Cucumber Tomato Salad

This cucumber tomato salad recipe is bursting with summer flavor, but it's easy to make. The fresh veggies and zingy dressing do the work for you!

When I opened our CSA box last week and found jumbles of multicolored cherry tomatoes inside, I knew I had to make this cucumber tomato salad. Sometimes, I plan recipes months ahead of time. Green bean casserole for Thanksgiving, deviled eggs for Easter. But this cucumber tomato salad recipe was something I couldn’t plan in advance. It rose out of those particular tomatoes and my particular craving for a flavorful summer salad that would show them off at their best. Since then, this cucumber tomato salad recipe has become a favorite in our house. Made with halloumi cheese and grilled…

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Vegan Ranch Dressing

This vegan ranch dressing is just as good as the real thing! Made with simple ingredients like cashews and lemon juice, it's creamy and delicious.

Wow! I am OBSESSED with this vegan ranch dressing recipe! I’ve made lots of ranch-like vegan sauces in the past, but this one really hits the mark. It’s cool and creamy, tangy and garlicky, and completely irresistible. All that, and it’s made with simple, plant-based ingredients that you likely have in your pantry already. Once you try it, you’ll never reach for store bought ranch – vegan or otherwise – again! Vegan Ranch Recipe Ingredients You only need 8 basic ingredients to make this easy vegan ranch recipe: Raw cashews – Like in my basic cashew cream recipe, raw cashews make…

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Tomato Bruschetta

Capers and olives add complexity to this fresh tomato bruschetta recipe. It's simple and delicious - perfect for warm summer nights.

Growing up in the Midwest, the term “bruschetta” meant one thing: toasted bread topped with diced tomatoes, a little basil, and maybe a sprinkle of cheese. But in Italy, “bruschetta” actually refers to the bread. Toasted on a grill – not in an oven – it’s crisp and lightly charred. When it comes off the heat, it’s drizzled generously with olive oil and rubbed with the cut side of a garlic clove. Garlicky, rich, and smoky, the bread is delectable on its own, but fresh toppings only make it better. And those toppings don’t have to be tomatoes – meats,…

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What are Capers + 10 Caper Recipes

If you're not already cooking with capers, now's the time to start! Read on to learn about these flavorful little balls, and find 10 of my best capers recipes.

I’ve always loved capers, but lately, I’ve been cooking with them like crazy. It doesn’t seem to matter what I’m making – pasta, eggs, a salad, or toast. These little guys always seem like the perfect finishing touch. Salty, briny, vinegary, and pungent, capers give any dish a tangy burst of flavor. What are Capers? You might be wondering, “What are capers, anyway?” Well, these green, pea-sized balls are actually pickled flower buds! They come from a plant called capparis spinosa, or more simply, the caper bush (check out this page to learn more about it!). Before they start to blossom,…

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Baked Zucchini Chips

These baked zucchini chips are the best summer snack! Hot from the oven, they're crisp on the outside, juicy in the middle, and full of Parmesan flavor.

Move over, potato chips! If you’re craving a salty, crunchy summer snack, these baked zucchini chips are exactly what you need. The first time I tested this recipe, I stood at the counter, eating chip after chip. After the first one, I wondered, “Are they crispy enough?” I needed to have another. “Are they salty enough?” I had to eat just one more. “Do they need more cheese?” My empty baking sheet had the answer. These little guys were perfect just the way they were. Since then, I’ve had this recipe on repeat. In the past, I’ve avoided baked zucchini…

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Romesco Sauce

Tangy, smoky, creamy, and sweet, this romesco sauce recipe is a great way to liven up roasted or grilled vegetables, sandwiches, and more.

This romesco sauce recipe is one of my favorite things to make in summer. After Jack and I visited Barcelona for the first time, I made all kinds of Spanish food at home – paella, Spanish tortillas, espinacas con garbanzos. I loved them all, but romesco sauce is the one Spanish dish that I’ve continued to make again and again. Its bold sweet and smoky flavor instantly reminds me of Spain. We may not be traveling much of anywhere this summer, but we are enjoying this tangy, creamy sauce as much as we can at home. It transforms grilled veggies…

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Zucchini Salad

This zucchini salad recipe is a stunning summer side dish! Made with under 10 ingredients, it's a fresh, delicious recipe that comes together in minutes.

This zucchini salad recipe is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds! I love the way the raw zucchini ribbons curl around the crunchy pine nuts and fresh herbs. Parmesan cheese gives it a salty bite, and a lemon vinaigrette fills it with bright flavor. Oh, and did I mention? It calls for under 10 ingredients and comes together in minutes. Fittingly, the recipe comes from my friend Amanda’s new book Simple Beautiful Food. I’ve been a fan of Amanda since we first met while celebrating the launch of the Staub Cookbook, which she also authored. Since…

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Dill Pickles

Learn how to make pickles at home! This easy 8-ingredient recipe yields crisp, tangy dill pickles that are a delicious snack or sandwich topping.

The first time I tried this dill pickle recipe, I wondered why on earth I’d spent so many years buying pickles at the grocery store. Sure, store bought pickles can be tasty, but these little guys take dill pickles to a whole new level. They’re super easy to make (the refrigerator does most of the work for you!), and they taste awesome. They’re crisp, tangy, and refreshing, with an addictive garlic-dill flavor. Most often, I eat them as a snack right out of the fridge, but they’re delicious on sandwiches and veggie burgers too. If you like dill pickles, you’re…

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Socca Recipe

Have you ever tried socca? This gluten-free chickpea flatbread hails from Nice, France, and it makes a delicious appetizer, side dish, or light meal.

When Jack and I visited Nice, France, I ate two things as much as I could: Niçoise salad and socca. If you’re not familiar with socca, it’s a savory chickpea pancake with crisp, golden brown edges and a moist interior. It’s popular throughout southern France and northern Italy, and once you try it, you’ll see why. Chickpea flour and olive oil give it a rich, nutty flavor, and its crispy edges are so tasty that you won’t be able to help reaching for a second slice. Served plain, it makes a delicious appetizer, side dish, or snack, but with the…

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51 Easy Picnic Food Ideas

Looking for new picnic food ideas? You're in the right place. With recipes for sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more, we've got something for everyone!

It’s picnic season! Your blanket’s ready, your cooler’s out, and you can’t wait to get outside. Now, all you need is good picnic food to take with you. In my experience, the best picnic food ideas aren’t just delicious – they’re simple, too. They’re dishes that you can make ahead knowing that they’ll still taste great when you’re ready to eat. They’re easy to pack in a cooler or a bag, and you only need a few utensils to serve them. No utensils? Even better! Jack and I don’t have any big travel plans this summer, but we are anticipating…

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Vegan Pesto

No Parmesan? No problem. This easy vegan pesto recipe is a breeze to make, and it's every bit as bright, nutty, and delicious as the traditional version.

When I make pesto, I almost always make this vegan pesto recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love traditional basil pesto, but this vegan version is just as good. Classic pesto is made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. But my recipe calls for one extra ingredient: lemon juice. The lemon’s bright flavor perfectly balances the richness of the olive oil and elevates the fresh, garlicky, and nutty flavors of the other ingredients. Once you add it, the pesto has enough complexity to make the Parmesan cheese optional, and more often than not,…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.