Spring Root Veggie Salad

Make this watercress salad for a healthy spring meal! I love how the soft greens contrast with colorful root veggies in this refreshing, delicious dish.

Since starting this blog, I’ve gotten over a number of foods I didn’t think I liked: radishes, carrots, and, most recently, pepper. (I know, pepper is a weird one). I have a list going for Jack too: peas, asparagus, avocado. Check, check, check. And now – with this watercress salad – beets! (Yes, Jack, I lied. These things I told you were turnips were in fact beets). My husband is not a picky eater by any means — there are about five foods he’s adamant about not eating. I just find it a fun game to work these things in.…

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Hazelnut Tahini Pasta

pasta / vegan / gluten free

I keep a pretty full pantry (to say the least). I love to have a variety of oils, vinegars, grains & nuts on hand… but every now and then “on hand” becomes completely out of hand. This little sauce came about one day when I was cleaning out my shelves and found five separate stashes of hazelnuts. Some were newly purchased, some were tucked waaay in the back. Also, back beyond my immediate reach was a still-pretty-new-yet-forgotten-about jar of tahini. I had pasta noodles to use up, but this would be great as a dressing drizzled over a farro salad, or over…

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Rainbow Chard & Wheat Berries

spring / greens / vegetarian

Grains & greens. Avocado & eggs… I could probably stop blogging right here and be happy eating this meal every day. Or at least in theory. In reality, I need variety otherwise I have a way of wrecking foods for myself. (One year in college, I ate plain oatmeal 2x a day — breakfast and lunch — and now I can’t stand the sight). The beauty of the grains and greens meal is that it can be changed up a thousand different ways. (Although, I get it — oatmeal can be changed up too. By the time I learned that it was far too late).…

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Avocado Almondaise Tartines

Almondaise - a rich creamy vegan sauce made from almonds, almond milk, turmeric, garlic, and dijon mustard - is perfect on toast with avocado and crisp radishes.

vegetarian / spring / almond breeze

I’m having a hard time looking at this recipe and not talking about the weather. I realize… weather not a crowd-pleasing topic, but I just can’t get over the gorgeous-ness that is happening outside of my window. (If you’re a fellow midwestern transplant, you understand my excitement). I also can’t get over these bright little tartines. Oh, and this sauce. It’s along the same lines as some of the cashew-based sauces I’ve made, but it’s also somehow entirely different. The almonds and almond milk create a light, creamy homemade mayo-ish texture. The mustard gives it tang (don’t be shy with…

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Carrot Greens Chimichurri

Don't toss those tops! Carrot greens are just as edible as carrots themselves, and they're delicious in this tangy chimichurri sauce, pesto, and more.

vegan / gluten free

Today, we’re making chimichurri out of carrot greens! I don’t know who ever spread the idea that vibrant carrot tops should be tossed. They’re edible and delicious, so let’s start using them! This carrot tops recipe comes with a cute little backstory. A few years ago, Jack and I spent some time in Argentina, where I fell in love with chimichurri sauce. Upon returning home, I couldn’t find a recipe that tasted just like the bright, smoky chimichurri we had there. But recently, we learned that one of our friends in Austin is Argentinian! He kindly called his mother for…

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Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

vegan / gluten free

It’s probably about time for a truly lemony post, here on Love and Lemons. Pucker up, this sweet & sour ice cream is the perfect way, in my opinion, to welcome spring. (Or to dream about spring if it hasn’t quite reached you yet). Yes, an ice cream maker is required here — I’m not going to lie, it takes up an annoying amount of space, but we really do use ours quite often. It’s fun to get creative with flavor combinations you can’t just buy in a store, (especially non-dairy combinations). I imagine making ice cream would be a fun…

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Pea Tendril & Pistachio Pesto

spring / vegan / gluten free

I’m pesto obsessed. I love pesto because anything can become pesto. I brought home these sweet pea tendrils from the farmers market the other day… I didn’t know quite what to do with them so I pesto-ed them. I usually reach for walnuts but I loved the spring color of the pistachios… plus, I just couldn’t resist the alliteration. Pea tendrils have a mild flavor that’s slightly sweet, which makes for nice mellow pesto. If you can’t find them, you can still make a nice pistachio pesto out of spinach, arugula, basil, or mint… whatever combination of soft greens and…

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Aloo Gobi

Aloo gobi is one of my favorite things to order at Indian restaurants. This recipe adds fresh peas & greens to the classic cauliflower & potato curry.

vegan / gluten free

I can’t claim that I cook Indian food authentically, but what I can do is cook Indian-ish food that tastes pretty good. Aloo Gobi is one of my favorites, and this is my at-home version. The basic components are all here: potato (aloo) & cauliflower (gobi). The rest is a bit of a riff… it’s a little lighter and a lot greener. Also, these ingredients should be easy to find. I think this aloo gobi recipe makes the perfect “it’s still winter but almost spring” meal. It’s warm and hearty, but it has bright pops of peas and a few…

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Shiitake & Napa Cabbage Gyoza

vegetarian / appetizers / favorites

These days, our idea of a “date night” rarely involves restaurant reservations. First, we never think ahead to actually make reservations, and then (way too often) we find ourselves waiting 2 hours on a Friday night for a meal. Some people might be ok with that, but this girl gets hungry. Gyoza (Japanese dumplings) are one of our favorite things to make together at home. They’re not difficult but they take a little time – the assembly is definitely quicker if you have 4 hands and a bottle of sake on the side. We often eat these as a light…

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Baked Parsnip Fries

Swap potatoes for parsnips to make these healthy baked parsnip fries! Great with your favorite burger, they're irresistibly crispy, sweet & salty.

vegan / gluten free / sir kensingtons

Happy Fri-day! (pun intended, I’m so sorry). What I’m not sorry about are these parsnip fries – they’re awesome and super simple to make. I recommend making extra because you (or your significant other – I’m not naming any names here), will likely eat most of them right off the baking sheet, and you’re going to want a few left to enjoy with your burger. Not only are these parsnip fries healthier than traditional fries (they have much more fiber), but they have a unique flavor. If you’ve cooked with parsnips before, you know that they’re slightly sweet. As a result, these…

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Quinoa Burger

Say goodbye to mushy, bland veggie burgers forever! This quinoa burger is tangy and spicy, with a delicious hearty texture and perfect crispy edges.

vegan / gluten free

I’m not sure where to begin with this quinoa burger recipe. It has a wonderful meaty texture with lightly crisp edges, a spicy, tangy flavor, and a gorgeous red color. Plus, it’s totally vegan and gluten-free! What’s not to love? I’m looking forward to making this quinoa burger for cookouts all summer long, and I hope you are too. On the off-chance that you have leftovers, pop them in the freezer! They reheat perfectly for quick weeknight dinners down the road. Quinoa Burger Recipe Ingredients I set some strict veggie burger criteria for this recipe: no eggs, no cheese, no…

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