Summer Blackberry Basil Pizza

We all love tomatoes & basil, but berries & basil are another perfect match. Try this sweet/fresh combo on this easy, delicious summer basil pizza.

Hey, long time no blog! So sorry about that! Things have been a little crazy over here since we’re moving in just a few days. I hope you’ve been able to enjoy a little time away from the computer this summer as well 🙂 Today’s Blackberry Basil Pizza recipe is super simple. I know I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but it’s summer, and I love a recipe that comes together without much fuss! The grocery list is short and the prep time is minimal, but the flavors are so fresh and delicious. If you haven’t tried combining blackberries and basil yet, you’ll…

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How to Make Quesadillas

Learn how to make quesadillas with this fun mix & match quesadilla recipe! Perfect for quick meals, they're flavorful, healthy & easy to make.

summer / vegetarian / vegan-option

We’ve been overloaded with decisions lately. “Where to live?” has been the question of the year, but I’m happy to say that we’re finally in the process of buying a new home (more on that later!). Now the decisions at hand are things like “which barstools match the new countertop? which sofas are free of VOC’s?” and “is a white sofa a really bad idea?” Suffice it to say, when I got around to this quesadilla recipe, I couldn’t make up my mind on just one option so… Mix & Match quesadillas it is! A no-brainer. Hallelujah. How to Make Quesadillas…

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Taco Salad with Jalapeño Ranch

What do I crave in summer? This taco salad recipe that's filled with smoky quinoa, crispy tortillas, fresh veggies, and a cool, creamy vegan ranch sauce.

summer / dinner / vegan

I’ve had this taco salad recipe planned for a while now. Every few months, I’d glance at my upcoming list of potential recipes and start salivating over the idea of summer taco salad bowls. I love summer, I love tacos, and I really really love salads, so here we go! Instead of taco meat, I mix red quinoa and black beans with lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, and a touch of maple syrup – all of this helps create a bit of a smoky flavor. Quick tip: keep this quinoa mix on hand in the fridge to build lunchtime taco salad bowls throughout…

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Heirloom Tomato Sandwich

This delicious tomato sandwich is my veggie take on a classic BLT. A creamy white bean spread subs in for the bacon, giving this sandwich a tangy kick.

summer / vegan

When tomatoes are in top form, I can’t get enough of them. I want them in salad, in pasta, in tacos, and eggs. Lately, though, this tomato sandwich has been my favorite way to enjoy them. Best Tomato Sandwich Ingredients When I first started thinking about making a tomato sandwich, my mind went immediately to a classic BLT. I love a faux BLT, and because I was never a bacon lover, just putting veggie things between bread is fine with me. My favorite version of a BLT sandwich is the crispy Shiitake BLT that’s on page 171 in the cookbook (it’s…

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Festive Fruit Salad with Lemon & Ginger

No summer picnic is complete without a fresh fruit salad, and this bright recipe, with a simple lemon-ginger dressing, is my absolute favorite.

summer / salads

My best 4th of July memories are all about watermelon and pool parties. When I was younger, we used to go to the community pool, and they hosted this relay race game where you’d swim across the pool trying to push a slippery watermelon with you. It was harder than you think, especially when you’re a little kid. Afterward they’d cut up the watermelon for all the kids to eat. Between the splashy water and the watermelon juices, well, it was all a big fun slippery summery mess. About this Fruit Salad Recipe All of these thoughts of watermelon made me immediately…

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Cucumber Mango Miso Noodle Bowl

The star of this easy noodle bowl is the miso-ginger peanut sauce. Its savoy, tangy flavor is perfect against sweet mango, bright lime & fresh mint.

summer / vegan / gluten free

A few weeks ago, while I was making a list of potential upcoming summer recipes, I asked Jack, “Hey, what’s a recipe you really want me to make?” In the past, answers to questions like that have been “Pretzels!” or “Pizza!” but this time it was “An Asian noodle salad.” I asked if he could be more specific, but he said, “I just really really love noodles – you know, when they’re tossed in an Asian-y kind of dressing.” Not a huge help, but at least it was something. So on a Monday when I felt I could use a little reset…

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Skinny Lemongrass Mojitos

summer / cocktail

Summer has officially begun this week – and we’re making mojitos! I hope your herb garden is ready because instead of the basic mint mojito, these are made with lemongrass and basil as well. Basically, I like to build cocktails the same way I approach salads – the more fresh herbs and citrus, the better. To make these “skinny,” I skipped the sugar and sweetened these with Truvia Natural Sweetener instead. It has no calories and it’s sweetness comes from the stevia leaf. Personally, I’d rather splurge on a dessert than on a sugary cocktail so I love that these mojitos are…

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Grilled Ratatouille Tartines

summer / vegan / appetizers

I love ratatouille – eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes all mingling together with flavors of fruity olive oil, thyme, oregano, and fresh basil… But it’s summer and what I don’t love is standing over a hot stove. So I came up with this simple GRILLED version of ratatouille that takes all of about 15 minutes to make. It’s not at all authentic, but I love how the char of the grill flavors these vegetables. For easy summer eating, I assembled these as toasts. They’re a delicious snack with wine – but they’re hearty enough to double as a light dinner. Once…

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Farmers Market Potato & Asparagus Pizza

Celebrate spring with this light & bright asparagus pizza! Fresh herbs, crisp radishes, and a sprinkle of cheese make it an explosion of flavor & texture.

summer / dinner / vegetarian

If you caught Monday’s post, I wrote all about my strategy for coming up with a dinner recipe while shopping on the fly at the farmers market. And, drumroll please… here’s what I made! It’s a big green, veggie potato pizza loaded with chopped asparagus, asparagus ribbons, cheese, flowering thyme, chives, and those pretty chive blossoms that I got at Chicago’s Logan Square Farmers Market. It’s spring on a plate… or rather, spring on dough. I know I say this all the time, but I LOVE letting local produce lead my meal planning. These fresh impromptu meals just really make…

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Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

This olive oil cake is the perfect treat for dark chocolate lovers. It's not too sweet, deeply chocolatey, and delicious with a dollop of cardamom cream.

cookbooks

We sold our house yesterday. In case you haven’t heard, Jack and I are moving(!?), and lately I’ve been feeling a really mixed bag of emotions about it. We left Austin a few weeks ago and are spending the summer temporarily in Chicago (living with my parents – so glamorous!) until we find a new place to call home. We’re excited for a new adventure, but of course, it’s always sad leaving homes and friends (and kitchens! aahh, what am I doing!) behind. Don’t worry, the blog isn’t going anywhere – I have tons of new recipes and other special projects in the…

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Super Fun Summer Smoothies!

Enjoy classic treats in smoothie form! These four fun drinks are inspired by blueberry muffins, PB&J, mint chip ice cream, and peaches & cream.

summer / breakfast / snacks & dips

Every so often, I get on these mean green daily smoothie kicks that, in all honesty, can get a little TOO green over time. The kick starts with delicious well-balanced smoothies, but as the days go on, I start cutting corners. I add too much liquid so that the blender will blend fast, leaving me with a watery smoothie. And speaking of water, that’s what I use when I run out of almond milk. I add ice in the name of “thickness,” and I start skipping all ingredients that actually add flavor. What I (we) are left with to drink first thing in…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.