The husband and I both have summer birthdays, one month apart, which means there have been lots of treats and indulgent meals lately. When we’re not in celebration mode, we’ve been opting for healthier fare to help balance things out, and these falafel and hummus bowls have quickly become a new favorite! ...
vegetarian
Penne with Quick Green Chile Marinara Sauce
This penne with quick green chile marinara sauce is an old recipe, not only because I first posted it several years ago (in my pre-DSLR days) but also because it has been a family favorite for nearly as long as I can remember. In fact, when I asked my dad about the origins of the recipe (and of its obscure name, “penne al boccalone”), all he could tell me was that he found the recipe in a ...
Greek Quinoa Salad with Feta Vinaigrette
Spring has not yet sprung in Michigan, but I’m excited to be emerging from my blog hibernation at long last! A lot has happened in the three months since my most recent post. ...
Mexican-Inspired Hummus Bowls
Earlier this summer, I came up with a recipe to imitate Trader Joe’s cowboy caviar, and I’ve made it three additional times since then. The only downside to making it at home is that it doesn’t keep as long as the store-bought version—and I suppose that’s the natural tradeoff when there are fewer preservatives involved. Since the recipe makes quite a bit, I’ve been finding new uses ...
Copycat Trader Joe’s Cowboy Caviar
When I was deciding where to go to grad school, I found that the advice I received fell into two different camps: some people urged me to consider the location and general atmosphere of the university, while others insisted that I should only pay attention to the reputation of the program and what it had to offer academically. Ultimately, since I’m not the kind of person who can happily exist in a ...
Chickpea and Apricot Salad
This will come as a surprise to, well, approximately no one, but wow - wedding planning sure involves a lot of work! Things are slowly starting to move along, but I feel like my approach leaves a lot to be desired in the way of logic and order. ...
Mediterranean Rice Pilaf
A few weeks ago, after passing his defense and going from Mr. Cake Pants to Dr. Cake Pants, the fiancé moved to California to start a new job. One of the biggest changes for both of us (in terms of practical matters, anyway) has been making the transition to meal planning and cooking for one. Since I’m finding myself busier than ever, I’m not terribly keen on the idea of making partial recipes and ...
Cherry Couscous Tabbouleh
Is it fall yet? This summer has been the hottest summer I’ve experienced in Michigan (although the single hottest day I remember was, naturally, the one on which I moved into my first apartment here), and I am ready for some cooler weather. As a kid, I could tell when it was going to be a scorcher of a day whenever I saw my mom making pasta salad in the morning—that was her strategy to avoid ...
Pesto Caprese Egg Tacos + Third Blogiversary!
One of my favorite things about summer is fresh, homegrown produce. Unfortunately, I’ve got a remarkably brown thumb. I know lots of people say that, but I’ve even killed ivy…by accident. Luckily for me, the boyfriend enjoys and is good at taking care of plants, and his garden is thriving this summer. The most abundant crops so far are tomatoes and basil, which led me to the idea for this quick ...
Tzatziki Potato Salad
Happy Tuesday! I’m posting today instead of yesterday because of the holiday weekend—I was so busy with other things that I didn’t have time to write a post until late last night. And I know, I know…I’m posting a recipe for potato salad the day after the Fourth of July, but in my defense, I firmly believe that potato salad ought to be enjoyed all summer long (if not all year long), rather than ...