Three Bean Salad

This 3 bean salad recipe is a fresh, fun twist on the American classic! I toss fresh green beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas in a bold, tangy dressing.

Like macaroni salad and potato salad, three bean salad takes me right back to my childhood. It was something I ate at potlucks, picnics, and even the occasional school lunch. I remember liking the sweet and tangy dressing, but the mushy canned green beans? Not so much. So, to kick off picnic salad season this year, I’ve got a new three bean salad recipe to share with you. In many ways, it’s just like the one I ate as a kid. It features dark red kidney beans and hearty garbanzos, and it’s tossed in a punchy (though considerably less sweet)…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

33 Best BBQ Sides

These BBQ sides will be the highlight of any summer cookout! They include easy, fresh, and delicious recipes for grilled veggies, salads, slaws, and more.

These BBQ sides will steal the show at any summer cookout. They range from creamy potato salad to summery slaws to herb-flecked pasta salad and smoky grilled watermelon. Even with this variety, these BBQ side dishes all have a few things in common. They’re easy to prepare, they spotlight summer produce, and they’re fresh and delicious. Make one for your next summer gathering. I promise it’ll be a hit! Our Best BBQ Sides Easy Pasta Salad If I’m tasked with preparing a side dish for a picnic or cookout, this recipe is my go-to. Packed with pasta, chickpeas, and tangy feta…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Blueberry Compote

This easy blueberry compote is sweet, jammy, and bursting with bright berry flavor. It's a perfect topping for pancakes, waffles, yogurt, and more.

I have a super simple recipe for you today: a 5-ingredient, 20-minute blueberry compote. It’s one of my favorite recipes to make when I have a surplus of fresh berries (or a big bag of frozen berries) on hand. It tastes so good that you could eat it with a spoon, but it’s really meant to be used as a topping. Drizzle it over pancakes, oatmeal, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious pop of bright berry flavor. Blueberry Compote Recipe Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy blueberry compote recipe: Blueberries, of course! Fresh…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

How to Cook Bok Choy

Learn how to cook bok choy! Tossed in a sweet and savory sauce, this sautéed baby bok choy recipe is insanely flavorful and simple to make.

Right after radishes and asparagus, bok choy is one of the first vegetables to appear at our local farmers markets in the spring. I love this Asian leafy green. If you haven’t worked with it before, it has a delicate flavor with hints of mustardy spice, and you can eat every part of it – the crisp, juicy stalks as well as the lush, dark green leaves. It lends itself well to all sorts of recipes. Try tossing it into a stir fry or soup. Steam it and add it to a grain bowl. Or enjoy it raw in a…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Instant Pot Quinoa

Learn how to cook perfect Instant Pot quinoa! With my quick, hands-off method, this nutritious grain comes out fluffy and flavorful every time.

I’m a convert: this Instant Pot quinoa recipe is my new favorite method for cooking quinoa. It’s quick, it’s reliable, and – most importantly – it’s hands-off. I love that I can add the quinoa to the Instant Pot, get it cooking, and move on to something else. Whether I check on it in 20 minutes or in an hour, I’ll end up with a pot of fluffy, perfectly cooked grains. Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe Ingredients To be clear, if you love cooking quinoa on the stove, there’s no reason you shouldn’t keep doing it. My stovetop quinoa recipe and…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Champagne Vinaigrette

This simple champagne vinaigrette will make any salad sparkle. With just 6 ingredients, it's bright, refreshing, and SO easy to make.

Pop the champagne (vinaigrette)! This bright, citrusy salad dressing has become one of my favorites lately, and I think you need it in your back pocket too. Let me tell you why I love it. Compared to its more assertive cousins (say, balsamic or white wine vinegar), champagne vinegar has a quieter, more delicate flavor. As a result, this champagne vinaigrette is ideal for drizzling over the tender lettuces, herbs, and other greens that are in season at this time of year. It gives them pep and zing, but it doesn’t overwhelm their natural sweet, earthy, and herbaceous flavors. So,…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Creamy Avocado Dip

This smooth and creamy avocado dip is a crowd-pleasing spring or summer appetizer. Serve it with crackers and lots of fresh veggies for dipping!

This creamy avocado dip is one of my favorite appetizers to make in the spring and early summer. To be clear, it’s not at all like guacamole, the other avocado dip we all know and love. Instead of fresh cilantro and lime juice, dill and lemon create its bright, refreshing flavor. Dijon mustard gives it a tangy kick, and Greek yogurt makes it extra-rich and creamy. Instead of scooping it up with tortilla chips, I recommend pairing it with lots of fresh veg. At this time of year, so many dip-able vegetables are coming into season (radishes, snap peas, etc.).…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Lemon Yogurt Cake

This lemon yogurt cake is my ideal dessert. It's a breeze to make, and it's moist, tender, and full of zesty flavor. A simple glaze takes it over the top.

Here’s a little something to brighten up your week: an easy, zesty lemon yogurt cake recipe! This style of yogurt cake has its roots in France, and the beauty of it is its simplicity. The ingredient list is short and sweet, and you don’t need any special equipment to make it – a couple bowls, a loaf pan, a whisk. You’ll also need measuring cups to make this recipe, but – fun fact! – in France, home bakers might measure the cake ingredients in a yogurt container, making it even simpler still. Because I love anything lemony (anyone surprised?), I…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Easy Lemon Glaze

You only need 2 ingredients to make this easy lemon glaze! It's the perfect zesty topping for baked goods like cakes, cookies, and scones.

This lemon glaze recipe is my favorite way to make everyday baked goods feel a little bit more special. With just 2 ingredients, it’s amazingly easy to make (just add them to a bowl and stir!), and the minimal effort is always worth it. It looks so pretty on top of a loaf cake, cookies, or scones, and it gives them an extra pop of sweet, zesty flavor. I’m sharing some of my favorite recipes to pair with it in the post below. But really, anytime you want to elevate a simple treat, this lemon glaze will do the trick.…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

29 Best Radish Recipes

Stuck in a radish rut? These radish recipes are here to help! They include sides, mains, and more that'll make you fall in love with this crunchy veggie.

It’s spring, which means I’m cooking radish recipes on repeat! Here in Chicago, radishes are some of the first vegetables to pop up at the farmers markets. Every year, I eagerly wait for them to appear. And when they finally do, I fill my bag with as many bunches of them as I can carry. What can I say? I just can’t resist their peppery pink roots and lush greens. Luckily, when I bring them home, I have no shortage of ways to use them. Of course, I can munch on them raw, but I can also roast them, pickle…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Carrot Muffins

Love carrot cake? Then you HAVE to try these healthy carrot muffins! Moist, tender, and warmly spiced, they're a delicious breakfast or on-the-go snack.

These carrot muffins combine two of my favorite things: carrot cake and muffins! They’re exactly what I want to eat on a spring morning (or any morning, really). They’re moist, warmly spiced, and studded with chewy raisins and crunchy walnuts. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to start their day with one of these? If you need a little last-minute something to round out your Easter menu tomorrow, I think these carrot muffins would be perfect. But if you don’t celebrate Easter, or if your menu is all set to go, I hope you’ll find a time to make them anyway. I adore…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>
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.