Tzatziki

This fresh tzatziki recipe will liven up any summer meal! Rich, creamy & full of fresh herbs, it's delicious on pita, grilled veggies, sandwiches, and more!

Break out the pita, it’s tzatziki time! On Monday, I posted my favorite Greek salad, and now I’m following it up with another Greek essential: this cool, refreshing cucumber tzatziki sauce. One of the best parts of summer is that dinner suddenly becomes easy. My favorite ingredients – fresh fruits and veggies – are at their peak. Tomatoes are sweeter and juicier, berries are plumper, peppers are snappier, and our backyard herbs are at their most potent.  Sometimes, when I want to put these peak-season veggies front and center, making dinner just means prepping a sauce to dress them up. This tzatziki…

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Greek Salad

This easy Greek salad recipe is our new favorite summer side dish! Just 7 ingredients + a simple Greek salad dressing make it refreshing & delicious.

I love a good green salad – mixed greens, romaine, and kale are some of my favorite starting points for fresh, healthy meals. But summer is a time when all vegetables are at their peak. Sweet, juicy tomatoes, snappy bell peppers, and crisp cucumbers abound. This Greek salad recipe showcases these veggies, without any greens to get in the way. And the best past? Because the vegetables are in their prime, this Greek salad recipe is flavorful and refreshing with just a few ingredients. You only need 7 ingredients + an easy homemade Greek salad dressing to make it! It’s been a hit…

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Crostini Appetizers

Make a big, beautiful tray of easy crostini appetizers for your next gathering! With 6 flavor pairings, you'll have something for everyone.

Now that the 4th of July has come and gone, summer is in full swing. Not only are we (finally) seeing sunny skies and warm weather, but we’ve also had a lot of visitors in the last few weeks. Jack’s sister was in town for the 4th, and his parents were in a week earlier. We’ve had friends visiting as well! With company in the house, I always like to have a few good appetizer ideas up my sleeve. Different people like to eat at different times, and I never want guests to starve while they wait for dinner to…

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Vegan Tacos

Jerk-spiced jackfruit and mango avocado salsa pack these vegan tacos with a big punch of flavor! They're bright, fresh, and fun to eat.

When I flipped through the Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook by Nisha Vora, these jerk-spiced vegan tacos caught my attention right away. Combining jerk seasoning with ginger, tamari, and meaty jackfruit isn’t something I would have thought of myself. But wow, wow, wow, were these delicious! In the past, I’ve made vegan taco recipes with roasted sweet potato, black beans, a ground beef-like mushroom taco “meat,” and more, but this jackfruit filling is one of my new favorites. It has a fantastic hearty texture and bold, spicy flavor that’s perfectly accented by a sweet and juicy mango avocado salsa. I’m obsessed with…

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Carrot Smørrebrød Crisps

Inspired by open-faced Danish Smørrebrød sandwiches, I made an all-veggie version using smoky roasted & marinated carrots instead of salmon.

A few years ago, Jack and I visited Copenhagen, where we ate lots and lots (and lots) of Smørrebrød. If you aren’t familiar with smørrebrød, they are open faced sandwiches with artfully-piled toppings on dense, rectangle-shaped rye bread. It’s the national dish of Denmark… that I’m about to make a completely non-traditional version of – but this is super yummy, so let’s just have fun and go with it! 🙂 Smørrebrød toppings vary widely, but many common combinations include smoked salmon and dill. I’ve been wanting to create a fun veggie variation for a while now, so when Wasa, my favorite…

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Falafel Flatbread

Made with chickpea flour, this easy flatbread is gluten-free. Its spiced, falafel-like flavor is delicious with your favorite Mediterranean toppings!

