Homemade Lemonade

This homemade lemonade recipe is just the thing for a hot summer day. Made with 3 simple ingredients, it's sweet, refreshing, and deliciously tart.

We’re way overdue for a homemade lemonade recipe on Love & Lemons, don’t ya think? I can’t tell you how it happened that I never thought to post one until now, but I can tell you that this recipe was 100% worth the wait. The freshly squeezed lemonade is easy to make with just 3 ingredients, and it’s sweet, refreshing, and deliciously tart. Served over ice, it’s everything I crave on a hot summer day. This lemonade recipe makes a big batch, so it’d be a great refreshment for your next cookout or BBQ. However, you can easily scale it…

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Avocado Salsa

This avocado salsa recipe is fresh, flavorful, and SO easy to make! Serve it with tortilla chips for a zesty summer appetizer, or add it to tacos and more.

summer / appetizers

This avocado salsa recipe is kinda like a mashup of two of my favorite things: mango salsa and guac. So naturally, I’m obsessed with it. It’s a super simple recipe – you can make it in all of 10 minutes! – but it still packs in a ton of contrasting textures and flavors. Creamy avocado plays off sweet, juicy mango, which in turn accents spicy chiles, crisp red onion, and cilantro. A big squeeze of lime juice adds the perfect zesty pop. I love to serve it as a fun, fresh appetizer with tortilla chips, but this avocado salsa is…

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Olive Tapenade

This olive tapenade recipe has a delicious mix of fresh, salty, and briny flavors. Serve it with crackers or baguette for a simple summer appetizer!

appetizers / snacks & dips

A few years back, if you’d offered me olive tapenade at a party or gathering, I would have politely declined it. I’d always thought of myself as an adventurous eater, but for some reason, olives just hadn’t been for me. But recently, I’ve finally(!) started to come around to them. I like them in Greek salad and on bruschetta, and now, I even love olives in tapenade! Who knows? If you’re an olive skeptic, this recipe might win you over too. If you’re not familiar with tapenade, it’s a salty, briny olive spread that originated in the Provençe region of…

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33 Best BBQ Sides

These BBQ sides will be the highlight of any summer cookout! They include easy, fresh, and delicious recipes for grilled veggies, salads, slaws, and more.

These BBQ sides will steal the show at any summer cookout. They range from creamy potato salad to summery slaws to herb-flecked pasta salad and smoky grilled watermelon. Even with this variety, these BBQ side dishes all have a few things in common. They’re easy to prepare, they spotlight summer produce, and they’re fresh and delicious. Make one for your next summer gathering. I promise it’ll be a hit! Our Best BBQ Sides Easy Pasta Salad If I’m tasked with preparing a side dish for a picnic or cookout, this recipe is my go-to. Packed with pasta, chickpeas, and tangy feta…

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Creamy Avocado Dip

This smooth and creamy avocado dip is a crowd-pleasing spring or summer appetizer. Serve it with crackers and lots of fresh veggies for dipping!

This creamy avocado dip is one of my favorite appetizers to make in the spring and early summer. To be clear, it’s not at all like guacamole, the other avocado dip we all know and love. Instead of fresh cilantro and lime juice, dill and lemon create its bright, refreshing flavor. Dijon mustard gives it a tangy kick, and Greek yogurt makes it extra-rich and creamy. Instead of scooping it up with tortilla chips, I recommend pairing it with lots of fresh veg. At this time of year, so many dip-able vegetables are coming into season (radishes, snap peas, etc.).…

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Pickled Asparagus

Garlic, shallot, and fresh dill amp up the flavor in this simple pickled asparagus recipe. Crisp, tangy, and refreshing, it's a delicious spring snack.

Right now, I have three jars of this quick pickled asparagus lined up in my fridge, which, for me, is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that the slender, green spears are absolutely delicious – crisp, grassy, tangy, salty, and sweet. The curse is, well, pretty much the same thing. Every time I open the fridge, I promptly forget what I’m looking for. Seconds later, I find myself standing at the counter, downing spear after spear of pickled asparagus as a refreshing (and surprisingly addictive) spring snack. …oops? As you start to work your way through different…

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49 Best Healthy Snacks

Stomach growling in the middle of the afternoon? Tide yourself over with one of these healthy snacks! They include granola bars, dips, and more.

favorites

If I don’t have a stockpile of healthy snacks on hand, I will, without fail, reach for a cookie at 3pm. Now, there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to something sweet in the afternoon, but if I’m working on a new cookie recipe, there’s a good chance that snacking on sweets will become less of a treat and more of a habit. Over the years, I’ve learned that filling up on healthy snacks like veggies and dip, smoothies, or trail mix will only make those sweets more rewarding in the end. I’ll be more energized and focused throughout the day, my…

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Garden Crisps with Herby White Bean Spread

These colorful garden crisps are such an easy healthy snack! I top puffed grain cakes with fresh veggies and a creamy white bean spread.

snacks & dips

This post is in partnership with Lundberg Family Farms. Happy Friday! Is anyone else SO excited that it’s finally spring? Here in Chicago, the temperatures are gradually getting warmer, and I’m in the mood for all things fresh and bright. I’m making smoothies for breakfast, salads for lunch, and these veggie-topped puffed grain cakes for an afternoon snack. In case you’re looking for some new spring snack ideas, I’m sharing the recipe for these yummy puffed grain cakes below. To make them, I spread a creamy, herby white bean spread on Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Thin Stackers. Then, I top them…

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Blueberry Smoothie

I love this blueberry smoothie recipe because it's super nutritious, but it tastes like a treat! Blend it together for a yummy healthy breakfast or snack.

vegan / breakfast

This blueberry smoothie is a delicious breakfast or snack. With its thick, frosty texture and sweet berry flavor, it tastes like a treat. But it’s also packed with nutrients! This blueberry smoothie recipe calls for healthy ingredients like almond butter and fresh fruit. I’m always looking for easy breakfasts that our whole family will love, and right now, this blueberry smoothie is our #1. Smoothies and blueberries are two of our toddler’s favorite things (and honestly, mine too), so it’s no surprise that this recipe has been a hit. It’s perfect for busy weekday mornings. I can blend it up…

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Ultimate Loaded Nachos

Learn how to make the BEST homemade nachos! Loaded with gooey queso and tons of fresh fixings, they're the ultimate appetizer or game day snack.

snacks & dips / appetizers

If you’re watching the Super Bowl this weekend, you have to make this nachos recipe. If you’re not watching the Super Bowl this weekend, you still have to make this nachos recipe. Jack and I may not be football fans, but we are fans of football food. These loaded nachos are as good as it gets. Every bite has the perfect blend of crispy, creamy textures and tangy, spicy flavors. Serve them as a party appetizer or devour them for dinner. Either way, the entire platter will be gone in minutes. Loaded Nachos Recipe Ingredients Ok, confession time: These homemade…

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31 Healthy Freezer Meals

On busy nights, these easy freezer meals will help you get a healthy dinner on the table without a lot of fuss. They include cozy soups, pastas, and more!

Freezer meals are what I turn to when I want to get a quick, healthy dinner on the table on a busy weeknight. I’m not talking about store-bought frozen dinners, but the soups, stews, and casseroles that I make ahead and freeze myself. Stored and reheated the right way, these freezer meals are just as flavorful as they were on the day they were made. When I have a stash of them on hand, making a delicious, healthy dinner is as simple as heating one up! Below, you’ll find my favorite freezer meals to make ahead, along with my best…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.