21 Sides to Spice Up Your Taco Tuesday

Not sure what to serve with tacos? You're in the right place! With dips, veggies, rice, and more, these tasty sides give you plenty to choose from.

If you’re wondering what to serve with tacos tonight, you’re in the right place! We all love tacos, but in my book, the sides (and the drinks!) are an equally important part of taco night. Any side for tacos, from chips and guac to dressed greens, will add varied textures and flavors to the meal, making it more satisfying and more fun to eat. You’ll find 21 of my favorite side dishes for tacos below. They’re all fresh and healthy, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options mixed in for everyone to enjoy. With recipes for dips, veggies, grains, and…

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11 Best Vegetarian Tacos

Looking for a fun dinner? Make vegetarian tacos! Read on to find some of my favorite veggie taco recipes, as well as a guide to making your own.

When I’m in the mood for a fun dinner, I make vegetarian tacos. Jack mixes up margaritas, I set out a taco bar for two, and we each fill our tortillas just the way we like them. The process is quick and easy, and at the end, we get to dig in to flavorful veggie tacos. To me, it’s a pretty perfect night. In case you’re looking for a fun way to change up your dinner routine, I’m sharing 11 of my favorite vegetarian taco recipes below. They’d be perfect for Cinco de Mayo this week, but honestly, we make…

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Paloma Cocktail

We all love a margarita, but if you ask me, this paloma cocktail is just as good! Made with grapefruit and lime juice, it's sweet, sour, and refreshing.

When Jack and I lived in Austin, we’d always order paloma cocktails on summer afternoons at Hula Hut. It had a big deck right on Lake Austin, and it was filled with people all summer long. We loved to sit there in the hot sun, sipping our cocktails and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with friends. Last weekend, the spring sun inspired us to make this paloma recipe at home. With just the two of us, our “scene” looked a bit different than our Hula Hut days, but we still had fun mixing up our drinks together. In fact, we’re already looking forward…

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Simple Syrup

Make this easy simple syrup recipe to sweeten your favorite cocktails! Enjoy it plain, or add herbs, lavender, ginger, and more to infuse it with flavor.

Stop buying simple syrup at the store—this basic simple syrup recipe is easy to make at home! I often have a jar of homemade simple syrup in the fridge. I keep it on hand for making cocktails, and I like to add a splash to iced coffee or tea to make it lightly sweet. If you’re a fan of any of these drinks, I definitely recommend trying this recipe. As the name suggests, it’s super simple to make! How to Make Simple Syrup Add equal parts sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until the…

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How to Cook Asparagus

Learn how to cook asparagus with this 3-part guide! Blanched, grilled, raw, or roasted, it's a delicious spring side dish or fresh ingredient.

What’s your favorite method for how to cook asparagus? For me, choosing just one is impossible, because asparagus totally transforms depending on how you prepare it. When you roast it in the oven, its tips turn perfectly crisp and golden brown. When you blanch it, it comes out vibrant green and fresh, and when you grill it, it becomes wonderfully charred and juicy. Can I pick all three? Below, you’ll find my best tips on these techniques for how to cook asparagus. If you already love asparagus, I hope you also love this handy guide. If you don’t love it,…

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Matcha 101 – What It Is and How to Use It

I love starting my day with a steaming cup of matcha green tea. Read on to learn how to make this energizing, antioxidant-packed drink at home!

A few years ago, matcha started popping up everywhere – in lattes, ice cream, smoothies, icing, and more. While I’ll never say no to a matcha doughnut, today I want to focus on the simplest way to enjoy it: by whisking it into hot water to create a frothy, nourishing tea. I’ve loved drinking matcha this way since Jack and I took our first trip to Japan years ago, and I still make myself a cup almost every morning. To me, it’s the perfect way to start the day. It’s energizing and calming both at once, and above all else,…

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Broccoli Rice

Don't toss that broccoli stalk! Instead, pulse it into broccoli rice to add to burritos, bowls, stir-fries, and more. It's easy, healthy, and delicious!

Everyone’s crazy for cauliflower rice, but if you ask me, broccoli rice deserves just as much love. It’s a great way to take an entire head of broccoli – stalk and all – and turn it into something delicious. Lightly sauté it with cilantro and lime to make a grain-free base for a homemade burrito bowl, mix it with brown rice to make a zesty side dish, toss it into a stir fry, or roll it into a wrap. Really, your options are endless. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that I love to find…

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21 Rice Bowl Recipes

Want to get creative with your weeknight dinners? These easy rice bowl recipes are just the thing for you! They're flexible, fun, and delicious.

I come up with my favorite rice bowl recipes on nights when I don’t know what to cook for dinner. Because rice bowls rely on components—white rice or brown rice, a protein, a veggie, a sauce—you can almost always improvise them without a trip to the store. Start with a base of cooked rice, and then, get creative! Simple ingredients can mix and match into a healthy, delicious rice bowl in an infinite number of ways, so don’t hesitate to have fun. To get you started, I’m sharing 21 simple rice bowl recipes below. You’ll also find ideas for substitutions…

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31 Easy Chickpea Recipes

Got garbanzo beans? Put them to work in these easy chickpea recipes! They include fresh salads, flavorful curries, the BEST hummus, and more.

We LOVE chickpea recipes! Also called garbanzo beans, chickpeas are healthy, packed with fiber and plant-based protein. Even better, they’re delicious and versatile. Keep a few cans in your pantry, and you won’t get stuck making the same old chickpea recipes on repeat. Nope—you can blend these legumes into hummus, form them into falafel, or roast them up for a crispy snack. You can toss them into a salad or a pot of soup or stuff them into a sandwich. If you want more specific ideas, check out the chickpea recipes below. They’re some of my favorites. I hope you…

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25 Healthy Rice Recipes

These easy recipes will make you excited to cook (and excited to eat) rice! With curries, sushi, bowls, and more, we've got rice recipes for everyone.

In all the hype around cauliflower rice and quinoa, it’s easy to forget the magic in good old rice. It may not be as trendy as other whole grains (or “grains,” as the case may be), but I’ve always really loved rice recipes. Soft, fluffy, and hot off the stove, this humble pantry staple could become almost anything. Maybe it’ll be rolled into sushi or added to a comforting soup. It might be stuffed into a burrito one day and transformed into fried rice the next. Still, there’s a whole world of rice recipes to explore – Indian curries, Italian…

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25 Best Bean Recipes

Not sure how to use that can of beans? You're in the right place. These easy bean recipes include something for everyone - chilis, tacos, and more!

If the grocery store shelves are any indication, we’re all on the hunt for good bean recipes right now. I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but in Chicago, it’s hard to find canned or dried beans anywhere. Jack and I may have had to visit a few extra grocery stores as a result, but at the same time, I’ve been happy to see that people are buying beans. They’re a fantastic source of plant-based protein, fiber, and other nutrients, they keep for weeks, and they’re delicious! What’s more, they’re incredibly versatile. Heat them on the stove with…

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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.