Caprese Sandwich

I love to make this Caprese sandwich recipe for summer picnics. Stuffed with basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella cheese, it's simple and delicious.

I could eat this Caprese sandwich for lunch every day in the summer. It’s essentially a classic Caprese salad between bread. I layer on juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. The combination is super simple, but in the summer, you can’t beat it. Tomatoes and basil are both at their best, and they fill this Caprese sandwich with flavor. The tomatoes are sweet, tangy, and juicy. The basil is fresh and fragrant, with a hint of spice. Add rich mozzarella and a drizzle of fruity olive oil to the mix, and you have a perfect (especially picnic-perfect!)…

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Vegan Pesto

No Parmesan? No problem. This easy vegan pesto recipe is a breeze to make, and it's every bit as bright, nutty, and delicious as the traditional version.

When I make pesto, I almost always make this vegan pesto recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love traditional basil pesto, but this vegan version is just as good. Classic pesto is made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. But my recipe calls for one extra ingredient: lemon juice. The lemon’s bright flavor perfectly balances the richness of the olive oil and elevates the fresh, garlicky, and nutty flavors of the other ingredients. Once you add it, the pesto has enough complexity to make the Parmesan cheese optional, and more often than not,…

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Radish Salad

If you like radishes, you'll LOVE this radish salad recipe! It uses them two ways - roasted and raw - and has a bright radish green pesto on top.

I immediately thought, “Radish salad!”, when I opened our CSA box a few weeks ago and found a heap of gorgeous radishes inside. Often, radishes play second fiddle in green salads and noodle bowls, but at this time of year, when they’re extra-crisp, piquant, and even a little sweet, they deserve to be the star of the show. This radish salad recipe puts them front and center. I use the roots two ways – roasted and raw – and dollop a bright, nutty radish green pesto on top. Instead of adding a bed of greens, I bulk this salad up…

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How to Use Radish Greens

We might think of radish greens as scraps, but in fact, they're just as delicious as radishes themselves. Find my favorite ways to cook them below!

Don’t toss those radish greens! I don’t know who got the idea that radish and turnip greens, carrot tops, kale stems, broccoli stalks, and other common veggie scraps should be discarded, but I’m here to tell you that it’s not true. At this time of year, I’m equally happy feasting on lush radish tops as I am spinach or Swiss chard. They’re not as popular, but they have a lovely peppery flavor, and they’re easy to cook. Best of all, they come with radishes attached! What’s not to love? Below, you’ll find my best tips for cooking radish tops, as…

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Homemade Labneh

If you're not already making labneh, now's the time to start! This creamy, tangy yogurt cheese comes together with just 2 simple ingredients.

The hardest part of making labneh cheese is waiting. Everything else is simple. Mix together 2 ingredients – Greek yogurt and salt – wrap them in a cheesecloth, and hang it over a bowl to strain. Then, things get tough: you’ll have to wait 24 hours to open the cheesecloth and enjoy the thick, creamy yogurt cheese inside. But if you try this labneh recipe, I think you’ll agree that the wait is totally worth it. If you’re not familiar with labneh, it’s a soft cheese made by straining yogurt to remove the whey. It has a thick, spreadable texture…

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Homemade Pita Bread

Once you start making this homemade pita bread recipe, you won't be able to stop! Soft, puffy, and flavorful, it beats any kind from the grocery store.

This homemade pita bread recipe comes from my friend Molly Yeh. It’s been on my list to try for years, but for one reason or another, I never made it until this spring. When I finally did, what Jack and I thought would be a fun, one-time cooking project turned into a full-on pita bread obsession. We started putting extra yogurt on the grocery list just so we could make it! If you’re thinking, “Wait. Yogurt? In pita bread?”, you’re not crazy. It’s not a typical pita bread recipe ingredient. But in my opinion, it’s what makes this pita bread…

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Homemade Hamburger Buns

Once you try these homemade hamburger buns, you'll never use store bought buns again! They're soft, puffy, and surprisingly simple to make.

Three months ago, if someone had told me that Jack and I would start making homemade hamburger buns every week, I would have laughed. To me, hamburger buns seemed like something that only professional bakers could make. But since Jack’s been baking up a storm lately, the idea of homemade hamburger buns started to seem less and less crazy. If we could make bagels and bread, why not hamburger buns too? After testing and re-testing this recipe, I’m happy to report that homemade hamburger buns are surprisingly easy to make! They require under 30 minutes of hands-on work, and they’re…

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Best Veggie Burger

If you make one veggie burger recipe, it has to be this one. These burgers have a wonderful savory flavor and hearty texture. They're grillable, too!

Say hello to the BEST veggie burger recipe! Of course, that’s just my opinion, but once you try it, I think you’ll agree. For one, these patties are grill-able! And if you’d rather be spending time in the sun than in the kitchen, you can even make them a day or two in advance. But that’s not all. This veggie burger has an amazing meaty texture and savory, smoky flavor. It’ll keep its shape when it’s stuffed inside a bun, and it’s delicious with fancy fixings or with good old ketchup and mustard. Unlike many packaged veggie burgers, its incredible…

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Italian Chopped Salad

This chopped salad recipe is exactly what I want to eat in spring and summer. It may be light and healthy, but it's still packed with bold flavor.

Who else loves chopped salad? I’m a huge fan of all salads, but chopped salad has to be one of my favorites. Because the ingredients are, well, chopped, you can get a little bit of everything in each bite, so it’s extra-flavorful and fun to eat! Speaking of fun, this chopped salad recipe comes from my friend Gaby’s new book What’s Gaby Cooking: Eat What You Want. If you’re not already familiar with Gaby’s blog and Instagram, you absolutely should be. Her recipes aren’t entirely vegetarian, but her California-style cooking is always packed with fresh produce. Her new book is…

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21 Sides to Spice Up Your Taco Tuesday

Not sure what to serve with tacos? You're in the right place! With dips, veggies, rice, and more, these tasty sides give you plenty to choose from.

If you’re wondering what to serve with tacos tonight, you’re in the right place! We all love tacos, but in my book, the sides (and the drinks!) are an equally important part of taco night. Any side for tacos, from chips and guac to dressed greens, will add varied textures and flavors to the meal, making it more satisfying and more fun to eat. You’ll find 21 of my favorite side dishes for tacos below. They’re all fresh and healthy, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options mixed in for everyone to enjoy. With recipes for dips, veggies, grains, and…

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11 Best Vegetarian Tacos

Looking for a fun dinner? Make vegetarian tacos! Read on to find some of my favorite veggie taco recipes, as well as a guide to making your own.

When I’m in the mood for a fun dinner, I make vegetarian tacos. Jack mixes up margaritas, I set out a taco bar for two, and we each fill our tortillas just the way we like them. The process is quick and easy, and at the end, we get to dig in to flavorful veggie tacos. To me, it’s a pretty perfect night. In case you’re looking for a fun way to change up your dinner routine, I’m sharing 11 of my favorite vegetarian taco recipes below. They’d be perfect for Cinco de Mayo this week, but honestly, we make…

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

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.