Packed with protein-rich lentils and creamy coconut milk, this soup on its own makes an excellent vegan entree, especially when paired with a hunk of fresh sourdough bread. However, you can also serve it with my recipe for Simple Salmon for a really healthy and fortifying meal.

Shortcakes are the perfect summer dessert: light, refreshing, and a showcase for all the season’s beautiful produce. In this version, I pair my favorite lemon shortcakes with macerated berries and little apple stars for a fantastic 4th of July treat.

Not only is this dish unique and out of this world delicious, but it’s also such a quick meal to put together. The combination of feta, fennel, orange, and basil is so beautiful, and may I say classy, nobody will guess that this is actually a one pot meal that takes only 30 minutes to whip up!

For this cozy family celebration, I made Raspberry Dark Chocolate Chunk and Sweet Buttered Almond ice cream. I chose these flavors because they’re some of our favorites but also because they fit our personalities. Serve them in homemade waffle cones, and there’s no better way to celebrate all of life’s moments, big or small.

This blueberry almond tea cake is the perfect treat to steal away with for a moment of peace. It’s very easy to put together, it relies on pantry friendly ingredients, and the sweet, tender crumb paired with the bright lemon drizzle make for an uplifting and just-rich-enough cake that’s perfect for pretty much any time of day.

I’m an Arizona gal at heart as well as by birth, so Southwestern flavors always make me feel a little nostalgic. But I also appreciate how citrus and chile can cut through heavy ingredients like cream and cheese, lightening up a dish that is classically very heavy. Brimming with corn, potatoes, peppers, cream, and hints of cilantro, chiles, and lime, this corn chowder is a bright and punchy twist on an old American summer favorite.

While I tend to cook more “Italian” style pastas, I love this dish because it incorporates a Mexican chile, the pasilla pepper, for a very subtle and sweet heat in an otherwise pretty traditional spaghetti sauce. I also love this dish because it’s an absolutely delicious vegetarian meal that beautifully showcases one of my favorite summer vegetables: the eggplant.

This post is a two for one with my go to quick and easy salmon recipe and another for a fun and unique cucumber salad. The two together make for a perfect, lighter meal in the summer when you don’t want to eat heavily or spend too much time in a hot kitchen. Best of all, the meal is satisfying and comes together in about 30 minutes, so it works well for a busy week night or when you’re just feeling lazy.

It’s not summer until there’s s’mores, and this tart is a fancy take on the childhood favorite with a cinnamon pecan crust, salted dark chocolate ganache, and homemade torched marshmallow in elegant piped whirls. Whether old or young, s’mores tart is sure to please, and don’t worry, no campfire or sticks required.

This ice cream is perfect! The custard is smooth and creamy, the strawberry flavor is punchy and rich, and paired with homemade waffle cones, it’s easily the best strawberry ice cream I’ve ever had (or made).

Carrot ginger soup comes together in about a half hour, and there’s only a handful of ingredients required, most of which I always have around. Despite a scanty number of ingredients, this soup is not sparse on flavor. It’s creamy, fresh, and bursting with punchy ginger and sweet carroty goodness.

A vegetarian version of the classic loaded with sweet potatoes and summer squash, this soup has a citrusy and spicy broth and is finished with home-baked, crunchy tortilla strips, cotija cheese, and creamy avocado. It may not be the traditional chicken loaded classic, but it’s a delicious and healthy family favorite in our house.

I’m not sure exactly where this recipe came from, but from a very young age these cookies held a sort of mystical deliciousness in my child’s mind. No other sweet tasted nearly as good, and I was always begging my mom to make them. To this day I swear that these are the best sugar cookies, and of course I’m convinced that the rainbow colors make them taste better.

Bright with lime, fresh cilantro, cumin, and oregano, and rounded out with charred corn, juicy tomatoes, and meaty, grilled halloumi, this salad makes a fantastic side for an outdoor picnic, barbecue, or taco night.

Cold, refreshing, and entirely fruit based, the kids and I love this vegan smoothie for breakfast or an afternoon treat. The addition of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and maple syrup give it a distinctly sweet apple pie flavor, but without any of the baking or heavy ingredients of a real apple pie.

As a kid, I always loved eating and making this dessert. Back then I used store bought Oreo cookies and jello chocolate pudding mix, but here I’ve substituted my homemade double chocolate cookies for the cookie crumb and a rich from-scratch chocolate pudding. The effect is a whimsical dessert that delicious and fun for all.

Healthier and way tastier than macaroni and cheese, this dish relies on only a few common ingredients, and (bonus!) it has a vegetable built in! Plus it’s actually faster to prepare than boxed mac ‘n cheese, and simple enough that my six year old could make the entire dish with very little help from me.

This recipe is straightforward, completely homemade, and even tastier than the frozen dinners of my childhood.

These granola bars are such a delicious chewy, chocolatey snack or treat. And while they are plenty sweet, they include wholesome ingredients like dried fruits, nuts, and oats, so I don’t feel too bad about feeding them regularly to my hungry little monsters.

A caper herb mayonnaise, crisp alfalfa sprouts, crunchy arugula, tangy pickled onions, creamy avocado, and a juicy tomato bursting with umami all sandwiched between soft, sweet brioche make this burger irresistible. Plus it’s vegan!