Our Trip to the French Wine Region of Beaujolais

In 2015, I had the amazing opportunity to visit vineyards all over the Rhone Valley. I loved every bit of it – the hilltop views, the lavender fields, the food, the wine (of course)… the only thing missing was my better half, Jack, who was stuck at work. This past fall we not only got to go to Beaujolais together, but it happened to fall on the week of our wedding anniversary. It was picture perfect, except the little mishap in the beginning where we missed our flight. Oops. We scrambled to get on a flight the next day, landed…

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3-Layer Fruit Smoothie

This 3-layer fruit smoothie is the ultimate healthy breakfast! I'll make the whole thing for a special occasion or just one layer for a quick, yummy treat.

Nothing says love like a smoothie, right? 🙂 I love love love Valentine’s Day, but not in the fancy-dinner-prix-fixe dinner sort of way. I love it for of all of the cute things that remind me of being a little kid… tiny paper cards, homemade cupcakes with pink frosting, heart shaped candies… so in the spirit of being crafty, I made this 3-layer fruit smoothie! I always see layered fruit smoothies on Instagram and think, “who the heck has time to make three separate smoothies?” – but here I am doing it. It actually was pretty simple, and while I…

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Falafel Burgers

This veggie-packed falafel burger is a simple, healthy dinner. Slather yours with yogurt dill sauce, and you're guaranteed to want seconds!

This falafel burger recipe comes from our friends Sonja and Alex’s new book Pretty Simple Cooking, and we’re completely obsessed with it! Unlike many veggie burger or falafel recipes, this one uses simple ingredients that you’ll be able to find in nearly any grocery store. It’s easy to put together, and it’s absolutely delicious. The patties have a nice hearty texture and a robust, aromatic flavor, thanks to a slew of spices and fresh herbs. They’re the kind of thing I’d be happy to eat for dinner any night of the week, as they’re fresh and healthy, but flavorful and satisfying…

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Vegan Seven Layer Dip

This healthy recipe for seven layer dip is a guaranteed party hit! Refried beans, guac, spiced quinoa, cashew cream & fresh veggies load it with flavor.

I have a huge weakness for seven layer dip. Growing up, my mom made it for SO many holidays and gatherings. I’d be sure to grab a seat at the table right next to it so that I could gobble it up, chip after chip after chip after chip. In my family, this was (and still is) called Tex Mex dip. When Jack and I were first dating, he thought this was hilarious, and once I moved down to Texas with him I learned why – this dip is neither Tex nor Mex. In the intervening years, I also learned…

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Kale Guacamole

This kale guacamole has classic guac's addictive zesty flavor & creamy texture, but steamed kale leaves makes it extra green (and extra healthy)!

This recipe was inspired by a kale guacamole that started showing up at Whole Foods last summer :). Yes, that’s right, I don’t always make my own guacamole. If I’m heading to someone’s house, sometimes it’s just easier to pick it up on the way. That delicious kale guacamole inspired me to make my own version at home. Not only is it healthy, but also adding in the kale bulks it up a bit without taking away any of the flavor. Plus, I somehow found a way to make guacamole *more* green! Who doesn’t love that? This recipe is easy as…

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Loaded Potato Skins

You'll love these loaded potato skins with black bean salad, sunflower sour cream, and crispy coconut bacon. Great for parties!

I wanted to share this fun healthi(er) “game day” recipe before the Super Bowl even though, admittedly, we’re not big football fans. And by “we,” I mostly mean me. Jack will socially watch a game at a party, but my relationship with football didn’t exactly start off on the right… foot. Beginning in 1st grade, every year in gym class, we started the year with a football written test. Way to get kids interested in sports, right? The teacher would hand out worksheets to bring home and study (which I never did) and every year I’d bring home a failing…

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We’re hiring!

Hello friends and readers, I’m looking for a Kitchen/Photo Shoot Assistant to help with food prep for photo shoots, recipe testing/development, and food styling/plating. This position can be full time or part time depending on relevant experience. I’m looking for someone who is excited about what we do here and wants to help get more of it out there! Interested? PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE: – Food Prep for Photo Shoots This means that you love to go to the grocery store and you’re good at choosing photo-ready ingredients. You love going to a second store if store #1 is out of…

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Adzuki Bean Bowls

Never tried adzuki beans? Learn how to cook them for this tasty grain bowl recipe! And don't worry, if you can't find them, black beans work here too.

Have you ever tried adzuki beans? If you haven’t, you totally should. Like most bean varieties, they have a host of health benefits. They’re packed with protein and fiber, and they’re even said to promote heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Because of their small size, they cook quickly, and last but not least, they’re delicious! Their unique sweet, nutty flavor is at home in everything from hearty grain bowls to Japanese ice cream. If you’re ready to try them, find my method for how to cook adzuki beans below, along with my all-time favorite adzuki beans…

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Creamy Tomato Soup

This creamy tomato soup recipe is comfort food at its best! It tastes rich, but it's light and healthy, made with blended chickpeas instead of heavy cream.

I’d say yes to a bowl of this creamy tomato soup every day in the wintertime! It’s exactly the sort of comforting dish I crave on cold, gray days, because it’s wholesome, yet fun. The soup itself is pretty darn healthy, made without any heavy cream or butter. In fact, it’s totally vegan! Still, it has a satisfying creamy texture and rich taste. Wholesome: check. The fun part of this creamy tomato soup is actually the topping. I load it up with toasty vegan grilled cheese croutons! They add a nice crunch to the creamy soup, and they let you…

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Easy Pesto Pasta

Learn how to make pesto pasta with this quick & easy recipe! With bright, bold flavor, it's one of our favorite weeknight dinners.

The first snow came early in Chicago this year. It was barely November and we were driving to an appointment. It was snowing, and then all of a sudden it went from “really charming” to “wow it’s really coming down!” We sat in the cold car way too long, wearing way too-light coats, staring at brake lights and a grey sky. I thought – really – what have we done?? I write a blog about vegetables, I’m shooting a book that’s due before May (when the spring farmers markets open) and we’ve moved so far from the sun! We got…

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Healthy Dinner Ideas

These are our favorite healthy dinner recipes! Creamy White Bean Shells, Butternut Enchiladas, Sweet Potato Noodles, Lentil Bolognese & more!

Of all of the recipes on this blog, these are the healthy dinner ideas that we come back to over and over again! These dinner ideas are all easy to pull off, making them perfect for easy weeknight cooking. They all happen to be vegetarian, but they’re SO filling and delicious. Our Favorite Dinner Recipes: Creamy White Bean Shells with Broccoli (pictured above) The title kind of says it all – this recipe includes an easy lemony white bean puree that’s made with ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now. Pour it over brown rice pasta shells…

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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.