Spring break is two days away. Your skin is pasty from all of the sun-deprived days spent inside. Your arms are sore from all of the extra reps in the weight room you’ve squeezed in. And your stomach is growling from all of the Taco Bell you’ve forced yourself not to eat. But it’s time for a break. It’s time to fall asleep on the beach, tube at the lake, hit the slopes or lay on your couch.  And if you have access to a kitchen while doing the aforementioned things, it’s also time to try these recipes.

At the beach:

Bang bang shrimp (yields 2 to 4 servings)

Ingredients

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

For the sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4-5 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, such as Sriracha sauce

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

For the egg mixture:

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

For the breading mixture:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

For frying:

8-12 cups vegetable oil

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl; cover and set aside.

2. Combine beaten egg with milk in shallow bowl; set aside.

3. Combine flour, panko, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in another shallow bowl; set aside.

4. Bread the shrimp by first coating each with the breading mixture. Dip breaded shrimp into the egg and milk mixture and then back into the breading.

5. Arrange the coated shrimp on a plate and pop them into the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This step will help the breading stick on the shrimp when they are frying.

6. Heat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees F.

7. Once oil is hot, fry shrimp 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Drain on rack or paper towels.

9. When all shrimp has been fried, drop the shrimp into a large bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup of sauce over shrimp and stir gently to coat.

Frozen Coconut Limeade (yields 3 servings)

Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups ice

5/8 cup coconut rum (for non-alcoholic version, substitute cream of coconut, like Coco Lopez)

4-5 tablespoons frozen limeade concentrate (or frozen lemonade if preferred)

1/8 cup water

Directions:

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

Chicken Salad (yields about 8 servings)

Ingredients

3 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts

1 (49 1/2-ounce) can of chicken broth

1 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

3 cups mayonnaise

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in a large skillet, add chicken broth.

2. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

3. Remove chicken from skillet, and let stand 15 minutes or until cool to touch. Shred chicken.

4. Combine shredded chicken, celery, water chestnuts, and next three ingredients in a large bowl.

5. Stir together mayonnaise, ground red pepper, salt and white pepper until well blended; spoon over shredded chicken mixture, stirring to coat.

6. Cover and chill at least four hours.

In the Mountains:

Poached Eggs over Polenta with Olive-Herb Pesto (yields 4 servings)

Ingredients

Pesto ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup green olives, coarsely chopped

1 cup fresh Italian parsley or basil, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fresh oregano, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fresh thyme, coarsely chopped

Polenta ingredients:

2 cups polenta

8 cups water (depending on how thick you like your polenta)

1/2 cup hard cheese, shredded (Parmesan or Gruyere are both great for this)

3/4 teaspoon salt

Poached eggs ingredients:

4 eggs

1 teaspoon lightly-colored vinegar

salt

Directions:

1. Making the pesto: mix olives and fresh herbs in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.

2. Making the polenta: heat water in a large pot, when boiling, slowly pour in polenta. Lower the temperature to simmer and cook for about 20-25 minutes, until polenta has absorbed the water. Take pot off flame and stir in shredded cheese and salt. Next, season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside until plating.

3. Preparing the eggs: crack eggs into a small bowl, set aside. Heat another medium-sized pot with water, adding a sprinkle of salt and teaspoon of vinegar to water. When water is at a boil, slip the four eggs into the water bath, swirling with a spoon to help eggs form into solid shapes. Cook for about four minutes for a slightly runny center. 4. Assembling the dish: Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the polenta into a large bowl, add an egg to each bowl, garnish with the olive-herb pesto. Serve with extra olive oil and lots of salt and pepper.

Lavender hot chocolate (yields 2 servings)

Ingredients:

Hot chocolate ingredients

2 cups whole milk

3 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao)

1 ounce milk chocolate

1/4 teaspoon lavender buds

Whipped cream ingredients

1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1/4 of a whole vanilla bean pod

1/2 tablespoon granulated white sugar

Directions:

For whipped cream

1. Place cold cream, vanilla, and sugar into a cold mixing bowl.

2. Beat the mixture with a whisk or mixer until stiff peaks form. Keep refrigerated until ready for use.

For hot chocolate

1. Heat milk and lavender over medium heat, whisking occasionally until the milk begins to simmer.

2. Remove from heat and let lavender steep for five minutes. Strain lavender and return milk to saucepan.

3. Over medium heat, add chocolate and mix until chocolate is melted and incorporated.

4. Whisk milk mixture for 10-20 seconds until frothy.

5. Pour into mugs or bowls and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

On the Lake

Grilled Portobello & Peach Burgers (yields 6 burgers)

Burger Ingredients:

6 portobello mushrooms

6 peaches

6 burger buns of your choice

100 g fresh pea sprouts

5 small roman tomatoes, sliced

5 small spring onions, sliced

Marinade Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil

2 fresh rosemary sprigs

2 garlic cloves

1/2 lemon

Guacamole Ingredients:

4 avocados

5 small Roma tomatoes

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup parsley

1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Preparation: Clean the portobello mushrooms by carefully removing dirt from the caps with a kitchen towel or cloth; you can use a little water if needed. Pat dry. Cut the peaches in halves and remove the pits.

2. Making the marinade: Pour olive oil in a small bowl. Add one chopped rosemary sprig, chopped thyme, mashed garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Stir around. Use the other rosemary sprig to brush the mushrooms and peaches with the marinade. When the grill is ready, grill the portobello and peaches for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, while you use the rosemary stick to brush the marinade over them one more time.

3. Making the guacamole: Chop avocados, tomatoes and parsley roughly. Add them to a small bowl with mashed garlic. Squeeze lemon juice over it, and mash everything with a fork. It’s okay if it stays a little chunky.

4. Assembling the burger: Slice the buns in halves. Let them get some color on the grill. When done, place a big dollop of guacamole on the bottom bun, and add pea sprouts, tomatoes, spring onion, one portobello mushroom and two peach halves. Add the top of the bun, and insert a stick to hold it all together. Enjoy!

Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles (yields 10 servings)

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups lowfat yogurt, plain or vanilla

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

5 tbsp sugar

1 pint strawberries, cored and quartered

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup plain yogurt

Directions: 1. First, make the lemonade layer mixture. Heat the lemon juice in a small, microwaveable bowl for around 45 seconds and dissolve all the sugar into it. Pour this mixture into a medium bowl with the yogurt and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to assemble popsicles.

2. Make strawberry layer mixture. Place the strawberries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a bowl. Simmer for around five minutes until the strawberries are soft. Pour this mixture and the lemon juice into a food processor and pulse until almost pureed, but not liquefied. (Or use a potato masher if you’re feeling lazy) Chill in the refrigerator until cool, and then whisk the yogurt into the strawberry mixture until well combined.

3. Assemble the popsicles. Use a teaspoon or tablespoon to carefully spoon alternating layers of lemon and strawberry mixture into your molds. If you typically like your lemonade more sweet than tart, use more strawberry layers than lemon. If you prefer more tart than sweet, use more lemon layers than strawberry. Freeze overnight. To unmold, dip molds into warm water and gently pull popsicles out. Serve immediately.

Black Bean, corn and feta dip (yields 30 servings)

Ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed 3 (15 oz) cans of Shoepeg corn, drained and rinsed 1 bunch of scallions, chopped 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped 1 (8 oz) block feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Whisk sugar, vinegar and oil in a large bowl. Add the black beans, corn, scallions, cilantro, and feta and mix well. Chill until serving time. Serve with tortilla chips or corn chips.