Chili-Orange Veggie Bowl

I steam the veggies instead of roasting them in this easy bowl, and their clean flavors shine under a lightly spicy, tangy chili vinaigrette.

If you had asked me two weeks ago about the best way to cook (flavorful) veggies, my unwavering answer would have been: roast them. I’m a sucker for all things roasty, toasty, caramelized, slightly crisp and even a tad bit charred… the simple steamed veggie is just a bit, well, simple for me. That is, until now… Our oven went kaput a few weeks ago and I was forced to get a little creative. (Although, thank you Thermador for coming to the rescue!). My little oven haitus seemed miserable at first, but it’s in fact incidents like these that force me to think outside…

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Moonshine Sweet Tea Cupcakes

baking / vegan-option

It’s a good thing I didn’t start the new year off with healthy resolutions because the past few days have been all about cupcake making. (I have a hard life, I know). And I’m sorry to say that these aren’t low-sugar, low-carb, low-fat… although they are low in “shelf life” because they’re likely to disappear soon after you make them. Everything in moderation right? Remember this post about Moonshine Sweet Tea? Well it’s back, this time in cake form. These cupcakes are the perfect treat to cozy up with while you daydream about hot sunny days ahead. And – exciting news…

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Avocado Steamed Buns

Homemade steamed buns with avocado, cabbage, and sriracha filling.

vegetarian / cooking tips

This was a little holiday break project… while others were most likely baking cookies, Jack and I were trying our hand at steamed buns. I actually had no intention of posting this, it was just something we wanted to try (we were prepared for the possibility of failure). Then it occurred to me – I should post this as a work in progress. After all of the kneading, waiting, punching, waiting, rolling, waiting & finally steaming… they came out pretty good, but they were a little dense and didn’t puff up quite enough. They were still tasty (and we ate them…

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Miso Shiitake Soba Soup

A simple dashi is the base of this warming, healing miso soup. With lots of veggies, soba noodles & tofu, it's hearty enough to be a meal on its own.

winter / vegan / gluten free

To all of you who are snowed in… this is my attempt to send warm thoughts through the computer screen. It’s not exactly balmy here, but it’s a far cry from the -11 degrees my weather widgets (and text message updates from my mom) are showing for tomorrow’s Chicago’s forecast. Yikes… This soup is full of warming healing ingredients (shiitakes, ginger, miso, etc.)… and would be the perfect thing if you’re under the weather, figuratively or quite literally. If you need more soup recipe ideas, try this ginger miso soup, this many-veggie soup, or this vegan tomato soup!

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Collard Wraps with Carrot Hummus

Sneak more veggies into your lunch with these addictive collard green wraps! The crisp leaves surround a creamy, bright spiced carrot hummus.

vegan / gluten free / healthy

Put down those tortillas, this year is the year of collard green wraps! Ok, I’m totally kidding. I could never give up tortillas, and I wouldn’t expect you to either. But in the spirit of all things lighter and brighter, we’re wrapping things up in leafy greens… In order to make collard green wraps exciting, a punchy, flavorful filling is a must. I had these pretty red carrots, which made me think of this Harissa Carrot Hummus recipe I had recently seen from Aida Mollenkamp. I took a few liberties, (mostly because I was too lazy to go look up the actual recipe). Among other things, I pan-roasted…

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Superfood Sunshine Orange Smoothie

Brighten up your morning & boost your immune system with this superfood orange smoothie packed with ginger, goji berries, hemp seeds & citrus!

vegan / gluten free / almond breeze

Happy almost new year! I don’t know about you, but I’m sure ready to start eating a little bit lighter and brighter. And of course, “healthy” in my book doesn’t mean bland and boring… quite the opposite. In the middle of winter,* I find myself craving bright orange and red foods… so here’s a sunny smoothie I made to brighten up winter mornings and give my immune system a boost. Orange Smoothie Ingredients Oranges – Of course, oranges are essential here. Because winter is citrus season, I use lemons, limes, grapefruit, and oranges as much as I can. As an…

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Pistachio Goji Berry Granola

Have you ever made granola on the stove? Try it once, and you won't go back! I love eating this easy 15-minute granola over yogurt or on its own.

vegan / gluten free / snacks & dips

Every time I make granola I remember why I shouldn’t make granola. We have no self-control when it comes to it. This is my favorite version yet… and I can attest to that because right after I made it, Jack and I stood at the kitchen counter and ate it all. Bit by “just a little bit more,” this (our photography subject) disappeared. The good news: It’s quick and easy, so 15 minutes later, we were ready to roll with a second batch. The trick – make it on the stovetop. I know, it sounds wrong, but it’s so so…

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Christmas

holiday / breakfast

Merry almost-Christmas morning, let the brunching begin! Here are a few of our favorite breakfast-ey recipes… sweet, savory, and even a little bit healthy: recipes pictured above: Blueberry Banana Pancakes / Mango Salsa Waffle Kale Pesto Scramble / Vegan French Toast Blackberry Lemon Cake / Flaxseed Waffles Migas Breakfast Tacos / Matcha Vanilla Smoothies some other deliciousness around the web: World’s Easiest Cinnamon Rolls from Minimalist Baker Slow-Cooked Kale Omelettes from Sprouted Kitchen Cranberry Orange Scones from The Faux Martha Banana Baked French Toast from Cookie + Kate Cornbread Pancakes with Maple-Lemon Curd from Naturally Ella Gingerbread Buckwheat Cake from Edible Perspective

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Minty Pomegranate Spritzer

winter / holiday / cocktail

My favorite part about the holidays: Getting together with friends and having an excuse to indulge just a little too much. We can all resolve to be better in January… until then, let’s have that extra cookie or three, and by all means pop that prosecco! This is one of my favorite cocktails to make at home. I make a quick simple syrup and let it steep with handfuls of fresh mint….combine it with vodka, pomegranate juice, prosecco, and then finish it off with a squeeze of lemon. It’s not too sweet, and it’s just a little tart – exactly…

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Coconut Rice with Kale & Edamame

A healthy, creamy and spicy rice dish with lemongrass, garlic and lime juice. Vegan and gluten free.

vegan / gluten free / favorite

This one might be a stretch in the holiday-food category… but hey, it’s green and it’s red… I figure Christmas Coconut Rice has to be a tradition somewhere in the world right? This holiday season was a little different for us – we just got back from a winter wonderland of a week in Chicago, so our family festivities are pretty much over. We filled up on pizza, cheesecake, and all sorts of other indulgences… suffice it to say I’m ready to lighten things up a little bit early this year. Coconut rice is one of my favorite things… it’s…

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Sweet Potato (vegan) Alfredo

winter / vegan

Less really is more… it’s a lesson I don’t think I’ll ever fully learn. For example, I often get flustered about what to make to post here. I’ll change my mind on my way to the grocery store and then change it another few times on my way home. This is a ridiculous (& expensive) habit because I end up buying way too much so I have options on hand to suit my indecisiveness. (Although, it all does get eaten eventually). Every now and then I come up with something out of nothing, and those almost always end up being…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.