Healthier Holiday Party Recipes

Is it just me or has every day this week felt like Friday? Since holiday party season is in full swing I thought I’d round up a few fun & festive recipes that are healthy-ish, and (mostly), finger food friendly. Click on the images to go to each recipe (or see links below)… Minty Pomegranate Spritzers / Butternut Squash & Sage Crostini / Avocado Pomegranate Crostini / Quinoa Stuffed Peppers / Parmesan & Fig Grilled Cheese / Vegan Soft Pretzels / Butternut Squash Croquettes  /  Vegan Stuffed Shells / Cookies!  /  White Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

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White Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

We have a new favorite food and it’s not what you think. Well, ok, it is what you think, given that the title and photo in this post have given it away. Lately, I haven’t been able to make it through the Whole Foods checkout line without sneaking a package of those Justin’s white chocolate almond butter cups – have you had them? (This is not a sponsored post, btw).  So I thought – how hard would it be to make them at home? First we tried to make a vegan version w/ cacao butter – total fail. (points for trying…

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Vegan Kale & Artichoke Dip

Vegan Kale & Artichoke dip is a healthy spin on the classic spinach artichoke dip. It's the perfect appetizer for holiday parties or winter gatherings!

Hey all, Jack here – now that it’s the end of the year, it’s holiday party time! And what does it normally mean to eat at a party in the winter? To a lot of Americans, that means spinach artichoke dip. I mean, what makes you feel like partying more than eating an entire loaf of bread dipped in cream cheese and mayonnaise? Well, Jeanine and I don’t really think that’s much of a party any more. Our idea of a party is one where the next day you (or your guests) don’t feel awful. So we took a bit of…

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Matcha White Hot Chocolate

A delicious, grown-up winter treat, this Matcha White Hot Chocolate is an easy, cozy drink for cold days. 4 ingredients and full of healthy antioxidants!

Hot chocolate always has to come with warm fuzzy memories, doesn’t it? I vividly remember being about 9 – otherwise known as the age when snow was fun. My sister and I would spend hours and hours building forts and making snow angels. We’d come in the house with red noses and leave our snowpants in a puddle at the door (you know, for mom to clean up). We’d sit down to mugs of Swiss Miss hot chocolate, no marshmallows for me. I might not have wintery white Christmases anymore, but here’s my fancy adult white hot chocolate that’s made oh…

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Behind the Scenes: Making & Mattering

I get a lot of questions about my background – mostly about how I got started blogging and if I have tips or suggestions for someone just starting out. I’ve always had a hard time coming up with “the answers” because I truly feel like everyone’s path is different. What I can tell you is that one key to my creative little journey has been surrounding myself with insanely talented people to be inspired by. So when La Crema Wines asked me to be a part of their Interview Magazine Statement Makers campaign, I immediately knew I wanted to interview one of the most inspiring…

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Cranberry & Pistachio Chocolate Bark

Cranberry Pistachio Chocolate Bark is a quick & easy holiday recipe. It's delicious topped with dried fruit, coconut, and nuts. Vegan and gluten-free, too!

During the holidays, Jack has a thing for peppermint bark. I have a thing for not picking sticky candy pieces out of my teeth, so we compromised this chocolate bark together using festive ingredients that we both love – pistachios, dried cranberries, coconut flakes, and (most importantly!) a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. This chocolate bark is my kind of holiday dessert because it’s (naturally) red and green, and also easy to throw together. You might even already have these ingredients (or similar ones) on hand in your pantry. If you don’t – feel free to customize with whatever toppings you like…

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Kitchen Essentials Holiday Gift Guide

I've rounded up my favorite practical kitchen items on this year's Kitchen Essentials Holiday Gift Guide

So many of you have written me asking about the kitchen equipment I use and recommend. I figured now was the perfect time to put together a list of some of my favorite things. Many of the items shown here are things that I own and use all the time – and a few of them are totally on my wishlist. (hint hint, Jack). Whether it’s time to ask your relatives for that Vitamix or give your newlywed daughter a really amazing (matching!) set of pots and pans, hopefully I’ve offered a few ideas. To make it easy, everything here is from Macy’s. …

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2014 Cookbook Gift Guide

Cookbooks make the best holiday gifts. Here are some of my top picks of 2014!

It’s that time of year again! I think cookbooks make the best gifts so I’ve rounded up tons of my favorites in a variety of different categories. Hopefully there’s something here for everyone on your list (and then maybe a little something for yourself too). If I’ve missed any of your favorites, leave me your recommendations in the comments! pictured above: Green Kitchen Travels  /  Vibrant Food  /  The Forest Feast The Oh She Glows Cookbook  /  At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen  /  Plenty More Shake  /  The Art of Vintage Cocktails  /  The Bar Book Sunday Suppers  /  The…

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Mini Sweet Potato Pizzas

our Mini Sweet Potato Pizzas are topped with brussels sprouts and kale. Customize the recipe with ingredients you happen to have on hand.

I feel like I missed the boat on the Thanksgiving leftover trend – sorry no mashed potato sandwiches happened here. (and um, eww). Instead, I turned a bunch of random veggie scraps and a chunk of red onion into fancy little veggie packed pizzas. In other words – it’s pretty much a non-recipe made on mini naan breads. You can customize these with whatever veggies you have on hand. Red onion and brussels sprouts are a tried & true combo (this recipe is still one of our favorites), and the sweet potatoes add a nice hearty bite. I slathered ricotta cheese…

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Holiday Cocktail & Cookie Swap

Enjoy cocktails and a holiday cookie swap with Love and Lemons and Crate and Barrel. Includes two cookie recipes and a cocktail recipe!

For as long as I can remember, my family’s Christmas season officially started with cookies. Before we were even tall enough to reach the countertop, my mom would pull over kitchen chairs so my sister and I could “help” out and get our hands in the flour. She would get out the baking sheets, the ingredients, and the flour-dusted recipes that were reserved only for the holiday season. We’d bake batch after batch after batch, eating more cookie dough than actual cookies. This year, to kick off our holiday season, I created a little cookie & cocktail party taking inspiration…

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Healthy Winter Squash Recipes

Are you feeling as stuffed as I am? This year we actually celebrated Thanksgiving a week early with Jack’s family – yet I’m still full from his mom’s amazing apple pie and the leftovers we’ve been snacking on all week. This weekend, I’m craving food that’s a little bit healthier but still comforting and delicious so I thought I’d share just a few ideas: Butternut Squash & Leek Risotto (pictured) Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas & Kale (pictured) Butternut Squash & Tart Cherry Quinoa Sweet Potato Pomegranate Salad Roasted Acorn Squash with Pears and Miso Dressing from Edible Perspective Sweet Potato Ravioli with Kale Pesto from The First…

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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.