Basil Pesto Recipe

Pesto is one of my favorite condiments to keep on hand. Try these easy, fun pesto recipe variations to brighten pasta, salads, roasted veggies & more!

One of my favorite things about summer is the bounty of fresh herbs that are just outside my doorstep. Fresh herbs make any meal instantly more flavorful and beautiful. My favorite thing to do with all of those fresh herbs (aside from sprinkle them on everything) is to make pesto! It’s especially great for lazy summertime cooking. I like to dollop it on grilled vegetables, pasta, spaghetti squash, salads, eggs, toasted bread, pizza, sandwiches… you get the idea. With just a few easy steps, it makes anything an instant tasty meal, whether you feel like cooking or not. What is…

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Pickled Jalapeños

Make these pickled jalapeños once, and you'll be hooked. Sweet & spicy, they're great on tacos, burgers & more, or on their own straight from the jar!

summer / vegetarian

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that I’m a huge fan of pickled onions. They’re tangy, they’re sweet, they’re salty – really, they’re just darn good. For the longest time, they’ve been my favorite way to add a bright pop of color and flavor to salads, tacos, sandwiches, and more. But lately, pickled onions have been playing second fiddle to a new quick-pickle favorite: pickled jalapeños! These guys are the perfect blend of spicy, salty, and sweet. And if you’re not a fan of spicy foods, they’re still worth a try. The longer you leave…

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Cilantro Lime Dressing

This tangy cilantro lime dressing is destined for your next taco salad. Enjoy it as a vinaigrette, or add avocado or Greek yogurt to make it creamy!

summer / condiment

This cilantro lime dressing is the perfect summer salad dressing – it’s tangy, it’s herbaceous, and it’s so yummy drizzled over summer salads, grilled veggies, and more. The best part about it this dressing? It can be made 3 ways! Once you make the cilantro lime dressing, serve it as-is, add Greek yogurt to make a creamy ranch-like dressing (pictured in the middle above), or add avocado to make a thick, creamy sauce (pictured left above). Let’s get started! Cilantro Lime Dressing Ingredients I make this dressing in the food processor so that the cilantro gets finely chopped and the…

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Coconut Cream

Rich & fluffy, coconut cream is my go-to substitute for dairy whipped cream. Use this easy coconut whipped cream recipe to top your favorite treats!

vegan / gluten free

Whipped coconut cream is my go-to substitute for regular whipped cream. It’s light, it’s fluffy, and it’s naturally dairy-free making it the perfect topping for cakes, pies, crumbles, or any dessert that would benefit from a dollop of whipped cream. What is coconut cream? In most grocery stores, you’ll find 3 canned coconut products: light coconut milk, full-fat coconut milk, and coconut cream. Coconut and water are the primary ingredients in all three, but they each have different concentrations of coconut. Canned coconut cream has the highest coconut percentage, meaning that it also has the highest fat content and the…

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Ginger Miso Dressing

I love to keep this 6-ingredient citrus miso dressing on hand to brighten up simple veggie dishes. It's great on slaws, salads, and even DIY noodle bowls!

vegan / gluten free / condiment

There’s nothing better than having a vibrant salad dressing on hand in the fridge during a busy work week. When you’re strapped for time, a yummy sauce can make even the simplest meal feel satisfying. Lately, whipping up this citrus miso dressing has been my go-to. It’s a bright, tangy combination of clementine, lemon, miso, garlic, and ginger. In addition to tasting delicious, all of these ingredients have detoxifying properties – so consider this dressing a little health kick too! How to Use Miso Dressing Once you make this miso salad dressing, you’ll use it on everything. Not sure where to start? Try…

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Mix & Match Crostini

Learn how to make crostini with this simple recipe! Crispy, delicious, and easy to make, they're the perfect customizable party appetizer.

summer / entertaining / vegan options

Tell me, who doesn’t love a variety of yummy mix & match toppings on little pieces of grilled bread? Here’s a party idea that you can easily pull off this weekend: grill some bread to make a big batch of crostini, chill some rosé, gather a bunch of toppings (and a bunch of friends)… and you have a fun, casual crostini party! How to Make Crostini Crostini may seem fancy, but making them is actually simple. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re thin slices of grilled or toasted baguette that are great for serving with a variety of toppings. To make…

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Kiwi Avocado Salsa Verde

Change up your usual avocado salsa with a surprising sweet ingredient: kiwi! It's a vibrant, fresh & fun dip that's perfect for parties.

snacks & dips / vegan / gluten free

My husband Jack really loves kiwi. He grew up in Florida, so I always envisioned him growing up among kiwi trees. His grandfather had quite the green thumb, and Jack always tells stories of the fruits and vegetables they would pick and eat together. He talks about kiwi so much that I had just assumed that this tropical fruit was part of that picture as well. Last week when I was trying to dream up a unique salsa recipe, I thought kiwi would be fun and different, and most importantly – Jack would love it. It’s not a fruit I typically…

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Beet Hummus

I love the bright color of this slightly sweet beet hummus. A little cumin & coriander enhance its flavor, making it an addictive appetizer or snack!

appetizers / snacks & dips / vegan

I love the way this beet hummus tastes – it’s slightly sweet, but not too beet-y. Jack, our resident beet-hater, was skeptical as I made this, but he ended up loving it. But what really excites me is the color. It’s so bright and vibrant – exactly what I feel like eating in the middle of winter when the days are bleak and grey. Ok, that’s an exaggeration because it’s actually super sunny here today. But if it’s grey where you are – try out this beet hummus recipe. Beet Hummus Recipe Ingredients To make this recipe, 10 simple ingredients are…

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Hemp Seed & Kale Pesto

An easy 5-ingredient homemade Kale Pesto. Great for fall and winter, this recipe is vegan, gluten-, nut- & dairy-free. Serve on pasta or your favorite dish!

vegan / gluten free

I freaking love pesto. I make it all the time – usually with any herbs, greens, nuts, or seeds I have around. I like to swirl it into my soups, top it onto my eggs, or dollop it onto big salad-ey grain bowls. While there are one or two (or twelve) pesto recipes on this site already, I really love this version, so I think there’s room for one more. Before I started the blog, I would have never imagined just how many people are allergic to nuts. So in the spirit of the healthy new year, this tasty pesto is dairy-free, gluten-free (obviously), and nut-free…

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Edible DIY Gift Ideas (+ printables!)

holiday 2015 / vegan / gluten free

I have to say that my favorite part about Christmas is wrapping the gifts. When I was in college in Chicago, I had a part time job wrapping gifts at the infamous Marshall Fields on State Street. Their gift wrap room was full of rolls of beautiful wrap, ribbon, and bows – it was a small haven from the holiday chaos that was happening everywhere else outside in the city. So recently, when I was given the opportunity to go through The Container Store’s “Gift Wrap Wonderland,” I was positively giddy. Of course they have gift wrap galore, but they also adorable jars, tags,…

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Smoky Sweet Corn Tostadas

Make this easy vegan tostada recipe for a smoky, fun & fresh summer lunch. If you have leftover hummus, store it in the fridge for a quick, healthy snack!

summer / vegan / gluten free

Happy August! I hope corn is in season where you are, because I have a pretty corny tostada recipe today. Let’s just say that I decided to go for the corn trifecta. I started by making some sweet and smoky corn hummus that is a great snack on its own. Then I slathered it onto crispy (baked) corn tortillas. Finally, I topped these with avocado and MORE grilled corn because, well, I was up to my ears in fresh summer corn, and I had to use it somehow. After spending the month of July eating pasta, I feel like a I needed a Texas re-tox.…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.