Black Rice & Spring Vegetable Pilaf

Asparagus, broccolini & edamame are mixed with a black rice pilaf to make a healthy spring entree. Herbs & a lemon yogurt sauce top this gluten-free dish.

I love foods when they’re bright in flavor and in color. This recipe starts with a spiced wild rice pilaf and is mixed with fresh asparagus, broccolini and edamame, but feel free to use the vegetables you love most. I’ve been using black wild rice more and more lately (which is actually a grass and not a rice). It makes for a gorgeous presentation, and has the added benefit of being higher in protein than other rices. The warm nutty rice gets flavored with garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin. In the end the pilaf is topped with a bright pop…

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Roasted Cauliflower, Raisins & Capers

This roasted cauliflower dish has to be one of my favorite vegetarian sides. It's sweet, salty, bright & tangy. Serve it over quinoa to make a full meal!

I’ve had cauliflower on the brain lately. Over the last few weeks while everyone was craving chocolate-covered Valentine’s treats, I couldn’t get enough of this salty, sweet roasted goodness. I first had a similar version alongside a salmon dish at Mulberry, a restaurant/wine bar that we frequent. However, since this has been on the menu, we’ve been “frequenting” a little too much. When you go back again and again for the same twenty-seven dollar dish, I figure it’s time to learn how to make it yourself. This is so simple and it makes for such an elegant side dish. I…

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Red Pepper White Bean Spread

This healthy riff on hummus takes under 10 minutes to make. Packed with flavor from red peppers, white beans, lemon, and basil, it's vegan & gluten free.

I added this spread to sandwiches as my contribution to The Food Matters Project this week. It’s a hummus-like spread that I slathered over little toasts and topped with arugula, cucumbers, and scallions. We ate these for lunch yesterday… and then the leftover spread, well, that just got eaten by the spoonful. I love pestos and spreads like this because they’re so versatile. If we didn’t devour the whole batch in one sitting (I made a half batch – big mistake) I would have kept the extra around all week to put on my eggs, spread over roasted veggies, or snack on…

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Sweet Curry Brown Sugar Popcorn

Popcorn in a brown sugar-curry coating makes a sweet, spicy snack. Gluten & dairy free & vegan. Unique 10-minute treat for parties or your next movie night.

Since starting this blog a couple months ago (feels more like a year ago), I’ve “met” some of the nicest people and have received the most encouraging feedback. I honestly thought my mom would be our only reader for the first few months (hi Mom), so the idea that people are actually reading and commenting, and tweeting (lord knows that was quite the learning curve for me) has made me feel just so welcomed. One of the first people to reach out to me the week we launched the site was Kate from the blog Cookie + Kate. I’ve been…

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Beet, Avocado & Grapefruit Salad

This roasted beet, avocado & grapefruit salad is my ideal fresh winter meal, with contrasting creamy, crunchy, sweet & tart elements.

This is my favorite winter salad. Although I use the term “winter” lightly – it is almost 70 degrees here. The sun is shining and my windows and doors are open… the dogs are playing in the yard… overall a perfect a Friday afternoon. It’s 20 and snowing in my hometown Chicago, and I couldn’t be more grateful that I live here in Austin where the season for happy hour margaritas on a patio is just around the corner. If it’s cold where you are, hopefully this colorful, juicy, creamy, crunchy grapefruit salad will brighten your day.

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Vegan Nachos with Cashew “Cheese”

A hearty vegan & gluten free nacho recipe with TVP-based taco meat & cashew cheese. Topped with guacamole and pico, these are perfect for spring & summer.

This recipe is from the Native Foods cookbook. Jack and I first stumbled upon Native Foods one night in California on our way back from Disneyland. I typically don’t eat foods at theme parks (I know, I’m “fun” like that), so after the fireworks we set out to drive around and find a restaurant. This was years before iphones and yelp, so it was nothing short of a Disney miracle that we aimlessly found ourselves at this awesome vegan restaurant. If you are new to the idea of nut cheese, it’s really nothing like cheese… but more of a cheese-like…

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Sweet Miso Udon

In this Japanese-inspired bowl, sweet miso sauce coats udon noodles, mushrooms, & tofu. Vegan with a gluten free option and takes under 30 minutes!

Jack has been requesting udon ever since we got back from Japan (over a year ago), so finally, tonight, udon he got. This is not traditional udon – and that’s my disclaimer. I would love to be able to say that we went to Japan and came home able to share something remotely authentic. The truth is that we pointed to things on menus and just hoped that no one would put something in front of me that was still moving. (Jack on the other hand is ok with food that still moves). One day we’ll hopefully become more diligent…

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Beets & Chickpeas with Jalapeño Yogurt

Roasted beets and spiced chickpeas top arugula to make healthy fall or winter salad. Served with a tangy, spicy yogurt sauce. Gluten free & vegan option.

salads

There are few foods in this world (very few) that Jack won’t eat. While I’ve won him over on some (hello asparagus!), beets remain on his “absolutely-not” list. I have a stockpile of recipes I’m saving for when he goes out of town, but when my friend Hollie came over for lunch last week, I had just the thing… This hearty salad is everything Hollie and I love all in one bowl… bright arugula, smoky-garlicky chickpeas, and juicy beets topped with a generous dollop of tangy jalapeño yogurt, a garnish of cilantro, and an unexpected indian-ness from the sprinkled brown…

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Sweet Potato & Pear Soup with Sage

Enjoy this healthy one-pot soup in fall or winter. Full of sweet potato, sage, pear, and curry spices, it is perfect for holidays and vegan & gluten free.

fall / soups

My favorite thing about cooking is when things come out of nothing. After the holidays, we had an empty fridge, empty countertops… contents of a meal (or even a snack) nowhere in sight. I had a pear that was on the verge of way-too-ripe, half an onion… and then I noticed a sweet potato that I never remembered buying. I’ve seen recipes for butternut squash soup with pears, so I figured this would work just as well. I foraged through the back of the fridge and pantry for the rest of the ingredients. Then I remembered I had this delicious…

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Seared Tuna Roll with Basil Aioli

A fun home cooking project! Step-by-step recipe for sushi featuring tuna, avocado, and cucumber served alongside a basil aioli. Gluten-free.

sushi / gluten free

Welcome to amateur sushi night… Tonight’s dinner was inspired by the leftover bowl of white rice that’s been sitting in the back of my fridge. We’ve been eating enough stir fries lately and I figured Jack was probably kale-d out. Plus I thought this sounded like “group” fun. (Especially for our little Japanese girl who was standing by for floor droppings). We took a class once about 5 years ago at Central Market and I remembered this blackened tuna roll with 7-spice and basil sauce that I’d been meaning to make again. Of course Jack and I got home from…

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Spinach and Soba Noodle Soup

I love this healing soba noodle soup on winter weeknights. It takes 30 minutes to make, but ginger, mushrooms & tamari give it depth of flavor.

winter / soups / vegan

This soba noodle soup comes together in a snap, but it’s deeply flavorful, so it’s just the thing for a cold weeknight. Lately, I’ve been adding wakame flakes to it for a sea vegetable health boost. They come dehydrated in the Asian aisle of most higher end grocery stores. Beware, when the package says, “one teaspoon equals one serving… will expand over 20 times,” they really meant it. The first time I tried these I was sure that was a misprint and I tossed in a heaping handful or two and had cups upon cups of rehydrated sea greens. If…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.