Lemon Pesto Spaghetti Squash

Vegan, gluten-free, or none of the above? You'll love this flavorful pesto spaghetti squash bowl filled with spinach, roasted cauliflower & pine nuts.

Back by popular demand – spaghetti squash! If you’ve been following for long you’ll know that I haven’t always been the biggest fan of it. But here’s what I’ve learned: it’s best to get the “spaghetti” thought out of your mind. As pasta, it’s kind of mushy. As a roasted vegetable that happens to form into little strands, it’s so delicious. Especially with a squeeze of lemon and a few dollops of pesto. And if you’re new to spaghetti squash, head over to this post to read my favorite tips for cooking it. For texture and crunch, I tossed the…

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Bok Choy Stir Fry

My favorite baby bok choy recipe! Plenty of veggies and a tangy ginger garlic sauce make this easy stir fry a delicious, flavorful weeknight meal.

Stir fry was probably the first healthy-ish meal I learned to make, although it used to look nothing like this. When I was in college, I’d stock up on frozen vegetables because I was broke and they were 4 for $1 at Publix. I’d mix the frozen veggies with instant brown rice and drown it all in soy sauce. While I appreciated the bargain, that dinner was “healthy” for healthy’s sake, and I’d try to convince myself it was delicious while my roommates all ate pizza. Now, I love to make this actually delicious stir fry with lots of fresh vegetables, like baby bok…

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Chickpea & Cauliflower Tomato Stew

A hearty & healthy vegetable minestrone stew topped with kale pesto. Perfect for cold winter nights or make ahead lunches. Vegan and gluten free.

We’re en route to snowy Chicago today and I’m trying to think warm thoughts. Yes, I grew up there, but I’m such a baby about winter. Scraping car windows, not being able feel my fingers & toes – I did it for years & it’s just not my thing. BUT I’m excited to spend a little time with my family, eat some good food, and probably cook a little. On the menu, obviously, will be warm food like this hot & hearty vegetable-packed soup. This is my take on minestrone although it’s a little less than traditional – it’s in between…

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Winter Farro & Kale Salad

This 6-ingredient winter kale salad is sweet & salty, crunchy & crisp, and it's doused in a delicious gingery dressing. Make it for an easy weekday lunch!

All you want for Christmas is a Christmas salad – right? Ok, maybe not, but in between all of the cookies and other sweet treats, doesn’t it just feel so good to eat something nourishing before your next cocktail? This salad is packed with so many things that I crave, like dark leafy kale and hearty farro; and to make it extra festive – hazelnuts and pomegranates. It’s the salad that looks like a Christmas tree. You can use either lacinato kale (pictured) or curly kale for this recipe. I usually find curly kale to be a little bit softer, but this pretty bouquet of local…

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Creamy White Bean & Tomato Soup

A delicious, healthy & comforting tomato soup thickened with blended white beans. Leftovers are great for packed lunches! Vegan, gluten-free, and simple.

It’s been a soupy week around here. I’ve said it probably one hundred times before, but I just love the process of making soup. It makes me feel grounded and fancy all at the same time. Simmering flavorful things in a pot (with a glass of wine on the side) is my idea of a perfect night. It could be Tuesday night, it could be Friday night – it doesn’t matter to me. I made this one last weekend when my mom came to visit and again a few days later for Jack who had been out of town. The best part…

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Lemony White Wine Capellini

The simplest elegant pasta dish made with spinach, herbs, lemon-white wine sauce & a toasted pine nut topping. A fantastic weeknight dinner! Gluten-free.

This recipe describes how I like my holidays: simple and with wine. I don’t get too wrapped up in holiday craziness – I don’t fight crowds at the mall, I don’t bake ten million cookies, and I don’t cook a Christmas ham (is that what people still do?). But I do enjoy making easy elegant dinners like this one. This pasta is bright and merry, with squeezes of lemon and splashes of Barefoot Pinot Grigio. The recipe starts with a very light lemony white wine sauce made with olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Then, I toss in a few handfuls of spinach before…

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Roasted Delicata Squash Tacos

These easy, spicy vegan Delicata Squash Tacos are perfect for fall! Filled with kale, mushrooms, squash & pumpkin cashew cream, they're healthy & delicious.

I almost posted these last week as an “alternative Thanksgiving” vegetarian option, but then I decided that the “T-day Taco” was a bit of a stretch. Personally, I’d love to eat tacos for any holiday feast, but would you? Raise your hand if so – I’m taking notes for next year… Delicata squash is one of my favorite squashes for a few reasons: 1. you can cut it without worrying about cutting your arm off, and 2. you can roast it with the skins on – no peeling necessary – and it’s so sweet and tender. I’ve been on a cashew…

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Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Butternut squash stuffed shells are the ultimate fall comfort food! Filled with creamy spinach "ricotta," this recipe is an all-time fan favorite.

Creamy, tangy, and with a caramelized sweetness from roasted butternut squash, this stuffed shells recipe is one you’re sure to love. In lieu of any ricotta, Parmesan, or mozzarella cheese, I stuff them with a light, dairy-free “ricotta.” Made from cashew cream, crumbled tofu, herbs, and lemon zest, it’s rich and flavorful. If your family is squeamish about tofu, just don’t tell them. They’ll never suspect it here. My Favorite Stuffed Shells Recipe While I often use a marinara sauce with my stuffed shells, in the spirit of fall, I opted for a luscious, creamy cashew sauce. I also stuffed my shells…

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Apple Mimosas & Butternut Baked Eggs

Host a fun & easy-going brunch with these simple baked eggs. Butternut squash, eggs, leeks, and herbs are all you need. With apple mimosas, of course.

Thanksgiving has become an odd holiday for us. During the first years that Jack and I were together, we traveled to visit family for every single holiday. It took us a while to realize that Thanksgiving weekend air travel is the worst of them all. So now we have a tradition of staying home with no real tradition. One year we stayed in and made risotto. The year after that we had a friends-giving (before they were called that). Last year, we stayed home and worked (we were just beginning the book). This year we’re going to gather with friends over a fun & easygoing…

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Arugula Salad with Lemon & Fennel

This easy arugula salad is light and lemony with peppery arugula, marinated fennel, crisp radishes, creamy avocado, and toasted walnuts.

This bright arugula salad is one of my favorite simple side dishes. It’s so easy to toss together: marinate thinly shaved fennel and radishes for a few minutes before tossing them with arugula, toasted walnuts, and creamy avocado. And if you have it on hand, a dollop of pesto really takes it to the next level. With a simple lemon dressing, this salad has the perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, bright, and bitter components. It’s an excellent choice for a weeknight, but it’s good enough to serve as a side salad for a special occasion. Arugula Salad Recipe Variations Like…

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Simple Sweet Potato Bowl

Meet one of my favorite combos: sweet potatoes + feta. In this recipe, they're the perfect hearty, tangy topping for grains, greens, and nuts.

This easy bowl is what I make for dinner most often when no one is looking. It’s my go-to meal when I’m not working on new recipes, when I’m tired after a long day, and when I’ve definitely had too much take-out pho for one week. It’s not a 30-minute meal because roasting a sweet potato takes at least that long, but the rest is so darn simple. Plus, nothing actually calms me more than the wafting aroma of sweet potatoes roasting in my kitchen. There’s no fancy sauce in this recipe. You won’t even dirty an extra bowl to…

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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.