Sambal Salsa & Black Bean Tacos

I’m a little bit behind. I realize – today is Ocho de Mayo and I’m late to the game with a salsa & taco recipe. But the way I see it – every day can be taco day. Aside from avocado smashed on toast, “stuff in a tortilla,” is my next go-to meal. I came up with this recipe a little bit by accident. A few weeks ago, I was in Chicago visiting my family, cooking with whatever was around my mom’s kitchen. On that particular day: a few tomatoes, an avocado, some onions, etc… Halfway through chopping all of…

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Spicy Kohlrabi Noodles

An easy vegan weeknight recipe made with ginger-lime marinated kohlrabi, fresh herbs, and rice noodles. A great make-ahead lunch! Healthy & gluten-free.

Oh, kohlrabi… I first learned of this alien vegetable years ago when I received my very first CSA box. At the time, I wasn’t adventurous with vegetables, so I had no clue what it was and no clue what to do with it. Kohlrabi has seemed to gain some popularity since then – I often see it on restaurant menus – but back then it was barely google-able. Fast forward to now – it’s one of my favorites. People say it’s similar to broccoli stems, but I think it’s closer to daikon or even jicama. Slice it up into sticks,…

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Spring Onion Asparagus Frittata

A frittata is the perfect brunch recipe! This spring onion & asparagus frittata is so fresh, healthy. It's easy to make and so delicious.

Easter weekend might be a whole week away, but I figure it’s never too soon to start gathering with friends for a spring brunch. We could call it Friendster—get it? Like “Friendsgiving” but for Easter instead… (and not like the late 90’s social media website). Ok, maybe not. I can hear you groaning through the computer screen. Whatever you decide to call your spring gatherings – make this easy asparagus frittata. First thing: blend your eggs in a blender. I’m sure many of you do this already. I, myself, have been lazily ignoring this tip for years thinking my whisking…

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Spring Root Veggie Salad

Make this watercress salad for a healthy spring meal! I love how the soft greens contrast with colorful root veggies in this refreshing, delicious dish.

Since starting this blog, I’ve gotten over a number of foods I didn’t think I liked: radishes, carrots, and, most recently, pepper. (I know, pepper is a weird one). I have a list going for Jack too: peas, asparagus, avocado. Check, check, check. And now – with this watercress salad – beets! (Yes, Jack, I lied. These things I told you were turnips were in fact beets). My husband is not a picky eater by any means — there are about five foods he’s adamant about not eating. I just find it a fun game to work these things in.…

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Hazelnut Tahini Pasta

I keep a pretty full pantry (to say the least). I love to have a variety of oils, vinegars, grains & nuts on hand… but every now and then “on hand” becomes completely out of hand. This little sauce came about one day when I was cleaning out my shelves and found five separate stashes of hazelnuts. Some were newly purchased, some were tucked waaay in the back. Also, back beyond my immediate reach was a still-pretty-new-yet-forgotten-about jar of tahini. I had pasta noodles to use up, but this would be great as a dressing drizzled over a farro salad, or over…

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Rainbow Chard & Wheat Berries

Grains & greens. Avocado & eggs… I could probably stop blogging right here and be happy eating this meal every day. Or at least in theory. In reality, I need variety otherwise I have a way of wrecking foods for myself. (One year in college, I ate plain oatmeal 2x a day — breakfast and lunch — and now I can’t stand the sight). The beauty of the grains and greens meal is that it can be changed up a thousand different ways. (Although, I get it — oatmeal can be changed up too. By the time I learned that it was far too late).…

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Aloo Gobi

Aloo gobi is one of my favorite things to order at Indian restaurants. This recipe adds fresh peas & greens to the classic cauliflower & potato curry.

I can’t claim that I cook Indian food authentically, but what I can do is cook Indian-ish food that tastes pretty good. Aloo Gobi is one of my favorites, and this is my at-home version. The basic components are all here: potato (aloo) & cauliflower (gobi). The rest is a bit of a riff… it’s a little lighter and a lot greener. Also, these ingredients should be easy to find. I think this aloo gobi recipe makes the perfect “it’s still winter but almost spring” meal. It’s warm and hearty, but it has bright pops of peas and a few…

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Quinoa Burger

Say goodbye to mushy, bland veggie burgers forever! This quinoa burger is tangy and spicy, with a delicious hearty texture and perfect crispy edges.

I’m not sure where to begin with this quinoa burger recipe. It has a wonderful meaty texture with lightly crisp edges, a spicy, tangy flavor, and a gorgeous red color. Plus, it’s totally vegan and gluten-free! What’s not to love? I’m looking forward to making this quinoa burger for cookouts all summer long, and I hope you are too. On the off-chance that you have leftovers, pop them in the freezer! They reheat perfectly for quick weeknight dinners down the road. Quinoa Burger Recipe Ingredients I set some strict veggie burger criteria for this recipe: no eggs, no cheese, no…

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“Ricotta” Stuffed Cabbage

This is my gluten free (and pasta-free) version of stuffed shells. This “cheesy” cashew filling tastes just as indulgent as the real thing.

This is my gluten free solution to last week’s stuffed shells. You’ll notice it’s also pasta-free but trust me, this “cheesy” cashew filling tastes just as indulgent. This little creation was a total happy accident… while I was shopping, I had filled my cart with everything necessary for the stuffed shells, with one ingredient left to go: the shells. And just my luck, no shells. I figured, I’d go searching for them somewhere else the next day. But when I got home I noticed a lonely cabbage in my fridge and voilà. When I remade these (for this post) I found…

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Vegan Stuffed Shells with Kale

No one will know these vegan stuffed shells are dairy-free! Packed with fresh herbs and kale, this stuffed shell recipe is one of our favorite dinners.

I swear, no one will know these stuffed shells are vegan. Ok, that was a big statement, let me start over. I’m really pretty sure that these vegan stuffed shells will win over your pickiest eaters. This isn’t fancy food here… we all loved jumbo stuffed shells in the 90’s, and I’m bringing them back today with the best quotation marked “ricotta” that I’ve made yet. The trick is to combine cashew cream with tofu. I’ve made a lot of vegan lasagnas by crumbling tofu with herbs – which looks very ricotta-esque, but still tastes decidedly tofu-esque. The cashew cream offers a…

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Cold Sesame Noodles w/ Kale & Shiitakes

I may call this a noodle salad, but secretly it's a kale salad, too. Made with sesame dressing and lots of sturdy veggies, it's perfect packed for lunch.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I think Monday lunch is the most important meal of the week. If I’ve destroyed myself indulged a little too much over the weekend, I like to recover with a good healthy Monday lunch. Start the week off right, and it’s easier to make healthier choices throughout the week. I’m also trying to make more meals in advance (I’m hoping these kinds of recipes are helpful for you too). This is a noodle salad, but secretly there’s a kale salad hidden in here as well. I like 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.