Asparagus Soup

This creamy asparagus soup recipe is perfect for spring! Made with asparagus, peas, and leeks, it has a bright green color and fresh flavor.

This asparagus soup is practically spring in a bowl! A vibrant blend of asparagus, peas, herbs, and leeks, it’s light, nourishing, and full of fresh spring flavor. If you’re craving a classic cream of asparagus soup, you can add a splash of heavy cream, but this simple recipe is also delicious without it. I love this soup as a spring dinner with some crusty bread or focaccia on the side. It comes together in under 45 minutes (and most of the cook time is hands-off), so it’s totally weeknight-possible. This asparagus soup recipe is an updated version of one I…

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Artichoke Pasta

This artichoke pasta recipe is an easy, elegant spring dinner. It's tossed in a rich, flavorful lemon butter sauce and garnished with lots of fresh mint.

I got the idea for this artichoke pasta recipe a few weeks back, when my fridge was overflowing with spring artichokes. Jumbo ones, baby ones, and every size in between. One day, I had steamed a few of the large artichokes for this post, and after I finished taking the photos, I stood at the counter, snacking on the meaty leaves dipped in lemon butter sauce. Of course, I knew that artichokes and butter were a classic combination, but it had been a while since I’d tasted them together. After one bite, I started grinning. The artichokes and lemon butter…

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Lemon Butter Sauce

This rich, flavorful lemon butter sauce is delicious on pasta, roasted veggies, and more. Made with 5 ingredients, it comes together in minutes.

Earlier this spring, I started making this lemon butter sauce to serve with steamed artichokes. Since then, I’ve started serving it with so much more – pasta, roasted veggies, couscous. It’s deliciously buttery and rich, with a bright, savory flavor from lemon juice and garlic. You only need 5 ingredients to make it, and it comes together in less than 5 minutes. I mean, why not drizzle it over everything? Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe Ingredients You only need 5 ingredients to make this recipe: Butter, of course! I recommend using unsalted butter here. That way, you have complete control over the…

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Roasted Artichokes

This roasted artichoke recipe is my favorite way to cook baby artichokes. Tender and flavorful, they're a delicious appetizer or side dish.

I make this roasted artichoke recipe whenever I see baby artichokes at the farmers market or grocery store. I have a soft spot for anything mini – from cherry tomatoes and peppers to skillets and spoons – so whenever the little, purple-streaked artichokes catch my eye, I can’t resist buying them. They’re super cute, of course, but they have other advantages too. If you’ve ever cooked full-sized globe artichokes, you know that you need to scoop out the fuzzy choke inside the artichoke heart. That’s not the case here: once you peel off a baby artichoke’s outer leaves, you can…

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Strawberry Muffins

These strawberry muffins are moist, fluffy, and bursting with fresh fruit. Pair one with coffee or tea for a sweet-yet-wholesome breakfast or snack.

On a cool spring morning, nothing gets me out of bed like the thought of these strawberry muffins. To me, they’re the perfect balance of cozy and refreshing. Cozy because they’re moist, fluffy, and warmly spiced with cinnamon. And refreshing because they’re packed to the brim with fresh fruit. I love savoring one for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea and grabbing another in the afternoon for a sweet, yet still wholesome, snack. Oh! And if you’re looking for a last-minute addition to your Mother’s Day menu this weekend, these strawberry muffins would be great for that too.…

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Easy Mango Salsa

Change up your salsa game with this sweet and spicy mango salsa recipe! Scoop it up with tortilla chips, or top it onto tacos, burritos, and more.

With Cinco de Mayo coming up tomorrow, I thought I’d pop in to share this mango salsa. It’s one of my favorite recipes to make throughout the spring and summer because it’s refreshing, fun, and so darn simple. Follow the recipe once or twice, and you’ll be able to leave the measuring cups in the drawer and just eyeball the ingredients. After that, you can change it up in all sorts of ways. Mix in avocado, or add some black beans. You could even toss in pickled jalapeños! Because this is such an easy, flexible recipe, it lends itself well…

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Mango Margarita

This frozen mango margarita recipe is my ideal warm weather drink. It's tangy, frosty, sweet, and refreshing. Pass the chips and salsa, please!

cocktail

It’s finally warming up in Chicago, so we’re cooling off with this mango margarita! To me, it’s the perfect warm weather drink – frosty, refreshing, and blissfully easy to make. Just toss 5 ingredients into the blender, puree until smooth, and enjoy! Yep, making this frozen mango margarita recipe is as simple as that. Another great thing about this recipe? It’s all about the mango. Instead of using mango juice or added sweeteners, I blend up frozen mango to create its thick texture and sweet, tangy flavor. Once you try it, you’ll never make a mango margarita any other way. It’s smooth,…

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How to Cut a Mango

Learn how to cut a mango with this step-by-step guide! Then, enjoy the sweet, juicy fruit as a snack, or add it to your favorite mango recipes.

cooking basics

Welcome to How to Cut a Mango 101! Here on Love & Lemons, we have recipes for mango salsa, mango tacos, mango margaritas, and even mango sushi. Suffice it to say, a simple guide on how to cut a mango is way overdue. Cutting a mango isn’t difficult, but if you’re attempting it for the first time, it can be perplexing. Should you peel it first? What shape should the pieces be? And what on earth should you do about that pit? If you’re asking these questions, you’re in the right place! Below, you’ll find my method for how to…

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Pinto Beans

Once you learn how to cook pinto beans from scratch, the canned kind will never taste the same. Creamy and flavorful, they're a delicious side dish.

side dishes / cooking basics

“I’m never buying pinto beans in a can again!” I told Jack last week, as I savored spoonful after spoonful of pinto beans straight from a pot on the stove. Maybe I was exaggerating (canned beans are darn convenient, after all), but I’ll certainly reach for them less often than I used to. If the last year has taught me anything, it’s that cooking pinto beans from scratch will yield creamier, more flavorful beans every time. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m arriving late to the dried beans party. A few years back, I did try cooking them, but without…

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25 Taco Toppings for Your Next Taco Bar

Looking for a fun, flavorful dinner idea? Try a taco bar! Warm a stack of tortillas, and let everyone fill them with their favorite taco toppings.

dinner / snacks & dips

On nights when I have a bunch of odds and ends in the fridge – minced cilantro, sliced chiles, a container of cooked black beans – I warm a stack of tortillas and set out a taco bar for dinner. It’s a long way from traditional Mexican food, of course, but Jack and I still have fun piling our tacos with whatever toppings sound best. I love this kind of DIY dinner on weeknights. For one, it’s way easier to drum up taco toppings than it is to make one composed main dish, especially if you start with fixings that…

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Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

If you love easy recipes that pack a huge punch of flavor, these roasted cauliflower tacos are for you. They're healthy, delicious, and simple to make.

vegetarian / dinner

When I opened Julia Turshen’s new cookbook Simply Julia, I landed on a photo of these roasted cauliflower tacos. My first thought? “I want to eat that.” After trying them, I think it’s safe to say that you’ll want to eat these cauliflower tacos too. They’re jam-packed with flavor from nutty roasted cauliflower, aromatic spices, and a zingy avocado sauce, and they’re also super easy to make. Roast the veggies, whizz up the sauce, stuff it all into tortillas, and voila! Dinner is served. If you’re looking for more recipes that combine easy prep with big flavor, I highly recommend you…

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