Grilled Pineapple

This grilled pineapple recipe is a fun burger topping or summer side dish. Cooked in a quick chili-lime marinade, it's tangy, smoky, juicy, and sweet.

When you make grilled pineapple, something magical happens. The already-juicy fruit becomes even juicier, and its sugars caramelize and char against the grill grates. You end up with grilled pineapple rings that are smoky, tart, tender, and sweet. To be honest, if I had to pick between eating a slice of regular pineapple or a slice of grilled pineapple, I’d take the grilled pineapple every time. It’s just that good. How to Grill Pineapple Here’s the good news: this recipe cooks up in no time! Once you have the grill going, it’ll be ready in under 10 minutes. The bad…

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Grilled Onions

Learn how to make perfectly grilled onions! Sweet, tender, and full of umami flavor, they're a delicious side dish or topping for burgers, tacos, and more.

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to share a recipe for grilled onions! I make them all the time in the summer. They pair well with almost anything, they’re easy and inexpensive, and they just so happen to be delicious, too. If you’ve never had grilled onions, I’m so excited for you to try this recipe. As the onions cook, their natural sugars caramelize on the grill, so they end up with a sweet, umami flavor and irresistible char. Serve them as a side dish, or top them onto your next taco or veggie burger. Happy grilling!…

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Vinegar Coleslaw

This vinegar coleslaw recipe will be a hit at your next cookout! It's sweet and tangy, crunchy and refreshing, and super easy to make.

There are two types of people in this world: those who like vinegar coleslaw and those who like creamy coleslaw. I usually count myself in the creamy coleslaw group (if you do too, find my recipe here!), but lately, this vinegar coleslaw recipe has really been hitting the spot. I toss it in a 7-ingredient apple cider vinegar dressing and sprinkle in toasted sunflower seeds for extra crunch. It’s sweet and tangy, light and refreshing, and so darn fun and colorful. If you need an easy side dish for a cookout or picnic in the next few weeks, I highly…

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Black Bean and Corn Salad

This black bean and corn salad is flavorful, refreshing, and great for making ahead. It's a crowd-pleasing cookout side dish or a perfect summer lunch.

This black bean and corn salad recipe has been a lifesaver around here lately. Jack and I have been crazy busy over the last few weeks, so a satisfying-yet-healthy, tasty-but-packable salad has been exactly what we’ve needed. I’ve made it ahead for quick weekday lunches, prepped it in advance the morning before a cookout, and eaten the leftovers as an easy side dish with dinner the next day. To be honest, I usually get tired of eating one thing over and over. But this black bean and corn salad is so flavorful and refreshing that I’m happy to have it…

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Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

These air fryer zucchini chips are crispy, golden brown, and filled with delicious Parmesan flavor. They're an easy, addictive side dish or snack!

Heads up: these air fryer zucchini chips are one delicious snack. They’re crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and filled with nutty Parmesan flavor. You might think you’re going to try just one, or maybe two, but if you’re anything like me, you’re not. You’re going to munch on these air fryer zucchini chips until every last one is gone! I based this recipe on the baked zucchini chips I shared last summer. Both versions are super yummy, but at this time of year, I like how I can make the air fryer recipe without turning on the…

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Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast? Yes, please! These oatmeal breakfast cookies are sweet, nutty, and filled with healthy ingredients like oats, nuts, and fruit.

Here’s how much I love these oatmeal breakfast cookies: after I finish typing this post, I’m going to head to the kitchen to make more. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and they have fiber from the oats and protein and healthy fats from almond butter. Thanks to maple syrup, they’re naturally sweetened too. But these breakfast cookies aren’t just good for you. They’re also delicious! The same ingredients that pack them with nutrients give them a sweet, nutty flavor and soft, puffy texture. Who wants to eat a bowl of oatmeal when you can eat a cookie for breakfast!? Breakfast…

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Sesame Cucumber Salad with Pickled Mustard Seeds

This easy, refreshing cucumber salad recipe is perfect for hot days! A sweet and tangy dressing coats cool cucumbers, onions, and lots of fresh herbs.

This cucumber salad recipe is the quintessential summer side dish. Like all the best summer recipes, it calls for just a few ingredients, but it still packs a big punch of flavor. Thanks to a light sesame salad dressing, it’s salty, sweet, nutty, and tangy, with plenty of fresh mint and dill to take it over the top. You only need 15 minutes to make it (including 10 minutes of hands-off chill time), so toss it together and enjoy it as a dinner side dish, or, like me, eat it straight out of the bowl! On hot days, there’s nothing…

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Portobello Mushroom Burger

This portobello mushroom burger recipe will be a hit with vegetarians and meat eaters alike! It's juicy, meaty, and filled with rich, savory flavor.

The next time you need a quick and easy summer dinner, make this grilled portobello mushroom burger recipe! You only need 6 ingredients and 20 minutes to make it, but the payoff is huge. The grilled portobello mushrooms are juicy and meaty, and a simple balsamic marinade deepens their tangy, savory flavor. We often cook them on weeknights, when we’re craving something tasty but don’t really feel like cooking. But like regular homemade veggie burgers, they’re a great choice for summer cookouts, too. Served on a toasted bun with all the fixings, they’re hearty, satisfying, and absolutely delicious. Even meat…

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Broccoli Slaw

Creamy and colorful, this easy broccoli slaw recipe is a delicious side dish. Pack it up for a picnic, or serve it for dinner with whatever you're grilling!

Jack is obsessed with this broccoli slaw recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love it too, but I haven’t heard him rave about a salad this much since…I don’t know when. His favorite part is the dried cranberries, and how their sweet-tart flavor contrasts with the crisp veggies and creamy, tangy dressing. I made it as a side dish with dinner the other night, and he hasn’t stopped talking about it since! Luckily for him, this broccoli slaw recipe is exactly the sort of thing I like to make in the summer. It’s light and refreshing, and it keeps well…

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Orzo Salad

This orzo salad recipe is perfect for summer picnics and cookouts! Feta cheese, olives, and a zingy Greek dressing fill it with bold flavor.

If you need a last-minute side dish for a cookout or picnic this weekend, make this orzo salad recipe! It’s fresh and flavorful, easy to put together, and, like any good picnic salad, perfect for making ahead. Toss it together a few hours to a day before a summer gathering, and it’ll still taste great when you’re ready to eat. But even if you’re not planning a cookout this weekend (or if your menu’s all set to go), stash this orzo salad recipe in your back pocket anyway. Because it keeps so well, it’s a great recipe to pack for…

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44 Best Cookout Food Ideas

These easy cookout food ideas include main dishes, grilling sides, salads, desserts, and more! Perfect for BBQs, picnics, or any summer gathering.

I never thought I’d be so excited to share these cookout food ideas with all of you. But after spending last summer picnicking on our own, the prospect of inviting family and friends over and gathering around the grill sounds amazing. Warm weather, good food, and great company? Life doesn’t get much better than that. You’ll find my best cookout food ideas below. They include 44+ recipes for veggie burgers and sandwiches, grilling side dishes, salads, snacks, desserts, and more. Some of them are out-of-the-box and inventive, like Chickpea Harissa Veggie Burgers or Grilled Watermelon with a crispy corn topping.…

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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.