Simple syrup is the easiest way to add custom sweetness and flavor to all your favorite beverages, and this fresh mint version is the ultimate solution for an aggressive mint patch!

 

I love adding a splash of fresh mint syrup to iced coffee with a touch of cream for an elevated coffee shop experience at home. It’s also incredible swirled into a rich mocha for a minty twist, or stirred into lemonade, iced tea, summer cocktails, and mocktails. Basically, it’s perfect anywhere you want a burst of cool, herbal sweetness!

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An abundant herb garden can quickly start to feel overwhelming - how can you possibly use it all before the first frost takes it out for the year? This Garden "Any-Herb" Salt is a simple, delicious way to preserve fresh herbs so you can enjoy them all winter long. Feel free to make single-herb salts or mix and match different varieties to create your own signature blend.

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I call this basil pesto “pretty classic” because it hits all the standard flavor cues you know and love. Unlike traditional pesto, which is laboriously ground with a mortar and pestle, this recipe leans into the modern convenience of a food processor. That makes this a low-effort sauce that brings big flavor to any dish.

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Long before I was a nutritionist, I was a chef at a catering company, and this herb oil was the “secret ingredient” behind almost everything on our menu. It went into nearly every main dish, chicken, steak, fish, mushroom, and more before grilling or searing. Veggies were tossed in it before steaming, and potatoes were roasted with it. It gave everything an extra boost of flavor (along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper).

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I love a hearty stewed bean with greens served over toasted bread and finished with parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon. But as temperatures rise here in Minnesota as summer approaches, that just doesn’t sound appealing. To keep this simple, nutrient-dense bean and green concept but cool it down for hot weather, I turned to a summertime staple: the caprese salad.

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If you haven’t tried socca yet, you are in for a treat. This traditional flatbread from the South of France is made with garbanzo bean flour, making it a naturally nutrient-dense and protein-rich base for all kinds of toppings.

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If you have been around these parts for a minute, it is no surprise that I am continuing to add beans in places you might not expect beans. This has become my go-to dough for weekly pizza night. I often make a double batch and freeze 3 balls of dough, so I only have to make it once a month. If you don’t have a mixer, you can knead the dough by hand on a clean, lightly floured countertop until smooth and elastic.  

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I love a cheese-and-cracker situation. I love a bean dip. This spread marries the two for the perfect afternoon snack. I smear this on Triscuits for a satisfying creamy, spicy, crunchy, bite. It is also pretty darn good scooped up with some raw veggies like carrot, bell pepper, or celery if that’s your thing. A batch will last in the fridge for about a week.  

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My favorite way to make this chili is with rotisserie chicken. When I get the chicken home, I take the meat off the bones, shredding and chopping it for the chili. Then I use the bones to make chicken stock to use in the chili.

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When I was a kid my grandma would make Swedish meatballs complete with creamy gravy served over mashed potatoes. The Ikea version that more people are familiar with just doesn’t quite live up to those homemade taste memories.  This is my own take on my grandma’s recipe, updated in a few ways (beans in the meat mixture, mushrooms in the gravy) but the flavor brings back childhood nostalgia.

I still like to serve these meatballs with mashed potatoes, just like grandma. I often pair it with steamed green beans, crispy fried onions, and a dollop of lingonberry jam (or cranberry sauce in a pinch).

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Here's the thing with sourdough baking, it is not as fast or predictable as baking with commercial yeast. You will see pretty big ranges listed for the steps that include proofing the dough because of that. Sourdough baking is a slower process overall, but the exact timing really depends on how active your starter is, the temperature and humidity of your kitchen, and the temperature of the ingredients. Colder and dryer conditions (like baking in the winter in Minnesota) means it will take longer for the dough to rise, but your patience will be rewarded!

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I don’t think sneaky veggies are just for kids. I know I have days when eating a bunch of vegetables feels like work, both physically and mentally. Those hard vegetable days are when I love to turn to recipes like this where the veggies essentially disappear into the rest of the meal.  This recipe can be served in your favorite sloppy joe delivery method be that on a toasted bun, stuffed in a baked potato, or spooned over sweet potato fries.

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I am currently on a mashed beans in meatballs kick! I love that beans add the tenderness you usually get from milk-soaked breadcrumbs but with a big boost of fiber.

This cheese stuffed version was inspired by a cheese stuffed meatball I bought at Costco. They looked and sounded delicious but ended up being a big pile of disappointment. The meatball texture was weird, and the cheese stuffing was grainy instead of melty. Plus, the container was more tomato sauce than meatball. This meatball is the tender, ooey-gooey cheese stuffed dinner companion I was looking for.

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I love a recipe re-mix. This peanut butter banana take on baked oatmeal is something I started playing around with after the success of the Cherry Chocolate Almond Baked Oatmeal recipe. This is a great way to use up over-ripe bananas and have an easy-to-heat-and-eat make ahead breakfast with an energy supporting balance of protein, fiber, and fat!

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