Spicy Margarita

Jalapeños give this spicy margarita recipe a delicious kick. Tart and refreshing, it's perfect for a happy hour or summer entertaining.

Meet my go-to spicy margarita recipe! Like a classic margarita, it’s tart and refreshing, but jalapeño peppers give it an extra kick of heat. This spicy margarita recipe is easy to make. You only need 6 simple ingredients, and it comes together quickly in a cocktail shaker. Enjoy it with tortilla chips, guacamole, and/or salsa at a happy hour, Cinco de Mayo, or summer gathering. Cheers! Spicy Margarita Ingredients To make this jalapeño margarita recipe, you need 6 simple ingredients: Tequila – Use any good-quality blanco tequila (aka silver tequila) in this recipe. We like Espolon tequila, but feel free…

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Favorite Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes

My favorite vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes - sides, salads, mashed potatoes, stuffing, main dishes, and dessert. Vegan and gluten-free options.

Does anyone else feel like Thanksgiving is SO early this year?! Five minutes ago it was summer, then the leaves were falling, then we had a bit of snow last week(!), so needless to say, it’s suddenly holiday season! Whether you’re hosting the big meal or you’ve been assigned to bring a salad or side dish, here are a few recipe ideas. This is a short list of recipes that are my favorites right now. There are also tons more listed under the Thanksgiving tab of our recipe index. Start the meal off with this Butternut Squash Hummus. In my…

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Ultimate Crudité Platter

Move over, grocery store veggie tray - here's the ultimate crudité platter for any party! Full of sweet & savory components, it's a delicious appetizer.

I love a good crudité platter. I feel like they get a bad rap because the grocery store versions with the sad celery, raw cauliflower, and grubby carrots are never the most exciting appetizer at a party, but this board fixes that by being bright, fun, and delicious! It’s a yummy mix of fresh things, salty/savory bites, and even a sweet element from the delectable Tart Cherry Thyme Compound Butter. Each little recipe is made up of super simple combinations of creative ingredients that, together, make a really unique crudité platter! I brought this board to my family’s Father’s Day…

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Mother’s Day Recipes + a Giveaway!

A group of my favorite recipes that will be perfect for Mother's Day - brunch recipes, group recipes, seasonal recipes and dessert!

Mother’s Day is this weekend! That sure came up quick! In case you need some recipe inspiration, here are a few of my favorites that I think would be perfect for the occasion. Plus, see below for an extra special giveaway 🙂 For brunch: I love these lightly sweet Coconut Mango Muffins. I often keep them in my freezer for a weekday breakfast or snack. To make them brunch-able, serve with the mini frittatas below: These little Mini Tomato Frittatas with Dill are as cute as they are delicious. I absolutely love the combo of dill and eggs. These little guys are…

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Kentucky Derby Party Recipes

As you know, the Kentucky Derby® is right around the corner (did you see last week’s Sparkling Mint Juleps?). Today I’m partnering with 14 Hands Wine to share some Derby Day party tips, recipes, and a few great wine pairings. It’s time break out your fancy hats, pour some wine and get started! First up are these colorful open-faced (crust off!) tea sandwiches. These are super easy to make if you make the spread ahead of time and assemble these just before your guests arrive. Instead of a cream cheese spread I made an herbal creamy dill spread by blending sunflower…

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Sweet Tea Sparkling Apple Cider

Sweet Tea Sparkling Apple Cider is the best fall/Thanksgiving cocktail! With just 6 ingredients, it's easy to make and full of festive fall flavors!

Happy almost-Thanksgiving week! Do you have your menu set? Are you getting together with family or having a Friendsgiving? Either way – here’s a sweet and oh-so-pretty cocktail that would be lovely for your turkey day. This one couldn’t be easier: mix apple cider with iced tea, let it chill for about 2 hours with diced apples, cinnamon sticks and star anise. When your guests arrive, pull it out of the fridge and serve with sparkling wine. That’s it!

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A Fall Wine Party (& a video!)

Fall entertaining tips, appetizer recipes and a delicious pumpkin hummus recipe.

A few weeks ago I threw this simple, fun Friday night wine party. Here in Austin, it was the first day of fall (read: the first day that the temps dropped below 90 degrees)… I invited some of my closest friends, served up some fall-inspired appetizers and (to keep things easy!) opened up a few boxes of Bota Box wines. Here was my menu: – Roasted Butternut Squash Crostini w/ Sage – Assorted Cheese Platter – Pumpkin Hummus (recipe below) I roasted cubes of butternut squash and topped them onto crostini with lemon ricotta and fried sage. This is my…

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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.

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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Vegetarian 4th of July Recipes

Happy long weekend! I hope you all have some exciting 4th of July plans! And what I really mean by that is I hope you have more exciting plans than we do. We’re pretty jet lagged so we’ll probably be celebrating the red white and blue on the sofa with some Orange is the New Black. However, if I DO get up the energy to cook, I think this would be such a delicious veggie-forward summer menu: Pictured above: Baby Bella Veggie Kabobs Watermelon St. Germain Cocktails / Tomato Basil Peach Skewers Vegetarian Orzo Stuffed Peppers Chile Lime Grilled Corn on…

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10 Vegetarian Memorial Day Recipes

Healthy, delicious recipes to serve at your Memorial Day picnic or BBQ!

Is it Friday yet? I’m SO ready for the long weekend. After a whirlwind 2 days in Toronto this week promoting the book, I’m ready to relax, sleep in, and of course eat some yummy food! If you’re hosting (or heading to) a picnic or BBQ this weekend – here are some very favorite Memorial Day veggie ideas: Pictured above: Portobello Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Sauce First things first, get your guests a cocktail! Mix up a big batch of this ginger peach sangria. It’s light and refreshing – my favorite summer cocktail. Serve it along with chunky Avocado, Black…

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Spring Brunch Recipes

healthy, fresh entertaining options for Easter Sunday or your next spring brunch!

Happy second day of spring! I don’t know where you live, but it’s been absolutely gorgeous around here lately so I’m going to brag about it a little bit. The sun is shining, colorful vegetables are showing up at the markets, and mint (a.k.a the only thing my black thumb can “grow”), is spreading like a weed in our yard. I’m not sure what our Easter brunch plans are yet, but I’m already looking forward to the weekend. If you’re starting to plan your holiday meal, here are a some of my favorite fresh & bright brunch recipe ideas to get you started! pictured…

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

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.