Vegan Seven Layer Dip

This healthy recipe for seven layer dip is a guaranteed party hit! Refried beans, guac, spiced quinoa, cashew cream & fresh veggies load it with flavor.

I have a huge weakness for seven layer dip. Growing up, my mom made it for SO many holidays and gatherings. I’d be sure to grab a seat at the table right next to it so that I could gobble it up, chip after chip after chip after chip. In my family, this was (and still is) called Tex Mex dip. When Jack and I were first dating, he thought this was hilarious, and once I moved down to Texas with him I learned why – this dip is neither Tex nor Mex. In the intervening years, I also learned…

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Kale Guacamole

This kale guacamole has classic guac's addictive zesty flavor & creamy texture, but steamed kale leaves makes it extra green (and extra healthy)!

vegan / gluten free

This recipe was inspired by a kale guacamole that started showing up at Whole Foods last summer :). Yes, that’s right, I don’t always make my own guacamole. If I’m heading to someone’s house, sometimes it’s just easier to pick it up on the way. That delicious kale guacamole inspired me to make my own version at home. Not only is it healthy, but also adding in the kale bulks it up a bit without taking away any of the flavor. Plus, I somehow found a way to make guacamole *more* green! Who doesn’t love that? This recipe is easy as…

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Loaded Potato Skins

You'll love these loaded potato skins with black bean salad, sunflower sour cream, and crispy coconut bacon. Great for parties!

vegan / gluten free / snacks & dips

I wanted to share this fun healthi(er) “game day” recipe before the Super Bowl even though, admittedly, we’re not big football fans. And by “we,” I mostly mean me. Jack will socially watch a game at a party, but my relationship with football didn’t exactly start off on the right… foot. Beginning in 1st grade, every year in gym class, we started the year with a football written test. Way to get kids interested in sports, right? The teacher would hand out worksheets to bring home and study (which I never did) and every year I’d bring home a failing…

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Adzuki Bean Bowls

Never tried adzuki beans? Learn how to cook them for this tasty grain bowl recipe! And don't worry, if you can't find them, black beans work here too.

vegan / gluten free / dinner

Have you ever tried adzuki beans? If you haven’t, you totally should. Like most bean varieties, they have a host of health benefits. They’re packed with protein and fiber, and they’re even said to promote heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Because of their small size, they cook quickly, and last but not least, they’re delicious! Their unique sweet, nutty flavor is at home in everything from hearty grain bowls to Japanese ice cream. If you’re ready to try them, find my method for how to cook adzuki beans below, along with my all-time favorite adzuki beans…

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Creamy Tomato Soup

This creamy tomato soup recipe is comfort food at its best! It tastes rich, but it's light and healthy, made with blended chickpeas instead of heavy cream.

vegetarian / soups

I’d say yes to a bowl of this creamy tomato soup every day in the wintertime! It’s exactly the sort of comforting dish I crave on cold, gray days, because it’s wholesome, yet fun. The soup itself is pretty darn healthy, made without any heavy cream or butter. In fact, it’s totally vegan! Still, it has a satisfying creamy texture and rich taste. Wholesome: check. The fun part of this creamy tomato soup is actually the topping. I load it up with toasty vegan grilled cheese croutons! They add a nice crunch to the creamy soup, and they let you…

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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.

vegetarian / dinner

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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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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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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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.