• RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • NEWSLETTER
  • COOKBOOK
  • SAVED RECIPES
  • Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook
Love and LemonsMenu

Navigation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Recipes
  • My Saved Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

Social

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Kale Quinoa Salad with Pesto

Use your favorite roasted veggies & grains in this easy kale quinoa salad, or make it as Day 2 of our 5-day meal plan with leftovers from Day 1!

vegan / gluten free

Hi, and welcome to my week of meal planning: Day 2! In case you missed yesterday’s post, here’s what’s happening: I started with one base meal – yesterday’s Mean Green Grain Bowls. For 5 days I’ll be making a new meal each day using those base ingredients and components. So you’re basically seeing our real-life dinner, day to day. These recipes are very simple, but this is how we eat in real life – and I thought it would be fun to share that! So here’s today’s: an easy Big Green Kale Quinoa Salad! Something I love to do with leftovers…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Roasted Veggie Grain Bowl

This grain bowl recipe checks all the boxes: it has plant-based protein, lots of veggies, a vibrant sauce, and a scoop of sauerkraut for pop!

vegan / gluten free

This grain bowl is one of my favorite recipes to meal prep for a healthy lunch or dinner. It starts with a base of hearty quinoa, which I top with nutrient-rich ingredients like colorful roasted veggies and chickpeas for fiber and plant-based protein. A vibrant kale-pepita pesto and a scoop of tangy sauerkraut take it over the top! Follow this recipe as written, or use it as a template to come up with your own delicious grain bowls! I’ve riffed on it countless ways over the years, and I’m sharing some of my favorite variations below. You’ll also find meal prep…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls

Tangy balsamic mushrooms, quinoa, chickpeas & a bright kale pesto top these yummy bowls. Easy & healthy, they're weeknight dinner perfection.

dinner / vegan / gluten free

Last August, we decided to move to Chicago. When we first walked around what would become our new neighborhood, it was sunny, warm, children were playing, and the birds were singing. It was pretty hard to picture the snowy cold weather that would only be a few months away. I grew up in Chicago, but the dreamer in me still thought “maybe this year it won’t be cold.” As the fall weather started to become winter weather, the realist in me spoke up and said, “It’s Chicago. We’re going to hole up in this house, cook all winter, and order…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Cauliflower Rice Kimchi Bowls

Bowls of cauliflower rice topped with tofu, veggies, kimchi, and creamy coconut sauce make a fun, healthy weeknight dinner. Vegan & gluten free.

dinner / vegan / gluten free

You probably already know about my love for cauliflower rice by now, but something I’ve never posted about are kimchi bowls… or kimchi anything for that matter because for awhile I thought it was an ingredient that would be difficult to find. But I see it everywhere now, so here we go, let’s bowl! Whenever I need a reset or just a well-rounded meal, I love bowls that are balanced with greens, veggies, a protein like tofu (or tempeh), avocado, and something fermented. When I’m building this type of bowl I often go for sauerkraut or pickled ginger in a…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Harissa & Spinach Shakshuka

This spiced-up riff on shakshuka is a delicious breakfast or brunch! It features a harissa-seasoned sauce, fresh spinach, and creamy avocado.

Who else loves shakshuka?! I’m such a fan of this Middle Eastern and North African breakfast dish that if I see it on a restaurant menu, I’ll almost always order it. But more often, I make it at home. You can find a traditional shakshuka recipe elsewhere on the blog, but today’s recipe is more of an unconventional twist. I add harissa to the sauce for spiced depth of flavor, and I stir in spinach for a fresh veggie kick. To take it over the top, I pile on avocado slices before scooping it all up with pita. It’s such…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Vegan Seven Layer Dip

This healthy recipe for seven layer dip is a guaranteed party hit! Refried beans, guac, spiced quinoa, cashew cream & fresh veggies load it with flavor.

appetizers / vegan / gluten free

I have a huge weakness for seven layer dip. Growing up, my mom made it for SO many holidays and gatherings. I’d be sure to grab a seat at the table right next to it so that I could gobble it up, chip after chip after chip after chip. In my family, this was (and still is) called Tex Mex dip. When Jack and I were first dating, he thought this was hilarious, and once I moved down to Texas with him I learned why – this dip is neither Tex nor Mex. In the intervening years, I also learned…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Kale Guacamole

This kale guacamole has classic guac's addictive zesty flavor & creamy texture, but steamed kale leaves makes it extra green (and extra healthy)!

