What is a Plant-Based Diet?

What is a plant-based diet, anyway? Read on to learn more about this trendy term, and find basic recipes for healthy, whole-foods cooking!

Happy New Year! Every January, the most common question readers ask me is, “What is a plant-based diet?” “Plant-based” is such a trendy term these days, and if you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you’ve probably seen me use it. But…what exactly does it mean? You asked, I answered! Today, I’m sharing an overview of plant-based eating. This post is not intended to offer dietary, nutrition, or health advice. Instead, I hope it clears up some confusion about what people (including me!) mean when they say “plant-based.” And in case you’re considering – or already follow – a…

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33 Delicious Kale Recipes

These delicious kale recipes include comforting pastas, cozy soups, bountiful salads, and more! This vibrant leafy green has never tasted better.

favorites

On the internet, kale recipes were all the rage a few years ago. But in my kitchen, they’re just as cool as ever. What can I say? Kale is versatile, it’s delicious, and it just so happens to be one of the healthiest veggies out there. You betcha I’m blending it into smoothies, tossing it into pastas, and simmering it in soups whenever I have the chance! At this time of year, many people start to think about adding more veggies to their diets. If that includes you, I encourage you to try kale! To get you started, I’m sharing…

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35 Best Vegan Appetizers

Who says you need meat or dairy to have a good time? These easy vegan appetizers are fun and flavorful. You won't be able to get enough of them!

vegan

These easy vegan appetizers prove how fun plant-based eating can be! As I compiled this list over the weekend, I found myself itching to make each one of these vegan appetizer recipes. They’re colorful, bold, and bright, the kind of food that makes you want to reach out and try it…and then go back for another bite. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or someone who eats everything, you’re going to love these vegan appetizers! They range from creamy dips to refreshing salsas, from pretzels to spring rolls to bruschetta and beyond. Over the years, we’ve made them for parties, date nights, cookouts,…

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Steamed Dumplings

This steamed dumplings recipe is one of our favorite cooking projects! Thanks to kimchi and shiitakes, the filling is spicy, savory, and delicious.

vegetarian / appetizers

Over the years, Jack and I have made so many steamed dumplings together. Like all our favorite cooking projects (sushi, bao buns), steamed dumplings have a simple division of tasks. I make the filling, and Jack makes the dumplings. Then, we eat! If you’re looking for a fun activity for a weekend, a date-night-in, or even New Year’s Eve, I hope you try this steamed dumplings recipe. It’s a blast to make, and it’s not at all complicated (thanks, store bought wonton wrappers!). Best of all, it’s delicious. The filling is spicy and savory, with a refreshing gingery kick. I…

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Almond Butter Cookies

These almond butter cookies have crumbly edges, tender middles, and a sweet, nutty flavor. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt takes them over the top!

baking / desserts

This almond butter cookies recipe was a happy accident. The first time I made it, I had one of my I-need-a-cookie-and-I-need-it-now cravings, and I headed to the kitchen to see what I could do about it. I found all the ingredients to my vegan peanut butter cookie recipe – sugar, flour, baking powder, you know the drill. All the ingredients, that is, except for one: peanut butter! Would almond butter work in its place? YES! As soon as I tried these cookies, I wondered, “Why haven’t I been making almond butter cookies all along?” They have crumbly edges, thick, tender…

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Roasted Vegetables

Learn how to make the BEST oven roasted vegetables! I'm sharing an easy recipe + tips to help you cook tender, flavorful roasted veggies every time.

side dishes / cooking basics

Welcome to roasted vegetables 101! Below, I’m sharing my go-to roasted vegetables recipe, plus tips and tricks to help you cook them perfectly every time. Of all the different ways to cook vegetables, roasting is my favorite. I love it because… It’s easy. You can make perfect roasted veggies in under 30 minutes. It works with a variety of vegetables. You can roast bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and more. It’s delicious. Roasting vegetables in a hot oven brings out their natural sweetness. They come out tender and flavorful with crisp, caramelized edges. They’re so tasty that I often eat them straight…

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17 Easy Cookie Recipes

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these easy cookie recipes! With sugar cookies, chocolate chip, oatmeal, and more, you're sure to find something you love.

baking / desserts

I am not the kind of person who plans to make cookie recipes in advance. I don’t set aside time to brown butter or temper chocolate. And quite frankly, chilling dough for 24, 48, or 72 (72, seriously?) hours is completely out of the question. When I make cookie recipes, it’s because I’m craving cookies. Not tomorrow, not in 4 hours, but now. For that reason, I’ve developed a slew of easy cookie recipes over the years. Some are chocolatey, some are buttery, others are nutty, oat-y, or spiced. Below, you’ll find 17 of my favorites. Whether you’re looking to round…

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Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe

We love making this orecchiette pasta on cold winter nights! Broccoli rabe, caramelized onions, and sun-dried tomatoes fill it with bold flavor.

The first time I made this orecchiette pasta recipe, I intended to eat a bowl of it for lunch. I did end up eating it for lunch that day, but a bowl never entered the picture. Instead, I stood at the stove, eating forkful after forkful of orecchiette straight from the skillet! The recipe is my plant-based riff on a classic Italian pasta dish – orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe. I adore broccoli rabe, especially in the wintertime. It’s vibrant and nourishing, and it has a distinct bitter and peppery flavor. I often serve it as a side dish,…

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Sautéed Broccoli Rabe

This sautéed broccoli rabe recipe is a simple, elegant dinner side dish. Garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice brighten the tender bitter greens.

side dishes / cooking basics

Broccoli rabe has to be one of my favorite green vegetables. Despite its name, it’s actually more closely related to turnips than to broccoli, and it has a distinctive bitter, peppery flavor to show for it. I featured it in the Sides section of my second cookbook, Love & Lemons Every Day, but I recently realized that there are no broccoli rabe recipes on the blog. How on earth did that happen? This sautéed broccoli rabe recipe is here to set things right. It’s super simple—a vibrant, nutrient-packed side dish that you can toss together on any night of the…

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French Onion Dip

This homemade French onion dip puts the store bought kind to shame! Creamy, tangy, and packed with umami flavor, it's sure to vanish in minutes.

appetizers / snacks & dips

For me, there’s almost nothing more nostalgic than French onion dip and ridged potato chips. They take me right back to the holiday parties of my childhood, where store bought tubs of French onion dip had a permanent spot on the snack table. When my sister and I were growing up, my mom always served us healthy, homemade food, so that French onion dip was a real treat. I’d shovel down as much of it as I could, relishing every bite of the creamy dip with the salty chips. This year, I finally got around to developing my own French…

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Caramelized Onions

Learn how to make caramelized onions perfectly every time! Rich, sweet, and deeply golden brown, they add complexity to pastas, soups, and more.

cooking basics

A few weeks back, I was making caramelized onions for this French onion dip, and Jack wandered into the kitchen for lunch. Usually, after he makes himself a sandwich, he heads straight back to his office, but that day, he lingered in the kitchen. “I should go work,” he said, “But it smells so good in here.” Like roasted garlic, caramelized onions are one of those magical, powerhouse ingredients that can amp up the flavor in almost anything – dips, pastas, soups, you name it. They’re rich, silky smooth, and sweet, and, as Jack can attest, they smell fantastic too.…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.