This is one of my favorite late summer meals because it’s bright and light yet cozy and comforting. Cooking pasta in broth allows the starches to form a creamy texture without the addition of a heavy cream or a lot of cheese. It’s also a one pot wonder and makes a great easily reheatable meal prep.

As a general rule, for every one cup of orzo, add two cups of liquid. So if you need this to last longer than four meals, or you want just two servings, you can customize this recipe to meet your needs. And as always, I fully encourage adding more garlic if you want! ;)

Blender soups are one of my favorite fall and winter meals. Soups in general, are a cozy and comforting option when the air crisps and the days shorten. They can be made with simple yet wholesome ingredients and require little skill and prep…

I enjoy making this especially when my digestion feels off or I feel like I need a break from the meals in my usual routine. Blended broth-based soups help give your gut a rest, while still keeping you nourished and satisfied. For an even more nourishing option, try using bone broth instead of traditional broth.

In this simple recipe, nourishing potatoes pair perfectly with woodsy rosemary and savory broth to create the ultimate comfort meal. Consider it a cozy wool sweater or a big warm bear hug for your belly.

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!

Okay, I’ll admit that it’s really hard to make Brussels sprouts look and sound appetizing. Whether you’re #TeamBrussels or against them, there’s simply no denying their benefits. Brussels sprouts are good sources in vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. Members of the cruciferous vegetable family, they have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects thanks to sulfuric compounds that give them their signature smell, similar to cauliflower and broccoli. And finally, when cooked properly they can be pretty tasty…

I’ve always been a stuffing fan from day one. Stovetop brand stuffing was always my favorite. The mix of intact pieces of bread held together with the creamy, thick blend of broth and breadcrumbs. I’m drooling just thinking about it! Over the years, however, my palate (and gut) has changed. Now, the Stovetop brand is far too salty for my taste and the wheat irritates my digestive system. So each year, I chase the high and test out new ways to make it just as good as I remember.

This year I found the secret to the perfect mock-Stovetop stuffing. And it’s… In this recipe, I use mushroom broth and soy sauce to mimic the savory poultry flavor that is usually infused into store bought mixes while fresh herbs elevate it to home-chef status flavor. It’s a simple 1-pot recipe packed with a lot of nostalgic flavor, does it get any better than that?

In the fall and winter months, salads tend to take the back-burner. We shift our focus to richer, warmer, and heartier dishes and we leave the fresh greens in the rearview. But what if we could have a medley of warm roasted veggies, seasonal flavors, AND still get our raw greens in?

I present to you: The Hearty Autumn Kale Salad. It’s the perfect balance of cooked to raw, sweet to savory, and crunchy to creamy. It’s got enough going on that it satisfies our energy and comfort needs in the cooler months, while also feeling light enough not to bog us down like many richer dishes on the menu.

One of the main downfalls of vegan cooking, especially when it comes to substituting meat-centered dishes like gravy, is the lack of umami. The amino acids in meat are what provides the rich savory flavor. Here, mushroom broth and soy sauce, both rich in umami, give the gravy the traditional flavor without the addition of meat drippings. It’s just as satisfying and delicious as the original version!

Also in this recipe, delicate shallots provide a sweet onion-garlic flavor while rosemary brings a subtle earthiness. Perfectly cozy flavors for any Thanksgiving get together! (Or grab a serving of mashed potatoes, drizzle this bad boy on top and park yourself in front of the TV for a holiday movie marathon, I won’t tell!)

Cranberry sauce has always been one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving although admittedly, up until recently, I’ve been Team Canned Cranberry. I still enjoy the thick gelatinous texture but have grown away from the can shape and over-sweetened flavor. These days, I’m more into minimal sweetness and really letting the flavor of what I’m sweetening shine on their own. I also have an affinity for sour things, so I love letting this tart cranberry-citrus combo sing.

If sweeter sauce is your thing, fear not. You can easily add a little extra sugar to this recipe without compromising the texture. This recipe is ready in 40 minutes and requires minimal baby-sitting.

When I got my first cast iron skillet a few years ago, the first thing on my mind to make was skillet cornbread. I love the sweetness and soft yet subtly crunchy texture of cornbread and knew that when made in a skillet, I’d love it even more. The cast iron crisps the edges and bottom ever so slightly and it’s just perfect. Trust me, you’re going to want to try this!

In this recipe, butter and maple syrup keep the bread fluffy and moist with just a hint of sweetness. Because it’s lightly sweetened, this cornbread has the versatility to go either sweet or savory. Pair it with a pat of butter, drizzle of honey, or a smear of jam for a delicious breakfast or snack. Serve it as a dinner side or atop a nice warm bowl of chili for lunch.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking… I do not have the time to sit and make a risotto from scratch! And trust me, I feel you, risotto is definitely a labor of love. But while we’re all sitting at home in “Quarantine 2: Winter Edition” and longing for those warm, comforting meals, when is there a better time to make risotto???

