2017 Cookbook Gift Guide

My favorite cookbooks from 2017 - all make great gifts!

holiday / cookbooks

It’s that time of year again! You’ve gone through your list and checked it twice… yet there are still a few friends and family members left and you don’t know what to get for them. How about a cookbook? I always say this, but I think cookbooks make the best gifts because there’s always one to suit every taste. Or maybe I just say this because I personally love (and love to hoard) cookbooks! Anyway, here are my favorites from this past year. Many I’ve written about before, many you’ll hear more about in the next few months. They’re all…

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Spiralized Zucchini Vegetable Noodle Soup

Spiralized zucchini and sweet potatoes take the place of pasta in this cozy, nourishing Spiralized Zucchini Vegetable Noodle Soup.

winter / soups / vegan

I always talk about how much I love soup, and now that it’s winter (in Chicago! Ack!), I’m more obsessed than ever. I love making it, I love eating it, I love freezing it… and I love reheating it just to enjoy eating it all over again. There’s never a day that I’m not in the mood for soup – it just makes my body and soul feel so nourished and happy. This blog could have been titled: Love and Lemons and Soup because I first fell in love with cooking by routinely making soup on Sundays. This was an…

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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

You only need 7 ingredients to make this easy, delicious shaved Brussels sprout salad! Make it ahead for a holiday meal or pack it for a healthy lunch.

winter / salads

I just woke up to a snowy white Saturday morning, which means that it’s the perfect day for… Brussels sprout salad! Ok, maybe I’m the weird one that just loves salad no matter what’s going on around me. If you’re craving something warm and cozy, go make a mug of hot chocolate and then come back here if you’re looking for an easy Brussels sprout salad to make for weekend holiday festivities. This one will be your go-to throw-together winter salad that you’ll crave when you want a break from cookies and other indulgent treats. Why I Love This Brussels Sprout…

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Home for the Holidays (+ mulled wine!)

A peek at our new home plus a delicious recipe for spiced mulled wine!

home / winter / beverage

I’ve mentioned this before on the blog, but this past year we made a huge move from Austin to Chicago, where I’m originally from. Years and years ago (when I first met Jack who lived in Austin) I was SO excited to leave and to live somewhere warm… forever! I didn’t miss fall, I didn’t miss the seasons, I basked in the sun in December and I loved every minute of it. As far as I knew, I would never be back but, well, life has a way of changing in unexpected ways and here we are! On a warm…

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Apple Cinnamon Crunch Overnight Oats

A simple make-ahead breakfast. Overnight oats are so healthy and energizing - I love this fall/winter version with apples and granola! Vegan

breakfast / fall / vegan

It’s December! How did that happen already? With the holidays quickly approaching, you’re busy (and I’m busy!)… all the more reason to have a super quick energizing breakfast ready to go in the morning. This recipe takes less than 5 minutes to put together at night and it’s ready in the morning. Admittedly, I was late to the overnight oat craze, but I’m pretty obsessed now. What I love is that they’re creamy without being gummy and the flavor combos are endless! I love this version with blueberry jam that I made in the summertime – this fall/winter apple version is…

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Vanilla Pecan Milk Chai Lattes

Homemade pecan milk is so delicious and easy to make! This dairy free nut milk creates the perfect fall vegan chai latte.

fall / beverage / vegan

So, by now you all know that I don’t drink regular milk. I do enjoy cheese occasionally, and I love greek yogurt, but regular milk… no matter if it’s just a little, it’s just not my thing (although, my entire family loves it and I’m totally fine with that – to each their own!). Suffice it to say that I’ve been drinking, baking with, and altogether enjoying non-dairy milk for years, but I had yet to discover how lovely and delicious homemade PECAN milk is until now. This post is in partnership with Pure Leaf Tea Home Brewed Teas because…

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Butternut Hummus with Feta & Pomegranates

A healthy fall or winter appetizer - great for Thanksgiving, the holidays, or just for snacking! Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

fall / holiday: / appetizers

I hope you need a last-minute Thanksgiving appetizer because this butternut squash hummus dip is so insanely good! While I was making it, I couldn’t stop eating it. Now that the leftovers are in the fridge, I can’t walk by the kitchen without grabbing a cracker for a quick swipe. It’s easy to make, especially if you’re roasting butternut squash for another recipe – just roast an extra cup of cubed squash and swirl this hummus together in no time. It’s thick, creamy, tangy, and nicely spiced from the cumin, coriander, and a bit of cayenne. Now the important part…

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Vegetarian Thanksgiving Sides

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side dishes! Vegan and gluten free options too.

holiday / favorites

It’s Thanksgiving week! I think we’re up to 17 people that are coming over on Thursday, so, um, yikes! Thankfully, everyone is bringing something so the cooking won’t be so difficult. Like always, I’ll be making the salad and a vegetable side dish or two. In case you’re like me – still deciding what to make – here are some of my favorite vegetarian starters and side dishes! Click on the images to go directly to each recipe! Harvest Haven Salad A gorgeous seasonal salad that’s a great light way to start off the meal. Simple Roasted Beets with Citrus…

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Apple Crumble Pie

Shhh! This apple crumble pie recipe is vegan, but you'd never guess it from the sweet apple filling and rich, cinnamon-spiced crumble topping.

thanksgiving

This apple crumble pie recipe was the first pie that Jack and I made together. Even though we spent countless Thanksgivings together in Austin, we never baked pie. We’d either stay home and skip it, opting for a simple crumble or crisp instead, or we’d be head to a Friendsgiving, where someone else would supply the pie that year. But this year, we finally decided to take on the challenge! As Jack says, I have a “soft spot for soft apples,” so we knew that apple pie would be our pick. I also can’t get enough of baked fruit under…

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A Friends Giving Menu

A non-traditional menu for Thanksgiving with friends (a.k.a Friendsgiving)

holiday / recipe roundup

Thanksgiving is next week, which means this weekend is for Friendsgiving! What I love about Friendsgiving is that it’s more than ok to change up T-giving traditions – to keep the ones you like and ditch the ones you don’t (bye bye canned green bean casserole!). To celebrate, I’ve put together a menu of some of my personal favorite recipes that I think will be perfect for the occasion. But before we get there, we should always remember that you can’t have a “Friendsgiving” without “giving.” To that end, and to help bring more food to more people this holiday,…

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Roasted Beets

Learn how to roast beets perfectly every time! My recipe is easy to make, and the roasted beets are always tender and flavorful. A delicious side dish!

fall / side dishes

This roasted beets recipe is one of my go-to side dishes in the fall and winter. It’s delicious—the beets come out perfectly tender with a concentrated sweet and earthy flavor. It’s also really easy to make. Just wrap the beets in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, and roast until soft! The roasted beets are wonderful on their own, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, or dressed up more with citrus juice, herbs, or balsamic vinegar. Serve them with any weeknight dinner, or add them to a holiday meal. These oven roasted beets keep well for days in the…

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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.

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