Cherry Tomato Couscous Salad

This Israeli couscous salad recipe is packed with raw & roasted cherry tomatoes, feta, chickpeas & herbs. Perfect for a picnic or packing for lunch!

Whenever I’m styling (and eating) something as herb-heavy as this Israeli couscous salad, I start to wonder if a year-round indoor herb garden is possible. I love having a ton of fresh herbs right outside my door, and I’m really going to miss them when they’re gone. They’re so delicious in summer recipes like this couscous salad, and they’re oh so PRETTY. I often get asked about my food photography/styling tips and my best tip is always: Whatever dish you have, smother it in herbs! Aside from lots of fresh thyme and basil, this couscous salad recipe is all about…

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Asian Slaw

This Asian slaw recipe is filled with my favorite summer ingredients - fresh herbs & peaches - and tossed in a tangy miso dressing. Perfect for picnics!

This Asian slaw recipe falls into my favorite category of food: summer salads! Colorful, juicy, crunchy, sweet, bitter, herby, spicy… there are so many flavors and textures to put together with all of the great fruits and vegetables that are in season right now. I love a good salad all year round, but the summer salad will always have my heart. This Asian slaw recipe is a fantastic example of the summer salad’s potential. It takes under 30 minutes to make, and it’s jam-packed with contrasting textures and flavors. It’d be a perfect side dish for a cookout, but it’s…

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Sweet Corn & Arugula Panzanella

This Sweet Corn & Arugula Panzanella is a great vegetarian grilling side. Omit the cheese to make it vegan, or add a few chickpeas and some extra greens to make it a meal!

Tell me, what’s your favorite summer salad? If you said panzanella, you’re at the right place. If you didn’t say panzanella, that’s ok too, because I think you’ll be converted after you try this one! 🙂 It’s the ultimate summer salad to make with a bounty of fresh tomatoes. Or in this case, if you have a few tomatoes and a bounty of fresh sweet corn. Panzanella may be an Italian bread salad, but the special part about this panzanella is that it’s not entirely about the bread. I think bread salads can often get a bit too bread-y, which…

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Vegan Pasta Salad

This vegan pasta salad recipe is perfect for picnics! A creamy, no-mayo tahini dressing coats curly noodles, summer veggies, and briny artichokes.

This vegan pasta salad is basically a big bowl of sunshine! It’s full of colorful produce, like cherry tomatoes, yellow squash, and green beans, and artichokes and olives add delicious briny flavor. To tie it all together, I make a tangy, creamy tahini dressing. Because this dressing is totally mayo-free, it travels extremely well. As a result, this vegan pasta salad is a perfect dish to bring to a cookout or picnic. It’s so fresh, vibrant, and fun that I’m planning to make it all summer long. Once you try it, you will be, too! Vegan Pasta Salad Recipe Ingredients…

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Mango Ginger Rice Bowl

This rice bowl is one of our go-to meals when we're craving something light. It's easy to make, and mango, ginger & basil make it wonderfully refreshing.

Welcome to another meal planning week! About a month ago, I wrote a 5-part series that was all about my basic approach to meal planning. This was the plan: I started the week with a set amount of groceries and ideas for 5 meals, each meal utilizing the ingredients from the day before. The “plan” was not set in stone, so that my dinners would be somewhat flexible if I got a new idea mid-way through the week. If you missed that series, check it out here 🙂 After getting such a wonderful response to that series, I thought, let’s…

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Grilled Potato Salad with Scallion Vinaigrette

This is not your average potato salad recipe! Grilled potatoes, grilled scallions & grilled blueberries make a fresh & flavorful summer side.

Happy Sunday! If you need one more recipe idea to make for your weekend celebrations, give this grilled potato salad a try! When I say the words “potato salad,” my mind can only think of the kind that is laden with mayonnaise… which, admittedly, I will eat and enjoy once in a blue moon, but I love this one SO much more. By using par-boiled and then grilled potatoes, you get to taste the wonderful char-ry taste of the actual potato and not just a bunch of mayo. Punch Up Your Grilled Potatoes with a Scallion Vinaigrette! And speaking of…

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Farro Salad with Grilled Asparagus

Make this beautiful grilled asparagus recipe for your next cookout! With pea shoots, radishes & lemon thyme dressing, it's practically spring on a plate.

Welcome to grilling week! This week, each of the 3 recipes I’m going to post will all involve the grill. The sun is finally shining and we’re getting ready for Memorial Day weekend, so what better time to cook outside? Of course if you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can always use a cast iron grill pan on the stove top. We’re starting this series with one of my favorite things to grill – asparagus! The key to great grilled asparagus is finding really fresh thin spears of asparagus. I like fat spears for ribboning, but thin spears are…

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Kale Quinoa Salad with Pesto

Use your favorite roasted veggies & grains in this easy kale quinoa salad, or make it as Day 2 of our 5-day meal plan with leftovers from Day 1!

Hi, and welcome to my week of meal planning: Day 2! In case you missed yesterday’s post, here’s what’s happening: I started with one base meal – yesterday’s Mean Green Grain Bowls. For 5 days I’ll be making a new meal each day using those base ingredients and components. So you’re basically seeing our real-life dinner, day to day. These recipes are very simple, but this is how we eat in real life – and I thought it would be fun to share that! So here’s today’s: an easy Big Green Kale Quinoa Salad! Something I love to do with leftovers…

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Cauliflower Rice Kimchi Bowls

Bowls of cauliflower rice topped with tofu, veggies, kimchi, and creamy coconut sauce make a fun, healthy weeknight dinner. Vegan & gluten free.

You probably already know about my love for cauliflower rice by now, but something I’ve never posted about are kimchi bowls… or kimchi anything for that matter because for awhile I thought it was an ingredient that would be difficult to find. But I see it everywhere now, so here we go, let’s bowl! Whenever I need a reset or just a well-rounded meal, I love bowls that are balanced with greens, veggies, a protein like tofu (or tempeh), avocado, and something fermented. When I’m building this type of bowl I often go for sauerkraut or pickled ginger in a…

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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.

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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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

You only need 7 ingredients to make this easy, delicious shaved Brussels sprout salad! Make it ahead for a holiday meal or pack it for a healthy lunch.

I just woke up to a snowy white Saturday morning, which means that it’s the perfect day for… Brussels sprout salad! Ok, maybe I’m the weird one that just loves salad no matter what’s going on around me. If you’re craving something warm and cozy, go make a mug of this cacao hot chocolate and then come back here if you’re looking for an easy Brussels sprout salad to make for weekend holiday festivities. This one will be your go-to throw-together winter salad that you’ll crave when you want a break from cookies and other indulgent treats. Why I Love This…

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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.