How to Cook Wild Rice

Learn how to cook wild rice on the stovetop! With its chewy texture and nutty flavor, this whole grain is delicious in salads, side dishes, and more.

Wild rice is one of my favorite whole grains to cook in the fall. Its chewy texture and nutty flavor make it a perfect partner for seasonal produce like sweet roasted squash and earthy root veggies. Because I’ve found myself preparing it a lot lately, I thought I’d take today’s post to give you some background on it. I’m also sharing a foolproof stovetop cooking method and some of my favorite wild rice recipes. What is wild rice? You might think, given its name, that this whole grain is a relative of the white or brown rice you’d find alongside…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Roasted Root Vegetables

This roasted root vegetables recipe is so delicious that you'll want seconds! Fresh herbs and a fragrant sage oil pack the veggies with rich, earthy flavor.

fall / side dishes

This oven roasted root vegetables recipe elevates humble carrots, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, and beets into a holiday-worthy side dish. I know these unassuming vegetables might not be the first ones you reach for at the farmers market or grocery store, but there are so many reasons to cook them. They’re nutritious and affordable. They’re colorful, and–best of all–they’re delicious. In this roasted root vegetables recipe, I chop them into big chunks and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lots of fresh herbs. Then, I roast them until they’re tender and caramelized. When they come out of the…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

These roasted balsamic Brussels sprouts have a delicious crispy texture and sweet, tangy flavor. You'll want to eat them straight off the baking sheet!

fall / side dishes

A balsamic Brussels sprouts recipe was one of our first-ever posts on Love & Lemons (10+ years ago now!), so I’ll always have a soft spot for this classic side dish. I wanted to share a new, updated version of it this fall because it’s such a good one to have in your back pocket during the holiday season. Balsamic Brussels sprouts are no harder to make than regular roasted Brussels sprouts, but the addition of the vinegar and a little honey really gives them restaurant-quality flavor. They’re sweet, tangy, caramelized, and crisp around the edges. I love to toss…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Brighten up your plate with these roasted rainbow carrots! Tender, caramelized, and topped with herbs, they're a fresh, festive side dish.

This roasted rainbow carrots recipe lives up to its name. Seriously, how often do you see white, yellow, orange, purple, pink, and green all hanging out in a single dish?! Always, but especially throughout the fall and winter, I aim to add as much color to my meals as I can. These rainbow carrots make it easy! My favorite thing about this recipe (aside from all the colors) is that it uses the carrot tops as well as the carrots themselves. While the roots roast, becoming tender and caramelized in the oven, I use the tops to make a quick…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Instant Pot Rice

So long, rice cooker! This Instant Pot rice comes out perfectly every time. Fluffy and flavorful, it's delicious as a side dish, in grain bowls, and more.

I first tried this Instant Pot rice recipe last fall, and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve cooked rice any other way since. Nothing against the stovetop or the rice cooker, of course, but the convenience and reliable results of this Instant Pot rice recipe just can’t be beat. It’s super quick and easy, and the rice comes out tender, fluffy, and flavorful every time. If you have an Instant Pot, you have to try it! How to Make Instant Pot Rice This recipe couldn’t be simpler! To make it, you’ll need two ingredients: White rice Water This recipe…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Acorn Squash Soup

This acorn squash soup recipe comes together in three easy steps: roast, simmer, and blend. It's creamy, cozy, and flavorful--perfect for a cold night.

I’ve had a stash of this acorn squash soup in my freezer for the last couple of weeks, ready and waiting for the type of cold fall day that necessitates creamy orange soup. Well, last weekend, that day finally came. Saturday arrived, chilly and crisp, and I knew that this acorn squash soup would hit the spot. I heated up a bowl for lunch, and I enjoyed it so much that I polished off the rest on Sunday. This weekend, I’m definitely making more. This acorn squash soup is sublimely creamy (but not from cream!), and it’s deliciously seasoned with…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Farro Salad

Farro adds delicious chewy texture and nutty flavor to this fresh, versatile salad recipe. Enjoy it for a healthy lunch, or serve it as an easy side dish.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop experimenting with new farro salad recipes. This chewy, nutty grain lends itself well to all sorts of ingredient combinations, and there’s nothing I enjoy more than stumbling across a really good one that I haven’t tried before. I first made this farro salad recipe earlier this fall as a way to use up odds and ends we had on hand in the fridge. Arugula, radicchio, most of an apple… I loved the way the nutty farro played off the bitter greens, the sweet fruit, and some salty, funky pecorino cheese I tossed in at…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Instant Pot Pinto Beans

These Instant Pot pinto beans are tender, flavorful, and ready in under an hour, no soaking required! We love them as a side dish or in chili and more.

cooking basics

This Instant Pot pinto beans recipe has become my favorite way to cook pinto beans. It’s faster than simmering them on the stove (no soaking required!), but it still yields beans with a far better texture and flavor than the canned ones have. These Instant Pot pinto beans are tender, creamy, and deliciously seasoned with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and sea salt. They’re so tasty that you can serve them as a side dish on their own, but we love them in other recipes too. Try adding them to chili or soup, or use them to make tacos, refried beans,…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Cinnamon Apples

These sweet, spiced cinnamon apples are just as good for breakfast as they are for dessert. Serve them over oatmeal, pancakes, or ice cream!

Sweet, soft, and nicely spiced, these easy cinnamon apples taste like the inside of a warm apple pie. But unlike a pie, which requires hours of chilling and baking and cooling, this cinnamon apples recipe is ready in under 30 minutes. I love its simplicity. Its lack of crust, batter, or crumble topping allows it to be just as at home at breakfast as it is at dessert. It also means that this recipe is 100% about the apples. If you have a craving for cozy, apple-y fall flavor, there’s no easier or more satisfying way to indulge it than…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Lentil Salad

Add this lentil salad recipe to your lunch rotation ASAP! Packed with fresh veggies, olives, and feta, it's super flavorful and great for meal prep.

This lentil salad recipe is helping me ease into a new lunch routine. After a summer filled with picnic leftovers and impromptu farmers market meals, I’m trying to get back in the rhythm of doing at least a little meal prep at the start of the week. That way, at lunchtime, I’m not totally stumped by what to eat. Luckily, this lentil salad recipe is simple to make, so it’s a breeze to put together on a Sunday. It also tastes so good that I don’t mind eating it for a few days on repeat. I douse al dente lentils,…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Corn Dip

Make this corn dip for your next summer party, and the entire bowl will disappear in minutes. Creamy, tangy, sweet, and spicy, it's always a hit!

summer / appetizers

This corn dip recipe is the perfect easy appetizer for game day or summer cookouts. It’s super simple to make, and, like all the best party recipes, it actually gets better if you make it ahead. …which is really saying something, because this corn dip is insanely delicious to begin with. A creamy, tangy combo of mayo and Greek yogurt coats juicy, smoky grilled corn kernels, jalapeños, and green onions. Lime juice makes it fresh and bright, and drizzles of hot sauce add an extra kick. Yum, right?! Well, pop it all in the fridge for an hour or so, and…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.