spirits.

Early spring often brings with it a natural urge to freshen things up. Not in a dramatic, all-or-nothing way, but gently. We begin to crave lighter food, brighter flavours, and meals that feel nourishing without being heavy.

In many homes, that shift starts in the kitchen, with one good, reliable recipe that carries us from winter into spring.

For busy families, food needs to be practical as well as nutritious. Meals that use simple ingredients, stretch over more than one day, and suit all ages are often the ones we return to again and again.

This is where cupboard staples really shine, and red lentils are a perfect example.

Red lentils are affordable, filling, and packed with fibre and protein, making them ideal for growing children and adults alike.

They’re also easy to cook and have a wonderful ability to turn a handful of vegetables into a proper, comforting meal. At this time of year, when we still want warmth but are ready for something a little lighter, a lentil-based stew fits beautifully.

This one-pot spring vegetable and lentil stew is a regular favourite. It’s warming without being heavy, flexible depending on what vegetables you have to hand, and perfect for batch cooking. It’s the kind of meal that can simmer gently while homework is being done or while you pause to admire the first flowers blooming outside the kitchen window.

Spring Veg and Lentil Stew with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 carrots, diced; 1 courgette, chopped; 2 sweet potatoes or regular potatoes, diced; 150g dried red lentils, rinsed well; 1 tin chopped tomatoes; 1 vegetable stock cube; A small handful of fresh herbs (parsley, thyme or rosemary); Salt and pepper to taste; Optional: a handful of spinach or frozen peas.

Method: Heat the olive oil in a large pot and gently soften the onion for a few minutes. Add the carrots, potato and courgette and cook for another five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the rinsed lentils, chopped tomatoes, stock (about 700ml water), and most of the chopped herbs. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are soft and the stew has thickened.

Add spinach or peas at the end if using, season lightly, and sprinkle over the remaining fresh herbs before serving.

Why Families Love It

This stew is mild, comforting, and easy for children to eat. It’s budget-friendly, naturally nutritious, and ideal for leftovers, often tasting even better the next day. It can also be lightly blended for younger children and served with crusty bread or toast.

Fresh herbs play a special role in early spring cooking. Even a small handful can lift a dish, adding colour, fragrance and freshness that instantly makes food feel brighter. Parsley, thyme and rosemary are particularly good at this time of year.

Now is also a lovely time to start planting herbs. You don’t need a large garden; a few pots on a windowsill or doorstep will do. Herbs are hardy, forgiving, and incredibly rewarding to grow. Snipping a few fresh leaves just before dinner adds a quiet sense of satisfaction to cooking, and children often take great pride in eating something they’ve helped to grow.

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Spring flowers and herbs have more in common than we might think. Both remind us to slow down and notice small changes – new shoots, fresh scents, brighter colours. These moments of noticing support wellbeing in subtle ways, encouraging us to be present and connected to the season around us.

As the days continue to lengthen, meals like this fit naturally into the rhythm of early spring. They’re nourishing, unhurried, and grounded – a reminder that wellbeing doesn’t come from grand gestures, but from steady, everyday habits.

A pot gently bubbling on the hob, fresh herbs chopped at the last minute, and flowers blooming just outside the door can be more than enough to give us that long-awaited spring in our step.