Meyer Lemon Madeleines

These Meyer lemon madeleines are light, sweet, and perfect for sharing on Valentine's Day. Dust them with powdered sugar for an extra special touch.

If I had to pick a favorite holiday, it would have to be Valentine’s Day. I’ve always loved the day because really, it’s so… simple. The only real rule is that you need to show people you love them. Check back Friday for a date night story about Jack and me, but I’m dedicating this post to the person that made this day my favorite when I was a kid – my mom. Growing up, she always made Valentine’s Day so special for me and my sister. For at least a week leading up to February 14th, we would make crafts with…

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Easiest Chia Pudding

This simple chia pudding recipe is one of my favorite make-ahead breakfasts. Creamy & lightly sweet, it's a healthy way to start the day!

I have to admit, I can’t wait to see some food trends, even the healthy ones, come to an end. I felt this way about chia pudding for, oh, about three years… but it’s all over now. I’ve joined the chia seed pudding club, and I’m in love. My chia relationship was an unfair one from the start. At first, I judged chia seeds because I thought those little gray balls just looked funny. Then came all of those gorgeous chia bowls floating around the internet, and they made me almost want to try chia, but not quite. Earlier this…

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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!

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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Sparkling Paloma Cocktail

A lighter recipe for a paloma cocktail made with sparkling water and agave nectar. Perfect for New Years Eve or happy hours all winter long!

Happy (almost) new year and also – happy citrus season! If you were thinking “hmm… maybe margaritas for New Years Eve this year?” then you’ve come to the right place. Well almost. I originally planned to make a version of my go-to pomegranate cocktail when these sweet ruby red grapefruits showed up in my Farmhouse box last week. They were a lovely surprise because, well, I’ve been over-doing it on the pomegranates lately, and I was so excited by the idea of a pink drink instead. While Jack is not a fan of grapefruit in general, he loves a paloma cocktail – essentially a grapefruit margarita. This is a slightly lighter…

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Edible DIY Gift Ideas (+ printables!)

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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Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Butternut squash stuffed shells are the ultimate fall comfort food! Filled with creamy spinach "ricotta," this recipe is an all-time fan favorite.

Creamy, tangy, and with a caramelized sweetness from roasted butternut squash, this stuffed shells recipe is one you’re sure to love. In lieu of any ricotta, Parmesan, or mozzarella cheese, I stuff them with a light, dairy-free “ricotta.” Made from cashew cream, crumbled tofu, herbs, and lemon zest, it’s rich and flavorful. If your family is squeamish about tofu, just don’t tell them. They’ll never suspect it here. My Favorite Stuffed Shells Recipe While I often use a marinara sauce with my stuffed shells, in the spirit of fall, I opted for a luscious, creamy cashew sauce. I also stuffed my shells…

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Pumpkin Avocado Tostadas

Pumpkin Avocado Tostadas are a fun fall snack or weeknight dinner! Topped with chile pumpkin spread, sliced avocado & lime. Healthy, vegan & gluten-free.

“They” say you should eat an apple a day – but according to everyone’s Instagram feeds these days, I think we can all agree that the almighty avocado is the way to go. I don’t care if they’re trendy or not, the good fat that you get from avocados always makes for a delicious, nutrient-dense meal or mid-day snack. In an effort not to show you yet another version of avocado toast – I have the next best thing – the avocado tostada. It’s like avocado toast in disguise. I baked organic corn tortillas until crispy, layered them with an…

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Super Stuffed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

A good stuffed sweet potato starts with the "stuff," and this fresh corn, black bean & red cabbage filling makes these guys totally irresistible.

I’m slowly becoming a baked potato lover, but not just any baked potato lover. I still can’t get behind white baked potatoes slathered with sour cream and butter, but I could eat these mega stuffed sweet potatoes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Case in point, as I started writing this post, I went and polished off the leftovers I was saving for my lunch… for breakfast. I’m telling you, I have no self-control sometimes. A good stuffed sweet potato, of course, starts with the “stuff.” I made my filling by mixing black beans with corn, Cotija cheese, avocado, jalapeño, and generous squeezes of…

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Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls are a fun & healthy fall dinner! Vegan & gluten-free, they're filled with poblano cashew cream, veggies & black beans.

And just like that, it’s squash season again! Admittedly, until last year, spaghetti squash was not my favorite. I think butternut gets all the fall glory and poor spaghetti squash, well, it’s just inaccurately named. The name implies that you can sauce it up and twirl it with a fork – and if that’s what you’re craving, maybe go check out one of these recipes. If you’re up for roasted squash strands fluffed up with a fork and stuffed with delicious things, then keep reading! I had this small-ish spaghetti squash that was the perfect size to serve as “bowls” for…

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Spicy Mango & Avocado Rice Bowl

It’s been feeling summery around here, so I say – let’s bring on the colorful food! Lately, I’ve been slightly obsessed with these black rice veggie sushi rolls that are new-ish at (our) Whole Foods. One in particular includes mango, avocado and cucumber and I find myself craving it all the time. I’ve had it on my list to recreate it for you for awhile now, but the idea of rolling sushi has felt too labor intensive. For us, at-home sushi making is “sometimes” food. It’s reserved for those special nights when the sake is flowing and we have nothing but extra time……

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Lemon Broccoli Pasta + Exciting News!

I’ll cut to the chase and just start with “exciting news” part – we’re writing a cookbook! I haven’t been overly secretive about it, but it’s official… 288 pages of never-been-blogged-before vegetable-ey goodness will be out next April! (I know, I know, a whole year away – I promise it’ll be worth the wait). It’s being published by Penguin US and Penguin Canada, the teams behind some of my favorite books including Oh She Glows and What Katie Ate. We’ve been hard at work for months now and I can’t wait to show you how it’s coming together! I’ll be sharing updates and previews…

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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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