This vegetarian risotto is hearty and savory thanks to the addition of mushrooms that provide a meatiness as well as rich umami (savory) flavor…. When you try this recipe, you’ll be thanking the glutamate gods because it’s truly one for the books. I’ve made this three times in the past month and every time it’s exactly what I need for dinner on a gloomy fall Pacific Northwest evening. The process, although time consuming, is fairly simple and requires just enough skill to impress your friends without making you pull your hair out. So throw on some cozy music, grab yourself a glass of wine (or kombucha), and get cooking! You won’t regret it.

Sometimes the best recipes come from a chaotic round of Chopped when dinner time rolls around and you’re nearly out of groceries. By stocking your pantry with just three ingredients, plus some pasta, next time your stomach is grumbling and you’re overdue for a trip to the store, you can whip up something nourishing and delicious!

I’ve said this many times but we have to stop demonizing processed foods because by definition, we’re demonizing canned and jarred foods as well! Just because something isn’t fresh or in it’s whole form, doesn’t mean it’s less worthy of a place on our plate. Having canned and jarred foods on hand makes…

One of my favorite things about chili is how hearty and satisfying it despite being so inexpensive it is to make. Made with mostly pantry staples and easily accessible, long-lasting produce, chili can be a great back up meal for when the budget gets tight or you’ve run out of things to make. I like to keep a few cans of beans and tomatoes on hand for this reason. Additionally, the humble potato and onion can stay fresh for weeks when kept in a dry, dark place. This recipe makes 6-8 servings so it’s perfect for a fall or winter meal prep!

Growing up, I only are raw or boiled carrots. I’ve always liked them, but I’ve never really felt a craving for them. These carrots, though, I think about constantly. Roasted carrots add the perfect rich sweetness to any savory dish. And I would be lying if I didn’t half the pan as a snack during shooting this recipe. That’s how good they are!

Paired with traditional Middle Eastern spice blend Za’atar, a toasted blend of sesame seeds, sumac, coriander, dried oregano or thyme, and salt. The ingredients vary by region but all za’atar is earthy and herbaceous with the tiniest sharp hint of citrus from sumac. It can be used in marinades for meats, to top dips like hummus or finish really any kind of dish from flatbreads to soup. One of my favorite ways to use it is…

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…

Possibly the one thing I love more than bread products is the spreads and shmears that accompany them. I love experimenting with flavored butters, cream cheeses, and dips that double as wrap or sammy spreads.

Enter: Tomato Butter. I worried that it might taste like tomato sauce on bread, but it’s the perfect balance of tangy, savory tomato and sweet, creamy butter. It’s ready in about five minutes and can be used for bread, bagels, or wherever else you might spread butter.

The magic of corn chowder is that, despite being a hot soup, it’s a late summer classic. Admittedly — aside from Mexican street corn, tortilla chips, and polenta — I’ve never been a corn lover. While exploring the Oregon coast this weekend, I had an amazing bowl of clam chowder. Even though it was a sunny 80 degrees out it still felt like the perfect, nourishing lunch. I wanted to try my hand at creating a lighter summer soup at home to capture that feeling.

I decided on a corn chowder because of the accessibility of the ingredients. I also didn’t want to spend an entire afternoon in the hot kitchen because it is still August after all. In this recipe, vegetable stock and coconut milk provide the light yet creamy base to the soup while frozen corn, potato, and onion add hearty texture.

Breakfast? Dessert? Snack? Get yourself a dish that can do all three! This sweet and savory peach bake is the perfect addition to your summer meal prep lineup. With an oat and walnut base, it’s a great source of fiber, healthy fats, and protein for sustainable energy any time of day. The lightly sweetened rosemary peach topping combines with the crust for delicious sticky and moist crumbles in every bite.

Think of it as peach-cobbler-meets…

After spending last weekend at a U-pick peach farm, I’ve suddenly acquired $32 worth of the juiciest, most vibrant peaches. As they begin ripening, I’ve been scrambling each day to get them frozen, eaten, or baked into something. We’ve had so many peach muffins and crumbles that I think I’m 80% peach at this point. And I’m 100% okay with that.

These peach honey cornbread muffins are all the fun flavors and textures of summer whipped into a few portable bites. The cornmeal base provides a subtle sweet crunch while diced peaches throughout give a balanced punch of sweet and tart flavor. Lightly sweetened with honey, these hearty muffins can easily be…

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…

While I’m not vegan or dairy-free, I love experimenting to create plant-based alternatives that everyone will enjoy. In this 6-ish ingredient recipe, blended cashews and lemon juice creates a creamy and tart sour cream-like base for my take on the classic french onion dip — one of my all time favorite party foods.

Cashews are good sources of protein, healthy fats, and the minerals iron, magnesium, and zinc. They also have a distinct buttery and sweet flavor. It’s no secret that they are a staple in vegan and plant-based cooking because of their ability to…