Everyone loves falafel and everyone loves flatbread – this recipe is both in one! It’s cookbook season and I’m excited to share this falafel flatbread recipe from the book Healthier Together. Yes, my new book just came out last week, but if you know me, you know that I LOVE cookbooks, and I can never have too many. More is more when it comes to food inspiration 🙂 Today, I’m excited to share a book by my friend Liz Moody (you might know her as the food editor of Mind Body Green), but she also has a great blog, fantastic…

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Banh Mi Sandwich

Instead of stuffing this banh mi sandwich with meat, I fill it with zesty marinated tofu. Pickled veggies and cilantro leaves take it over the top.

When I lived in Austin, I got a tofu banh mi sandwich from two different Vietnamese restaurants as often as I could. Stuffed with sweet and tangy pickles, herbs, creamy mayo, and more, the sandwiches were hearty and comforting, but still refreshing. My mouth is watering just thinking about them! Since we’ve moved, I’m still searching for a great banh mi in Chicago (let me know if any of you have suggestions!). Until I find one, I’ll be making this yummy banh mi recipe to curb my cravings at home. What is banh mi? Banh mi sandwiches are a Vietnamese…

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Maki Sushi Recipe

Fun & fresh maki sushi rolls made with brown rice, roasted shiitakes, cabbage, cucumber, avocado, and a tangy carrot-ginger dipping sauce.

It’s sushi day! You might be wondering – why the heck would you roll sushi at home when it’s so much easier to order it at a restaurant? Because this maki sushi recipe is fun, affordable, and way more fresh than take-out sushi… but the best part is that you can get creative about what you choose to fill your rolls with. No more cucumber-only veggie sushi rolls! These maki sushi rolls are filled with savory roasted shiitake mushrooms, avocado, cucumber, and red cabbage for crunch & color. There’s also a fun dipping sauce – the carrot ginger dressing from…

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Shawarma Wraps

Shawarma spiced chickpeas, creamy hummus, spicy zhoug, and fresh veggies fill warm pita bread in this delicious vegetarian wrap recipe.

I’m obsessed with these shawarma wraps! I loved them so much that after we took these photos, I thought about them all day, I dreamt about them that night, and when I woke up, I ate the last leftover wrap for breakfast. I would not consider these “breakfast” wraps – I just didn’t have the willpower to wait for lunch. I mean, the shawarma spiced chickpeas, the creamy hummus, the spicy zhoug chile paste, and the juicy/crispy veggies… this is what dreams are made of… at least if you’re me. How pretty are they?! They’re so fresh and delicious! Once…

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Fennel and Peach Salad

This summer salad has all my favorite ingredients: fresh herbs, crisp fennel & juicy peaches. Pistachios, pesto & feta give it tangy, rich pops of flavor.

I think fennel is way too underrated. It’s one of my absolute favorite vegetables and I’m just waiting for the day that it becomes “the new” kale so that everyone will love fennel salad as much as I do. The wisps of raw fennel soak up olive oil and lemon juice just enough that they wilt slightly, but still keep a tender bite. To complement them, I like to add something juicy (peaches!), something creamy (feta and/or pesto), and something crunchy (pistachios). My Fennel Peach Salad Recipe Ingredients Here’s what’s in this delicious summer salad: Shaved fennel, for a crisp,…

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Cherry Tomato Couscous Salad

This Israeli couscous salad recipe is packed with raw & roasted cherry tomatoes, feta, chickpeas & herbs. Perfect for a picnic or packing for lunch!

Whenever I’m styling (and eating) something as herb-heavy as this Israeli couscous salad, I start to wonder if a year-round indoor herb garden is possible. I love having a ton of fresh herbs right outside my door, and I’m really going to miss them when they’re gone. They’re so delicious in summer recipes like this couscous salad, and they’re oh so PRETTY. I often get asked about my food photography/styling tips and my best tip is always: Whatever dish you have, smother it in herbs! Aside from lots of fresh thyme and basil, this couscous salad recipe is all about…

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

Welcome to Love & Lemons!

I'm Jeanine Donofrio, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer. I share fresh, delicious vegetarian recipes that celebrate seasonal ingredients and flavors.

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