When the cool weather hits, the leaves turn shades of red, gold, and orange, and I’ve got squash on my mind, the one recipe that comes to mind (maybe second to pumpkin bread, if I’m truly honest), is pumpkin sage risotto. This labor of love is fit for a cozy afternoon in, makes an excellent date night dinner, and still hits as leftovers. It’s the food equivalent of a cozy cable knit sweater. It’s my must make fall recipe…

Some of you may recognize this recipe from my e-book, Well, balanced. It has been a staple dinner in our home since recipe development for my e-book and I just couldn’t keep it exclusive any longer! What I love about this recipe is the flavor to effort ratio. Making a good soup is sometimes an all day affair, requiring hours of simmering and stirring. This flavor-packed soup can be ready in 45 minutes and if you're even tighter on time, consider my lazy girl recipe hacks at the end of this page (hint: with a few pre-made substitutes, it could be ready in under a half hour!)

I was never a fan of salads growing up but that really shifted when I started experimenting with creating my own dressings. A lot of store bought dressings feel goopy, under seasoned, and overly sweetened for my taste. They definitely have a place in my diet from a convenience standpoint but from a satisfaction standpoint, I prefer to make my own.

Caesar dressing always felt unapproachable to me because it usually requires ingredients that I don’t often have on hand — like Worcestershire sauce. I decided to make some tweaks and substitute…

My go-to summer dishes usually include a mix of fresh and cooked foods. I find that although fully raw dishes satisfy my desire for cool foods in the heat, they don’t really digest as well for me. I add a few cooked elements to give my gut a break, balance out the crunchy texture of raw veggies, and help keep me satisfied overall. To keep my kitchen and house cool, I tend to use my oven for as little time as possible. Enter: broiled salmon…

When I’m faced with deciding what to make when I’m having a rough day, I ask myself, “What feels most like a hug to me right now?” Sometimes it’s a hot bowl of soup, but most often it’s something baked. Banana bread — our collective quarantine hero — still always feels like a warm sweater on a chilly day. Comfortable, cozy, nostalgic. So, if you’re having a tough time today and are wanting to try something new yet familiar, try this banana bread recipe. My hug to you.

This bright, tangy, and earthy salad is an ideal winter meal combo for when you want to get some fresh veggies in but still want something warm and comforting. Enter: Sweet, caramelized roasted beets over fresh mixed greens paired with citrus, candied pecans, and drizzled with 3 ingredient dill-yogurt dressing.

This recipe was inspired by a delicious side salad that I had at Tusk, a local Mediterranean restaurant here in Portland. It was one of the first times that a side salad dish was the highlight of an all-around amazing meal. They paired fresh herbs with roasted beets and blood oranges. I’d never had this sweet-tart, earthy-citrus combination before and was instantly hooked!

It’s so simple that I usually just post the recipe in my Instagram captions and call it a day! But

Olive tapenade is a recent edition to my snack rotation. Last year, I made a tapenade recipe for an assignment for one of my classes and I was instantly hooked by how simple the ingredients were and how easy and quick it was to prepare. Less than ten ingredients and less than ten minutes? — I can’t think of a better snack!

In this recipe, I use kalamata olive for a tart, salty base. If you prefer a more mild olive, you can choose buttery Castelveltrano or green olives. Capers add another salty pop while garlic and herbs round out the bite. For more spicy or sweet flavors, feel free to add…

This recipe is inspired by Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana soup. It’s the perfect blend of creamy and hearty and is plant focused making it a great way to enjoy your vegetables in during the wintertime! The traditional Olive Garden version contains ground sausage, which you are more than welcome to add here. I’ve made and have enjoyed it both ways. When I’m not craving meat but want savory sausage flavor, this soup delivers. The Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, and fennel seeds mimic the classic sausage flavor really well. And whether you’re using just beans or adding meat, a warm bowl of this cozy soup is both satisfying and filling!

Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. With everything going on in the world and our country this week, I needed this ya’ll. Comfort foods so often get placed in the “forbidden” foods category. We forget that it’s okay to actually enjoy our food; to get comfort from eating something cozy, satisfying, and nostalgic.

In this recipe, I used goat milk and cheese to make the creamy cheese sauce. Goat dairy products can be easier on the digestive system for those with a lactose intolerance or sensitivity… I’ve always loved a broccoli mac and cheese combo and roasted broccolini felt like a nice grown up addition. They provide crunchy texture, fiber, and a salt and pepper punch to the top of this rich dish.

With the weather cooling down, I’m switching gears towards making cozier, heartier dishes for dinner. Soups always make my meal prep list during fall and winter months because of how comforting and nourishing they can be…

In the past, I’ve made a simpler version of this soup that was delicious and satisfying but it lacked that extra oomph of the restaurant version. After a little research, I realized that wine was the flavor I was missing… Not only did I feel like Ina Garten cooking with wine for the first time, but the recipe finally tasted like the classic french onion soup I was longing for!

Vegetable hashes are a great way to add a variety of different veggies to your plate. They can be sides, the base for a brunch egg bowl, or served on top of greens and grains, like in this nourishing warm bowl. In this Roasted Root Vegetable Hash, carrots, turnips, onion, beets, and sweet potato all come together in bright, caramelized goodness. Paired with fresh “poultry’ herbs — rosemary, thyme, and sage — they practically ooze cozy comfort. It’s flavorful and unique enough to…

If you’re fortunate enough to have your own veggie garden, have access to a community garden, or have been to a summer farmer’s market, you know summer time is prime zucchini season. Growing up, my dad would plant summer squash in our garden and we would have buckets and buckets of zucchini. By summer’s end, we were sick of grilled squash and practically had a conveyor belt of zucchini bread shipping out to neighbors and friends.

I really took those summers for granted — all the missed opportunities to experiment with zucchini recipes! — and I still find myself nostalgic every time I see or make zucchini bread. Now, it seems zucchini has become best known as…

If you were to ask me right now what I’d want my death row last meal to be, I would tell you pasta shells with some variation of pesto. Or maybe thats just because I was going through all my pictures of pesto for this post?

The great thing about pesto is that its actually so versatile! If you follow me on Instagram, you’re familiar with how often I customize my pesto to what ingredients I have on hand. My favorite being the classic, basil and pine nut combo! I’m also a huge fan of using walnuts instead of pine nuts for a cheaper, nuttier option.

To make a pesto work, you need:…