Asparagus Ribbon, Mint & Pea Pesto Toasts

Have you ever tried peeling asparagus into ribbons? Lightly crisp, fresh & delicious, they're just the thing to top these yummy spring-themed toasts.

If you love asparagus, but the people you’re living with don’t, this post is for you. Even if you’re just blasé about asparagus, like I used to be, give it a chance by ribboning it! The thin, raw ribbons tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper are so fresh and delicious that you’ll completely avoid the unpleasant fibrous, stringy experience that asparagus sometimes causes. You can toss them in salads, put them on pizza… last weekend we ate them on fancy toast because these happened to be the ingredients that I had on hand. To make the ribbons, you…

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Healthy Breakfast Casserole

This healthy breakfast casserole is my go-to dish to serve for brunch. It's full of veggies with a secret layer of roasted sweet potatoes on the bottom!

This healthy breakfast casserole would be perfect for an Easter or Mother’s Day get-together! It’s easy to make, it serves a crowd, and it’s packed with fresh veggies. I love making it when we host friends and family for brunch in the spring. My Mom’s Healthy Breakfast Casserole Speaking of Mother’s Day, my mom actually gave me the inspiration for this vegetarian breakfast casserole recipe! She’s been making breakfast casseroles for years, but she started using sweet potatoes in hers just recently. I LOVED that idea, and the hearty layer of roasted sweet potatoes on the bottom of this casserole…

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3-Layer Fruit Smoothie

This 3-layer fruit smoothie is the ultimate healthy breakfast! I'll make the whole thing for a special occasion or just one layer for a quick, yummy treat.

Nothing says love like a smoothie, right? 🙂 I love love love Valentine’s Day, but not in the fancy-dinner-prix-fixe dinner sort of way. I love it for of all of the cute things that remind me of being a little kid… tiny paper cards, homemade cupcakes with pink frosting, heart shaped candies… so in the spirit of being crafty, I made this 3-layer fruit smoothie! I always see layered fruit smoothies on Instagram and think, “who the heck has time to make three separate smoothies?” – but here I am doing it. It actually was pretty simple, and while I…

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Harissa & Spinach Shakshuka

This spiced-up riff on shakshuka is a delicious breakfast or brunch! It features a harissa-seasoned sauce, fresh spinach, and creamy avocado.

Who else loves shakshuka?! I’m such a fan of this Middle Eastern and North African breakfast dish that if I see it on a restaurant menu, I’ll almost always order it. But more often, I make it at home. You can find a traditional shakshuka recipe elsewhere on the blog, but today’s recipe is more of an unconventional twist. I add harissa to the sauce for spiced depth of flavor, and I stir in spinach for a fresh veggie kick. To take it over the top, I pile on avocado slices before scooping it all up with pita. It’s such…

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French Toast Bake

I love French toast, but it's not ideal for serving a crowd. Enter: this French toast bake! Make it for the holidays, Mother's Day, or any weekend brunch.

This French toast bake was my solution to a pressing problem. When I make a big, decadent brunch, I want French toast to be on the menu. I mean, eggy bread that’s soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, and warmly spiced with cinnamon… what’s not to love? But here’s the thing: French toast is a perfect breakfast for two. When I make it, I enjoy flipping slice after slice until I have a stack that’s big enough to serve just me and Jack. When I’m serving a crowd, on the other hand, all that flipping starts to add…

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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

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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Mini Frittata Muffins

Are you a savory breakfast person looking for make-ahead options? Mini frittata muffins are just what you need! They're easy, healthy, and delicious.

These frittata muffins are my solution to a longstanding problem: all the best grab-and-go breakfasts are sweet. Don’t get me wrong, banana bread, scones, chia pudding, and breakfast cookies are all delicious. But if you’re anything like me, sometimes, you’re craving a savory breakfast, and you don’t have time to cook eggs. You wish that there was a tasty, protein-packed option that you could take with you as you headed out the door. Enter: this frittata muffin recipe. Packed with fresh veggies and eggs, these mini frittata muffins have become my favorite meal prep breakfast recipe. They’re great straight from…

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Overnight Oats with Blueberry Chia Jam

Make your overnight oats better with this healthy blueberry chia jam! All you need is some lemon, maple syrup, cinnamon, chia, oats, and blueberries.

Before I tell you about this recipe, I wanted to make a quick announcement to our Chicago friends – this Saturday I’ll be attending the Renegade Craft Fair Chicago at the Quaker Oats booth. Stop by to say HI and enjoy a healthy snack of Overnight Oats. I’ll be doing the meet & greet from 11:30am – 12:30pm, hope to see you there! (click here for details) Ok, back to the recipe! Last week, I was up to my ears in corn… this week, I’ve been eating blueberries until I’m blue in the face. They’re so good right now! Plus,…

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Breakfast Panzanella

When you make a big panzanella salad - turn the leftovers into breakfast the next morning by adding some fresh basil and fried eggs! So easy and delicious!

If you caught Monday’s post, you might have noticed that I made a pretty big panzanella. I think it looked a little smaller in the photos, but it was truly a massive amount of food, especially since there’s just two of us here. As we were cleaning up after that dinnertime photo shoot, I was storing away containers full of leftovers and I said to Jack (half joking), “are you ready to have panzanella for breakfast tomorrow?” And then half-joking turned into all seriousness when we both realized that all of the tomato-ey bread-y goodness with runny FRIED EGGS on…

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Avocado Smoothie

Made with banana and coconut milk, this avocado smoothie recipe is deliciously creamy without any dairy. An easy, refreshing vegan breakfast!

A recent trip to Dallas inspired me to make this creamy avocado smoothie recipe. While we were there, Jack and I went to a popsicle shop that had this dairy-free avocado lime pop that I went crazy for. I’ve wanted to recreate it all summer, and I finally did…in smoothie form! Don’t worry – this avocado smoothie doesn’t taste at all like guacamole. Instead, it’s like a fresh lime sorbet. Thanks to the avocado and banana, it has a delicious creamy texture that makes it a really satisfying breakfast or snack. In fact, it’s so good that I’d even eat…

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Super Fun Summer Smoothies!

Enjoy classic treats in smoothie form! These four fun drinks are inspired by blueberry muffins, PB&J, mint chip ice cream, and peaches & cream.

Every so often, I get on these mean green daily smoothie kicks that, in all honesty, can get a little TOO green over time. The kick starts with delicious well-balanced smoothies, but as the days go on, I start cutting corners. I add too much liquid so that the blender will blend fast, leaving me with a watery smoothie. And speaking of water, that’s what I use when I run out of almond milk. I add ice in the name of “thickness,” and I start skipping all ingredients that actually add flavor. What I (we) are left with to drink first thing in…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Welcome to Love & Lemons!

I'm Jeanine Donofrio, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer. I share fresh, delicious vegetarian recipes that celebrate seasonal ingredients and flavors.

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