Easy Pesto Pasta

Learn how to make pesto pasta with this quick & easy recipe! With bright, bold flavor, it's one of our favorite weeknight dinners.

The first snow came early in Chicago this year. It was barely November and we were driving to an appointment. It was snowing, and then all of a sudden it went from “really charming” to “wow it’s really coming down!” We sat in the cold car way too long, wearing way too-light coats, staring at brake lights and a grey sky. I thought – really – what have we done?? I write a blog about vegetables, I’m shooting a book that’s due before May (when the spring farmers markets open) and we’ve moved so far from the sun! We got…

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Sweet Potato Lasagna

This sweet potato lasagna recipe is my favorite kind of comfort food. Filled with herbs, cheese, and marinara sauce, it's super cozy, but healthy, too.

dinner / gluten free / winter

I’m so excited about this sweet potato lasagna recipe because it combines two of my favorite foods: sweet potatoes and lasagna! Instead of regular lasagna noodles, I use paper-thin sheets of sweet potato. I’m always a fan of finding inventive veggie substitutes for pasta and rice, but this sweet potato lasagna is what veggie dreams are made of. The tender sheets of sweet potato combine with a creamy filling, cozy herbs, and marinara sauce to create a comforting dish that just so happens to be good for you! I made my sweet potato noodles with the KitchenAid® Artisan® Stand Mixer Vegetable…

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French Toast Bake

I love French toast, but it's not ideal for serving a crowd. Enter: this French toast bake! Make it for the holidays, Mother's Day, or any weekend brunch.

breakfast

This French toast bake was my solution to a pressing problem. When I make a big, decadent brunch, I want French toast to be on the menu. I mean, eggy bread that’s soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, and warmly spiced with cinnamon… what’s not to love? But here’s the thing: French toast is a perfect breakfast for two. When I make it, I enjoy flipping slice after slice until I have a stack that’s big enough to serve just me and Jack. When I’m serving a crowd, on the other hand, all that flipping starts to add…

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Cranberry Cookies

These cranberry cookies are soft, chewy, and warmly spiced. They're perfect for the holiday season, but they're so delicious that I make them year-round!

vegan

These cranberry cookies are a more festive version of my favorite thing to bake: chocolate chip cookies! With Christmas just one week away, I wanted to share a fun holiday cookie recipe, but I wasn’t in the mood for sugar cookies or gingerbread. Nope, true to form, I wanted soft, chewy cookies that were generously studded with chocolate chips. I didn’t think that classic chocolate chip cookies really counted as a holiday treat, so I jazzed them up to make these cranberry cookies instead. I have to say, I’m thrilled with how they came out! I spiced them with cinnamon…

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Spiralized Zucchini Vegetable Noodle Soup

Spiralized zucchini and sweet potatoes take the place of pasta in this cozy, nourishing Spiralized Zucchini Vegetable Noodle Soup.

winter / soups / vegan

I always talk about how much I love soup, and now that it’s winter (in Chicago! Ack!), I’m more obsessed than ever. I love making it, I love eating it, I love freezing it… and I love reheating it just to enjoy eating it all over again. There’s never a day that I’m not in the mood for soup – it just makes my body and soul feel so nourished and happy. This blog could have been titled: Love and Lemons and Soup because I first fell in love with cooking by routinely making soup on Sundays. This was an…

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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

You only need 7 ingredients to make this easy, delicious shaved Brussels sprout salad! Make it ahead for a holiday meal or pack it for a healthy lunch.

winter / salads

I just woke up to a snowy white Saturday morning, which means that it’s the perfect day for… Brussels sprout salad! Ok, maybe I’m the weird one that just loves salad no matter what’s going on around me. If you’re craving something warm and cozy, go make a mug of this cacao hot chocolate and then come back here if you’re looking for an easy Brussels sprout salad to make for weekend holiday festivities. This one will be your go-to throw-together winter salad that you’ll crave when you want a break from cookies and other indulgent treats. Why I Love This…

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Apple Cinnamon Crunch Overnight Oats

A simple make-ahead breakfast. Overnight oats are so healthy and energizing - I love this fall/winter version with apples and granola! Vegan

breakfast / fall / vegan

It’s December! How did that happen already? With the holidays quickly approaching, you’re busy (and I’m busy!)… all the more reason to have a super quick energizing breakfast ready to go in the morning. This recipe takes less than 5 minutes to put together at night and it’s ready in the morning. Admittedly, I was late to the overnight oat craze, but I’m pretty obsessed now. What I love is that they’re creamy without being gummy and the flavor combos are endless! I love this version with blueberry jam that I made in the summertime – this fall/winter apple version is…

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Vanilla Pecan Milk Chai Lattes

Homemade pecan milk is so delicious and easy to make! This dairy free nut milk creates the perfect fall vegan chai latte.

fall / beverage / vegan

So, by now you all know that I don’t drink regular milk. I do enjoy cheese occasionally, and I love greek yogurt, but regular milk… no matter if it’s just a little, it’s just not my thing (although, my entire family loves it and I’m totally fine with that – to each their own!). Suffice it to say that I’ve been drinking, baking with, and altogether enjoying non-dairy milk for years, but I had yet to discover how lovely and delicious homemade PECAN milk is until now. This post is in partnership with Pure Leaf Tea Home Brewed Teas because…

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Butternut Hummus with Feta & Pomegranates

A healthy fall or winter appetizer - great for Thanksgiving, the holidays, or just for snacking! Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

fall / holiday: / appetizers

I hope you need a last-minute Thanksgiving appetizer because this butternut squash hummus dip is so insanely good! While I was making it, I couldn’t stop eating it. Now that the leftovers are in the fridge, I can’t walk by the kitchen without grabbing a cracker for a quick swipe. It’s easy to make, especially if you’re roasting butternut squash for another recipe – just roast an extra cup of cubed squash and swirl this hummus together in no time. It’s thick, creamy, tangy, and nicely spiced from the cumin, coriander, and a bit of cayenne. Now the important part…

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Apple Crumble Pie

Shhh! This apple crumble pie recipe is vegan, but you'd never guess it from the sweet apple filling and rich, cinnamon-spiced crumble topping.

thanksgiving

This apple crumble pie recipe was the first pie that Jack and I made together. Even though we spent countless Thanksgivings together in Austin, we never baked pie. We’d either stay home and skip it, opting for a simple crumble or crisp instead, or we’d be head to a Friendsgiving, where someone else would supply the pie that year. But this year, we finally decided to take on the challenge! As Jack says, I have a “soft spot for soft apples,” so we knew that apple pie would be our pick. I also can’t get enough of baked fruit under…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.