What is Nutritional Yeast?

If you're wondering, "What is nutritional yeast?", you're in the right place! Read on to learn about what this tasty umami ingredient is and how to use it.

One of the most common questions readers ask me is, “What is nutritional yeast?”. I get it! At one time, this funky, flaky yellow powder seemed like a totally out-there ingredient to me. But today, it has a permanent place in my pantry. I use it for making “cheesy” vegan sauces and dips, punching up popcorn, and adding savory flavor to soups, scrambles, and more. Because so many of you have asked about nutritional yeast, I thought it deserved a post of its own. Below, you’ll find my Nutritional Yeast 101, complete with info on what nutritional yeast actually is,…

TO THE POST >>>>

Roasted Asparagus

This oven roasted asparagus recipe is such an easy and delicious spring side dish. The vibrant, crisp-tender spears bake in under 15 minutes!

spring / side dishes

Have you made roasted asparagus yet this spring? I’ve been making it left and right lately, serving it as a side dish multiple times a week. After a winter filled with root veggies and sweet potatoes, I can’t get enough of the juicy, tender spears, lightly crisp and browned from the oven. One of the best things about this roasted asparagus recipe, and one of the reasons I make it so often, is that it’s just so easy. Asparagus is a breeze to prep, and it bakes in under 15 minutes. If you want to keep things really simple, season…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Creamy Dill Sauce

This creamy lemon dill sauce is delicious on grilled and roasted vegetables, salads, and more. Made with 6 ingredients, it comes together in minutes.

spring / dressings & sauces

This dill sauce recipe rose out of my favorite kind of cooking: the kind where you open the fridge, look inside, and cook with what you have on hand. A few weeks ago, I had a massive bunch of fresh dill leftover from making this avocado dressing, and I was searching for ways to use it up. I’d already sprinkled dill over avocado toast and poached eggs, tossed it into salads, and whizzed it into soup (seriously, it was a big bunch). I had some gorgeous asparagus I wanted to cook too, and I thought it would be nice to…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Asparagus Salad

Nothing says, "Spring!" like this asparagus salad recipe. It's light and refreshing, made with crisp veggies, feta, and a creamy avocado dressing.

spring / salads

Each year, I make this asparagus salad recipe to celebrate the arrival of spring…which, in Chicago, is usually later than you’d think. See, in all the years that we’ve lived here, it’s snowed on Jack’s April birthday. So when we have the odd warm day in March or early April, I don’t get my hopes up. “Winter isn’t over yet,” I tell myself, “Don’t get used to this.” But this year, Jack’s birthday arrived…and it didn’t snow. It was still a little chilly, but the air smelled clean and fresh, and tulips and daffodils bloomed around the neighborhood. Dare I…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Avocado Dressing

This avocado dressing recipe is bright, creamy, and super easy to make! Toss it with a salad, drizzle it over roasted veggies, or add it to a grain bowl.

dressings & sauces

I could eat this creamy, dreamy, dairy-free avocado dressing on just about anything. A salad? Of course! Roasted veggies? Yes, please. A grain bowl? I’m hungry already. This avocado dressing is rich, smooth, and bright, with a subtle complexity from fresh dill. It’s made with a few basic ingredients, and it whizzes up in minutes. The next time you have a ripe avocado on hand, be sure to try it. You’re going to love this recipe! Avocado Dressing Recipe Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe: Avocado, of course! I often make creamy salad dressings with nuts or…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Quick Pickled Radishes

Get ready to fall in love with this quick pickled radish recipe! The crunchy, tangy, salty veggies are perfect for jazzing up tacos, toast, salads, and more.

spring / snacks & dips

If you opened my fridge right now, you’d see jars upon jars of these quick pickled radishes lined up inside. They’re so pretty and pink that it’s almost a shame to eat them. I love the vibrant patterns the radishes create against the glass, all those circles and stripes. The natural beauty of these humble root veggies never ceases to amaze me. Still, eat them I will. Tangy, salty, and delightfully crisp, they’re an addictive snack or topping for toast, tacos, bowls, burgers, salads…just about anything you like! This pickled radish recipe is easy to make (the fridge does most…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Artichoke Dipping Sauce

This rich, tangy artichoke dipping sauce is a delicious partner for steamed artichokes. Made with 7 simple ingredients, it comes together in minutes.

Is it just me, or is half the fun of eating artichokes the sauce you serve with them? This artichoke dipping sauce recipe has been a favorite of ours lately. It’s creamy, rich, and tangy, a perfect savory accent for the bright, nutty artichoke leaves and heart. It’s easy to make (you only need 7 ingredients, and one of them’s pepper!), and it comes together in a fraction of the time it takes to cook artichokes. Sit back and relax while they steam, and whip up the artichoke dipping sauce right before you eat! Artichoke Dipping Sauce Recipe Ingredients You…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

How to Cook Artichokes

Once you learn how to cook artichokes, you won't be able to get enough of them! In the spring, I make this steamed artichoke recipe on repeat.

A few years back, when I saw a fresh artichoke at the farmers market for the first time, I knew immediately that I’d be taking it home. It was so pretty, with its tightly packed petals and thick stem tinged with purple. How could I resist it? But when I got back to the house, I realized that I had one tiny problem….I had no clue how to cook artichokes. That spring, I passed off the artichoke prep to my mom, who happened to be visiting (thanks, Mom!), but since then, I’ve mastered how to cook artichokes myself. I wanted to…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Love & Lemons Cooking Club – April!

Join the April Love & Lemons Cooking Club Challenge! It's easy to enter, and one lucky winner will receive a prize. Find all the details below.

Last fall, I created the Love & Lemons Cooking Club to celebrate our wonderful community of readers. It’s super simple – each month, I choose a recipe. You make it, and you email me a photo. At the end of the month, I randomly select one winner to receive a prize. I love the sense of community that comes from so many people cooking one recipe each month. We’re kicking off our April challenge today with our Caesar Salad recipe, and I hope you’ll join in the fun! Here’s how it works: The Prize: A $200 Whole Foods Gift Card! At…

TO THE POST >>>>

Simple Green Salad

This green salad recipe is simple, but it's still packed with delicious textures and flavors. It's a perfect side dish - you can serve it with almost anything!

spring / salads

We all need a good green salad recipe in our back pocket…which is why I can’t believe that in almost 10(!) years of blogging, I haven’t shared a simple green salad until today. That’s not to say that there’s a shortage of salad recipes on the site (broccoli salad, pasta salad, or avocado salad, anyone?). But it has been missing a quick, refreshing salad that you can toss together at the last minute and serve with almost anything. Well, let me introduce you to my favorite green salad recipe. It’s simple, but it doesn’t skimp at all on texture or…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Breakfast Potatoes

You're going to LOVE this breakfast potatoes recipe! It's super easy to make, and the potatoes come out perfectly crispy and golden brown every time.

breakfast / side dishes

What’s not to love about breakfast potatoes? They’re crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and seasoned to perfection with smoky, savory spices. They’re SO simple to make, and they taste great with just about any breakfast food. Not sure what to serve with that tofu scramble or frittata? Breakfast potatoes to the rescue! You’ll find my easy breakfast potatoes recipe below. It’s a standby in our house – I make it whenever I’m cooking brunch, whether it’s for my whole family or just Jack and me. I offer two variations in the recipe. In one, you just roast…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.