Like macaroni salad and potato salad, three bean salad takes me right back to my childhood. It was something I ate at potlucks, picnics, and even the occasional school lunch. I remember liking the sweet and tangy dressing, but the mushy canned green beans? Not so much. So, to kick off picnic salad season this year, I’ve got a new three bean salad recipe to share with you. In many ways, it’s just like the one I ate as a kid. It features dark red kidney beans and hearty garbanzos, and it’s tossed in a punchy (though considerably less sweet)…

These BBQ sides will steal the show at any summer cookout. They range from creamy potato salad to summery slaws to herb-flecked pasta salad and smoky grilled watermelon. Even with this variety, these BBQ side dishes all have a few things in common. They’re easy to prepare, they spotlight summer produce, and they’re fresh and delicious. Make one for your next summer gathering. I promise it’ll be a hit! Our Best BBQ Sides Easy Pasta Salad If I’m tasked with preparing a side dish for a picnic or cookout, this recipe is my go-to. Packed with pasta, chickpeas, and tangy feta…

Right after radishes and asparagus, bok choy is one of the first vegetables to appear at our local farmers markets in the spring. I love this Asian leafy green. If you haven’t worked with it before, it has a delicate flavor with hints of mustardy spice, and you can eat every part of it – the crisp, juicy stalks as well as the lush, dark green leaves. It lends itself well to all sorts of recipes. Try tossing it into a stir fry or soup. Steam it and add it to a grain bowl. Or enjoy it raw in a…

I’m a convert: this Instant Pot quinoa recipe is my new favorite method for cooking quinoa. It’s quick, it’s reliable, and – most importantly – it’s hands-off. I love that I can add the quinoa to the Instant Pot, get it cooking, and move on to something else. Whether I check on it in 20 minutes or in an hour, I’ll end up with a pot of fluffy, perfectly cooked grains. Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe Ingredients To be clear, if you love cooking quinoa on the stove, there’s no reason you shouldn’t keep doing it. My stovetop quinoa recipe and…

This post is in partnership with Lundberg Family Farms. When I want to make a simple, yet satisfying, dinner or lunch, quinoa is one of the first ingredients I turn to. I always have a bag of Lundberg’s organic quinoa on hand – it cooks quickly, it’s rich in nutrients like fiber and protein, and it’s super versatile, too. At this point, I’ve used it in smoky veggie burgers, hearty stews, and salads galore. All that, and I’m still finding new ways to use it! This spring quinoa dish was one of my more recent experiments, and we liked it so…

If you need a last-minute side dish for Mother’s Day, I think this watercress salad would be perfect. It’s exactly the kind of dish I like to serve at a special occasion meal. Light and refreshing, it provides a welcome contrast to heartier fare like cinnamon rolls (at brunch) or a saucy, cheesy lasagna (at dinner). And while it’s simple to make, it’s a bit more unexpected than a regular green salad. The watercress gives it a peppery bite, which I tame with sweet, juicy orange segments and a bright champagne vinaigrette. Mozzarella and avocado add creamy richness, and toasted…

It’s spring, which means I’m cooking radish recipes on repeat! Here in Chicago, radishes are some of the first vegetables to pop up at the farmers markets. Every year, I eagerly wait for them to appear. And when they finally do, I fill my bag with as many bunches of them as I can carry. What can I say? I just can’t resist their peppery pink roots and lush greens. Luckily, when I bring them home, I have no shortage of ways to use them. Of course, I can munch on them raw, but I can also roast them, pickle…

We all go crazy over spinach and kale, but when was the last time you cooked Swiss chard? This vibrant leafy green is one of my favorite vegetables to work with. It’s endlessly versatile – my go-to Swiss chard recipes range from smoky Mojo bowls to a lemony pasta – and its stems are just as edible as its dark green leaves. Because I think we could all be cooking it more often, I wanted to share a little Swiss chard 101 today. If you’ve never worked with chard before, I hope these tips and recipes will encourage you to…

Everyone raves about Italian pasta and pizza, but if you ask me, polenta deserves just as much love. A north Italian porridge made of coarsely ground cornmeal, polenta is wonderfully creamy, with a lightly sweet, buttery corn flavor. Unlike oat porridge, it’s not a traditional breakfast food. Though I do eat it for breakfast on occasion (see page 49 of Love and Lemons Every Day!), I most often enjoy this smooth, savory porridge for dinner. Topped with cheese, herbs, cooked vegetables, or a flavorful sauce, it transforms into a mouthwatering comfort food. Below, you’ll find my go-to method for making…

The next time you need a quick and easy veggie side dish, look no further than this sautéed mushrooms recipe. It calls for 8 ingredients and cooks up in 15 minutes, so it’s insanely simple to make. And it’s insanely flavorful, too! As you likely know, fresh mushrooms have a rich, umami flavor on their own. Here, I highlight it with a drizzle of tamari and tangy rice vinegar. Then, I punch things up with garlic and a shower of fresh tarragon. These basic ingredients combine to make the sautéed mushrooms wonderfully savory and complex. They pair well with pasta,…

Freezer meals are what I turn to when I want to get a quick, healthy dinner on the table on a busy weeknight. I’m not talking about store-bought frozen dinners, but the soups, stews, and casseroles that I make ahead and freeze myself. Stored and reheated the right way, these freezer meals are just as flavorful as they were on the day they were made. When I have a stash of them on hand, making a delicious, healthy dinner is as simple as heating one up! Below, you’ll find my favorite freezer meals to make ahead, along with my best…

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