vegan / gluten free

This recipe was inspired by a kale guacamole that started showing up at Whole Foods last summer :). Yes, that’s right, I don’t always make my own guacamole. If I’m heading to someone’s house, sometimes it’s just easier to pick it up on the way. That delicious kale guacamole inspired me to make my own version at home. Not only is it healthy, but also adding in the kale bulks it up a bit without taking away any of the flavor. Plus, I somehow found a way to make guacamole *more* green! Who doesn’t love that? This recipe is easy as…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Loaded Potato Skins

You'll love these loaded potato skins with black bean salad, sunflower sour cream, and crispy coconut bacon. Great for parties!

vegan / gluten free / snacks

I wanted to share this fun healthi(er) “game day” recipe before the Super Bowl even though, admittedly, we’re not big football fans. And by “we,” I mostly mean me. Jack will socially watch a game at a party, but my relationship with football didn’t exactly start off on the right… foot. Beginning in 1st grade, every year in gym class, we started the year with a football written test. Way to get kids interested in sports, right? The teacher would hand out worksheets to bring home and study (which I never did) and every year I’d bring home a failing…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Adzuki Bean Bowls

Never tried adzuki beans? Learn how to cook them for this tasty grain bowl recipe! And don't worry, if you can't find them, black beans work here too.

vegan / gluten free / dinner

Have you ever tried adzuki beans? If you haven’t, you totally should. Like most bean varieties, they have a host of health benefits. They’re packed with protein and fiber, and they’re even said to promote heart health by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Because of their small size, they cook quickly, and last but not least, they’re delicious! Their unique sweet, nutty flavor is at home in everything from hearty grain bowls to Japanese ice cream. If you’re ready to try them, find my method for how to cook adzuki beans below, along with my all-time favorite adzuki beans…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Sweet Potato Lasagna

This sweet potato lasagna recipe is my favorite kind of comfort food. Filled with herbs, cheese, and marinara sauce, it's super cozy, but healthy, too.

dinner / gluten free / winter

I’m so excited about this sweet potato lasagna recipe because it combines two of my favorite foods: sweet potatoes and lasagna! Instead of regular lasagna noodles, I use paper-thin sheets of sweet potato. I’m always a fan of finding inventive veggie substitutes for pasta and rice, but this sweet potato lasagna is what veggie dreams are made of. The tender sheets of sweet potato combine with a creamy filling, cozy herbs, and marinara sauce to create a comforting dish that just so happens to be good for you! I made my sweet potato noodles with the KitchenAid® Artisan® Stand Mixer Vegetable…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Spiralized Zucchini Vegetable Noodle Soup

Spiralized zucchini and sweet potatoes take the place of pasta in this cozy, nourishing Spiralized Zucchini Vegetable Noodle Soup.

winter / soups / vegan

I always talk about how much I love soup, and now that it’s winter (in Chicago! Ack!), I’m more obsessed than ever. I love making it, I love eating it, I love freezing it… and I love reheating it just to enjoy eating it all over again. There’s never a day that I’m not in the mood for soup – it just makes my body and soul feel so nourished and happy. This blog could have been titled: Love and Lemons and Soup because I first fell in love with cooking by routinely making soup on Sundays. This was an…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>
PRIOR PAGE
NEXT PAGE
A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
SEARCH RECIPES
Search Recipes Search Recipes
breakfast  /  main-dish  /  dessert
vegan  /  gluten free
ALL 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.

More about us...

Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and FacebookInstagram Pinterest Twitter Facebook
Love and Lemons Pop of Flavor - Preorder
Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook
Top Recipes
  • Healthy Breakfast Ideas
  • Easy Dinner Ideas
  • Healthy Lunch Ideas
  • Best Brunch Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Best Salad Recipes
  • Best Soup Recipes
  • Easy Appetizer Recipes
Cooking With Vegetables
  • Avocado
  • Beets
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Broccoli
  • Butternut Squash
  • Cauliflower
  • Spaghetti Squash
  • Sweet Potato
Plant-Based Cooking Basics
  • Brown Rice
  • Lentils
  • Roasted Chickpeas
  • Farro
  • Tofu
  • Tempeh
  • Quinoa
  • Zucchini Noodles
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • COOKBOOK
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • PRIVACY POLICY
Click here to view our privacy policy.
Copyright © 2026 Love and Lemons, LLC. All rights reserved.