A few weeks ago, I went out to dinner with friends at a neighborhood Mexican restaurant. As we looked over the menu (I was deciding between portobello tacos or veggie enchiladas as my entree), we agreed to kick things off with guacamole for the table. It seemed like a no-brainer. Restaurant guac may not be cheap (that one bowl cost us $16!), but it would certainly be delicious. At least, I thought it would be. In reality, it…wasn’t great, filled with watery tomatoes and not nearly enough lime or salt. I mean, $16?! It reminded me of the major benefit…

This post is sponsored by Culligan. I’ve been a huge fan for years! Who else is ready for spring?! The temps have (finally) been warming up around here lately, which has put me in the mood for refreshing spring salads and iced drinks. For the past few weekends, I’ve been making a big pitcher of iced hibiscus tea to drink throughout the week. It has tart, cranberry-like flavor that I love, and it’s packed with antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-carotene. I feel especially good about drinking it because I make it with fresh, filtered Culligan water from my kitchen tap.…

And so it begins: my egg salad kick. Every year after Easter, I make this egg salad recipe to use up the hard boiled eggs left over from my family’s celebration. That first batch of egg salad reminds me just how fresh, bright, and flavorful this recipe is, and I end up making it on repeat for lunch throughout the spring. The funny part about all this is that just a few years ago, I thought I didn’t like egg salad. I wrote it off because it fell into my least favorite category of food—mushy. I also had a few…

My husband Jack and I don’t usually see eye to eye when it comes to holiday side dishes. He’d take creamed spinach over a spinach salad any day, and I’m team salad all the way. His favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner is the mashed potatoes, whereas I’d be just as happy with mashed cauliflower. But at Easter dinner, we both agree: Scalloped potatoes are the best part of the meal. They’re the one side dish my family makes for Easter every single year, and they’re always my favorite part of dinner. If you’re not familiar, they consist of thin potato…

I know what you’re thinking—“Soup?! But isn’t it spring??” It’s certainly felt like it in Chicago over the past few days. We’ve had a gorgeous stretch of sunny weather that’s made me start craving asparagus, carrot cake, and other spring-y things. But I’m not switching over into full-on spring mode just yet. I’m holding onto soup season until at least March 17. That’s because I make this cabbage soup for St. Patrick’s Day each year. Packed with potatoes, carrots, and a full pound of cabbage, this humble, hearty dish is a delicious way to honor my Irish heritage. My favorite…

I look forward to Super Bowl Sunday every year. Not for the big game…but for the snacks. If you’re anything like me, you start planning your snack spread weeks in advance. Maybe you’re making guacamole, deviled eggs, or buffalo cauliflower. Those are all great picks! But today, I’m making the case for adding one other snack to your game day menu: Jalapeño popper dip! It captures all the flavors of a perfect popper (smoky! spicy! tangy!), but delivers them in creamy, scoopable form. If that sentence alone hasn’t convinced you to try it… Here are 3 reasons why I love…

Every January, I have the same goal: to eat lots of vegetables. For the first few weeks, it’s easy. I get a kick of New Year’s energy and toss together salads and blend up smoothies on repeat. The fact that it’s ten degrees outside doesn’t phase me. But once we get to the second half of the month, the…well, winteriness of the season sets in. I don’t want a salad for dinner—I want something comforting and warming. Bonus points if it comes together in under 30 minutes. That’s when I turn to this easy dumpling soup. It’s still loaded with…

The weather app is forecasting single digits in Chicago next week. I can’t say I’m looking forward to the ultra-cold temps, but I am excited to cozy up in the kitchen and make a big pot of soup. My carrot ginger soup, to be specific. I first shared this recipe 10(!!) years ago, and I’ve made it countless times since. To me, it’s the ideal meal for a cold winter day. Here’s why I love this carrot ginger soup recipe: It’s super simple. We’re talking 7 ingredients! Most of them are pantry basics, so I can often whip up this…

Part of my job is cooking. A lot! While I love all the recipes I publish, I can’t say that every single one makes it into my regular rotation. Sometimes I’m just too busy testing new recipes to keep revisiting old ones. But every once in a while, I find myself coming back to a dish I’ve shared—over and over and over again. These recipes aren’t fancy. They’re simple, healthy meals that fit into my real, everyday life. Take this kale Caesar salad. Even though I shared the recipe two years ago, it’s still something I make nearly every week.…