Homemade Chili Powder

The first time I tried this chili powder recipe, I knew I'd never get the store-bought kind again. It's flavorful, complex, and surprisingly easy to make.

It’s official: I’m never buying chili powder at the store again. This homemade chili powder is so much more flavorful, nuanced, and complex, and it’s not at all tricky to make, either. Toast some spices and dried chiles on the stove, whizz them up in a spice grinder, and voila! You’ll have made delicious homemade chili powder in under 10 minutes. I know I’ve mentioned Kite String Cantina a few times before, but I have to give them another shoutout here. They’re a bar in our neighborhood that serves amazing sauces and taquitos, and their signature chili seasoning (aka “Kite…

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Instant Pot Black Beans

These no-soak Instant Pot black beans are so flavorful and easy to make! Serve them as a side dish, or add them to your favorite black bean recipes.

cooking basics

These Instant Pot black beans did something that I didn’t think was possible – they changed my mind about the Instant Pot. After I made them…and then rice…and then soup (recipes coming soon!), I went from being an Instant Pot skeptic to a total convert. It is so handy to be able to start cooking your beans/rice/whatever you’re making and then walk away, not having to worry about adjusting the heat on the stove or having a pot boil over. Plus, it does speed things along, at least in the case of these Instant Pot black beans. They cook up in…

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Baked Apples

These baked apples are a simple, delicious fall dessert. The soft, juicy apples contrast beautifully with a crisp brown sugar and cinnamon topping.

fall / desserts

This baked apple recipe might be my ideal fall dessert. It’s simpler to make than apple pie, apple cake, or even apple crisp, but it checks all the same apple-y, cinnamon-y boxes. It also shows off the natural shape and color of the apples, which I really love. When I nestle a couple of these baked apples into a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, they look so fresh and festive…and they taste amazing, too. I’ve made this baked apple recipe a few times this season already, and I’m still excited to make it a few more. If…

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Apple Pie Spice

Why buy apple pie spice in a jar when you have all the ingredients to make it at home? This cozy autumn spice blend is delicious in crisps, pies, and more.

fall / cooking basics

The other week, I mixed up a big batch of this apple pie spice to make my baked apple recipe. I purposely made more than I needed, figuring it’d be handy to have around throughout the fall, but when I got done, I wondered if I’d made a mistake. I had…quite a bit of apple pie spice. Would I ever use it up? As it turns out, I had no reason to worry, because this apple pie spice is delicious in so many things. You can use it in pie, yes, but also in crisps, coffee, oatmeal, and more. I…

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Sweet Potato Soup

This sweet potato soup recipe is one of my favorite healthy comfort foods. Made with veggies, coconut milk, and spices, it's rich, creamy, and delicious.

fall / soups

Jack and I spent the first official week of fall eating bowl after bowl of this sweet potato soup. I don’t know what it is about creamy orange soup, but for some reason, it just seems like the perfect meal on a chilly day. Its vibrant color brightens up gray, dreary weather, and its velvety broth warms you from the inside out. Most years, I make my butternut squash soup or pumpkin soup on repeat at the start of fall, but right now, I’m still stuck on this sweet potato soup. It has a rich, sweet, and smoky flavor, with…

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How to Make Vegetable Stock

Learn how to make vegetable stock! Perfect for using in soups, sauces, risottos, and more, this homemade broth is super flavorful and easy to make.

cooking basics

The other day, I was making vegetable stock with veggie odds and ends I’d accumulated throughout the week. As I stood in the kitchen, savoring the delicious aroma wafting from my stock pot, I realized that I had yet to share my method for how to make vegetable broth on the blog. I have over 80(!!) soup recipes on here, and another soup season is right around the corner. Suffice it to say, this vegetable stock recipe is long overdue. I’m so excited to share it today because I believe that vegetable stock is something that everyone can and should…

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San Marzano Pizza Sauce

This San Marzano pizza sauce is perfect for Margherita pizzas and more. Made with 5 simple ingredients, it's fresh, flavorful, and easy to make!

I love my classic pizza sauce recipe, but when I’m making a Margherita pizza or another Neapolitan-style pie, this San Marzano pizza sauce is a must. Made with 5 simple ingredients, this sauce is similar to pizza sauces I’ve enjoyed in Italy. It’s slightly thinner than typical American pizza sauce, and it has a sweeter, fresher flavor. Unsurprisingly, I love to make this sauce with San Marzano tomatoes. This variety of plum tomatoes is grown in a specific part of southern Italy near Naples, and it’s known worldwide for its sweetness, intensity, and mild acidity. It gives this easy, no-cook…

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12 Vegan Sandwiches to Pack for Lunch

These easy vegan sandwiches are just as good as any made with meat or cheese. Perfect for lunch, they're all fresh, healthy, and delicious.

vegan / Recipes

If you eat a mostly plant-based diet, there’s a good chance you’ve had some sad vegan sandwiches. I know I have! Soggy lettuce. Soggy bread. Zero flavor. Yeah…no thanks. But luckily for us, vegan sandwiches don’t have to be like that. Sure, they aren’t made with meat or cheese, but that doesn’t mean they have to skimp on flavor. Try making vegan sandwiches with different sauces and spreads, roasted or pickled veggies, and/or fresh herbs, and you’ll find that they’re just as tasty as their traditional counterparts. To get you started, I’m sharing 12 of my favorite vegan sandwich ideas…

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60 Healthy Meal Prep Ideas

Busy week? These meal prep ideas are here to help! With tips and recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they make eating healthy, delicious meals easy.

Recipes / cooking basics

Is anyone else trying to get in a new meal prep routine this fall? Jack and I took some time off last week for an end-of-summer trip to Michigan. It was so fun and relaxing, but when we got back, I realized just how busy the next few months are going to be. Thankfully, I have a full arsenal of healthy meal prep ideas to help us get through it. 🙂 In case you’re also having a busy fall, I’m sharing over 60 of my healthy meal prep ideas today. They include meal prep recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,…

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28 Easy Summer Appetizers

These easy summer appetizers will be a hit at your next cookout or BBQ! They include creative crudité platters, delicious dips, and more.

summer

When I sat down to write this summer appetizers post, I glanced over at the calendar I have hanging on my wall. September already? How did that happen?! We might be nearing the end of the season, but I hope you still have a BBQ, cookout, or casual get-together left in store. In my book, at least, there’s not much that beats catching up with family or friends on a warm afternoon or evening. And if it just so happens that there’s a plate of summer appetizers nearby, well, that’s even better. These easy summer appetizers include crudité platters, dips,…

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BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT pasta salad recipe is a fun twist on the classic sandwich. Packed with fresh veggies and avocado, it's a flavorful side dish or light lunch.

summer / salads

BLT pasta salad! Ok, more like TAT pasta salad, but this recipe has some serious BLT flavors going on, so we’re sticking with that. As you might have guessed, there’s no actual bacon here, just my trusty tempeh bacon plus sun-dried tomatoes for an extra savory kick. This BLT pasta salad recipe would be a great dish to pass at a Labor Day gathering this weekend, but it’s also hearty enough to be a vegetarian main dish. Pack it up for a weekday lunch, or serve it for a light dinner. Whichever way you pick, I think you’re going to love…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.