Tart Cherry & Mint Iced Tea

We have a new superfood obsession – we’re head over heels in love with tart cherries. It started with this froyo recipe, but since then I’ve been tossing frozen tart cherries into our morning smoothies and mixing tart cherry juice into cocktails, (among other simple uses)… It’s an understatement to say that Jack and I both drink a lot of iced tea. While I usually prefer unsweetened tea – I’ve found that adding just a splash of tart cherry juice to plain black tea (or green tea) is so deliciously tangy and refreshing… and just slightly sweet, which is the way I…

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Soba Noodles with Shishitos & Avocado

vegan / vegetarian

People like to ask me “what’s your favorite recipe?” and I never have an answer. My “favorite” is often what’s most recent and/or what’s coming up next… But this one combines two definite favorites – blistered shishito peppers (which I usually make as an appetizer), and one of my go-to simple soba noodle recipes. Because my “favorites” are almost always the simple things. I brought home a bunch of shishito peppers from the farmers market, but the base of this recipe is so versatile – feel free to sub in a star vegetable of your choice. The noodles get tossed in a light sesame-soy…

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Portobello Mushroom Dogs

Skip the packaged veggie dogs at your next cookout - grill these tangy marinated portobello mushrooms instead! They're easy, healthy & flavorful.

summer / vegetarian

We’re all familiar with the ubiquitous portobello burger, so I’ll be honest: I originally planned to serve these mushrooms in hot dog buns for the novelty of it. For my money, though, portobellos really work better in dog form than in burger-form. They get more fully covered in the tangy, savory marinade, and (because they’re thinner strips) they cook a lot more quickly and more evenly. Portobello Veggie Dog Recipe Ingredients Growing up around Chicago, hot dogs were never taken lightly. A good Chicago dog has a myriad of components, including mustard, onions, a whole pickle, peppers, and more. This…

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Spicy Sweet Potato Avocado Tostadas

vegan / gluten free / McCormick

There are no cool breezes in the air, but fall feelings are starting to happen in Austin by way of our local produce selection. This recipe was created from as many things from my Farmhouse Delivery (a local CSA-like farm share) box that I could fit into one meal. I received a sweet potato the size of my small dog Annie, and a bunch of tiny grape tomatoes – so I thought hearty tostadas with fresh, spicy salsa would be fitting for an in-between seasonal dinner. The okra here isn’t totally necessary but I had tons to use up so in it went. Feel free to…

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Heirloom Tomato Sun-Cheese Toasts

summer / vegan / appetizers

You may have noticed that I love making non-dairy sauces & spreads of out cashews, walnuts, and almonds (to name just a few). Every time I post a nutty sauce, I get a comment or two from readers who are allergic to dairy and nuts. (And I totally feel for you). Hopefully, you are not also allergic to seeds because my current obsession is this spread made from sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds blend up to become a similar texture to ricotta, although the flavor of this spread is a bit more rich & tangy. I’ve posted similar recipes in the past – this time I’ve altered it to use easier-to-find ingredients.…

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Spicy Peach Jam

Learn how to make peach jam with this easy recipe! Slather it onto toast, dollop it onto ice cream, or top it onto tacos for a surprising sweet twist.

summer / vegan / gluten free

A few weeks ago, I had dinner with my friend Grace, and she brought me the most delicious homemade blackberry jam. Since making jam isn’t really my jam, I asked her if she would come over and share a recipe for the blog. I love peaches, and they were in peak season, so we decided on spicy peach jam. And last weekend, we jammed. Well, technically, she jammed. I watched. Jack took pictures. How to Make Peach Jam Canning aside, I was surprised how easy this peach jam recipe was. It looks long but, really, the most time consuming part is…

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Watermelon St. Germain Cocktails

summer / cocktail / entertaining

In case I haven’t mentioned it before – it’s pretty hot here. I’ve been eating watermelon like crazy because, well, I think it just might be the most refreshing fruit on the planet. I had been thinking of making watermelon margaritas until I had the most refreshing elderflower & vodka watermelon cocktail made by the Tipsy Texan a few weeks ago at the opening of Métier Cook’s Supply (a really cute kitchen supply store, btw – if you’re in Austin, go check it out). This is definitely a simplified version but I get impatient to make cocktails that have more than just a few easy ingredients.…

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Wine-ey Peaches & Cream

summer / link love

… otherwise known as: peaches leftover from the bottom of your sangria pitcher. With ice cream. And a pinch of cinnamon if you want to get fancy. This weekend might have been my laziest summer weekend yet. Jack was out of town so I really kicked back. I ate some pretty interesting (yet amazing) watermelon sushi Friday night with a girlfriend… went for a long sweaty walk this morning… and then caught up on every episode of Food Network Star. I can’t say I’m on pins and needles about tonight’s finale because my favorite girl (Emma) got kicked off a few episodes back. I guess I’m…

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Peach Sangria

Ginger, basil & mint give this peach sangria recipe a delicious herbal kick. Cold & refreshing, it's just the thing for hot summer days.

summer / cocktail / vegan

Happy Friday! I have the easiest, summeriest cocktail to share with you: peach sangria! This weekend, it’s going to be 102 degrees(!) here in Austin. Because hot summer days call for cold, refreshing drinks, I decided to come up with a new summer party drink recipe. I figure everyone loves sangria, so I thought – what would be more seasonal than peach sangria? Now one of my favorite sangria recipes, this drink is sweet, but not too sweet, and packed full of fruit and herbs. Peach Sangria Recipe Ingredients The base is simple: white wine, Grand Marnier, and fresh peaches. I also added…

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Zucchini & Grilled Corn Salad

summer / vegan / gluten free

Oh zucchini, let me count the ways… julienned, coined, grilled, sauteéd, stuffed, kabob-ed, gratin-ed, muffin-ed, pancake-d… (I know I’m missing a few)… Right now, my zucchini method of choice is the simple ribbon. Just raw. Tossed into salads. I mean, how pretty are they? (Also – how pretty are those plates!?) I very often make corn recipes where frozen corn will suffice – but not this time. This is the time of year where my midwestern roots shine through and I say – you need to get your hands on some fresh corn. And then don’t cook it too much. I grilled my…

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Mango Habanero Black Bean Tacos

Mango & habanero make the BEST addition to these easy black bean tacos. Sweet, spicy & just 10 ingredients, they're a fresh, fun weeknight dinner.

vegan / gluten free-option / summer

I love a good mango salsa. (I mean, who doesn’t?) It’s so fun and versatile – some of my favorite additions have been roasted jalapeños, smoked paprika, diced avocado, and even sesame & ginger. Today, I’m stirring in some mango habanero jam to make a sweet, juicy, and spicy filling for easy black bean tacos. These black bean tacos really couldn’t be easier – just chop and mix your ingredients – salsa, avocado, black beans, etc., and stuff them into a tortilla. (Add cheese if you want, but these are plenty flavorful without). Black Bean Tacos Variations If you can’t get your hands on a good mango…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.