I could eat chocolate chip cookies or brownies with sea salt every day of the week — but in between I’d like a taco. Or a quesadilla…or a burrito. Basically I’d like to eat Mexican food for every meal if at all possible…and there are weeks when we come pretty close! I’ve definitely been known to throw some salsa in my eggs for breakfast.

I’ve made many, many batches of homemade salsa and I’m always up for trying a new recipe! There’s something magical about chopping up veggies and cilantro, and tossing them together with little more than lime juice, salt and pepper — they just turn into their own little party. As far as I’m concerned, the fact that salsa is comprised of vegetables is a gift from the heavens!

On Sunday nights, we make tacos. Last Sunday we stuffed small, white corn tortillas with refried beans, heaping spoonfuls of this salsa, and some sliced avocado. I don’t know a better way to start a new week (or a new weekend)!

Corn and Pepper Salsa
Barely adapted from The Curvy Carrot

1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/3 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Serve with chips (or inside a taco)!

I’ve never been a big fan of soup in general, but once in awhile when I’m really sick, it actually sounds good. My sweet husband made multiple trips to the grocery store for me last week, but the most important one was for soup supplies. I had a craving! And the very first bite of this soup actually made me feel better. At least in my mind.

This is a traditional chicken noodle soup, minus the chicken and with lots of veggies. You can use chicken, but really, is the chicken in chicken noodle soup ever that great? It’s usually pretty bland, and if you’re sick enough to need this soup, you probably need some extra vegetables, too! At least that’s what I was thinking.

Here’s hoping you’re healthier than me. But if not, make yourself some soup. And please bring me a bowl.

Veggie Noodle Soup
Serves 5

1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped zucchini (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup peeled, chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup egg noodles (I used whole grain)
48 oz vegetable broth or stock*
1 1/2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a large stock pot, melt butter and saute onion, celery, and carrots 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and slightly softened.

Add zucchini, broth, herbs, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer another 10 minutes. Enjoy!

*Depending on how you buy your broth (carton vs. can), you might have some leftover. Vegetable broth only keeps in the fridge for about a week, but lasts for months in the freezer. Pour leftover broth into an ice tray, freeze, and store cubes in the freezer until the next time you need them! This is my favorite cooking tip ever.

This week I’m wrapping up Christmas preparations before having friends in town and then traveling home for the holidays. Along with wrapping many a present, cleaning house, and packing, I feel like I should be eating a lot of vegetables. I’m pretty sure there won’t be a lot of vegetables in our lives next week…so I’m eating them now. Which makes sense, right?

Earlier this week I made this salad for dinner and served it over lots of fresh spinach with sliced avocado and a few crumbled tortilla chips on top. I’ve never seen Ryan get so excited about a salad. The next day I folded it into a tortilla with spinach and a little cheese for a lovely quesadilla. It’s the most delicious little multitasker you’ve seen in awhile. Eat some vegetables! Your Christmas dress will thank you.

Black Bean Confetti Salad
Smitten Kitchen

If you don’t feel like eating this salad-style, scoop it up with some chips! Yum.

2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and well-rinsed
4 bell peppers, a mix of colors, chopped into a small dice
1/2 super-large or 1 medium white onion, chopped into a small dice
Juice of one lime (about 1 teaspoon, or to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon honey (or agave nectar)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Mix beans, bell peppers and white onion in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk remaining ingredients into a vinaigrette. Ideally, you’ll have a 1/2 cup of dressing. Pour it over the bean mixture, toss it well and adjust seasonings to taste.

Somewhere between multiple cups of coffee I found this recipe from the Joy of Cooking and like most of their recipes, its text was very simple, really only a few lines. The Joy of Cooking does not mess around and generally expects you to either (a) know what you’re doing, or (b) read their extensive notes on every food-related subject known to man. Being half-awake on a Friday, I was not particularly inclined to read anything, so I put on my yoga pants and hoped for the best.

These cute little guys turned out to be as simple as the recipe suggested! When does that happen? I could not have been much more thankful. Friday morning miracle.

No-Knead Dinner Rolls
Joy of Cooking

Makes 15 small rolls

1/4 cup warm (105°F to 115°F) water
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup hot water
1 large egg
About 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

Combine warm water and yeast in a small bowl and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about five minutes.

Add butter, sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Pour hot water over them and stir until the mixture is melted/dissolved. Let cool to lukewarm, then stir in the yeast.

Beat in the egg, followed by the flour, until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too wet to work with, add a little more flour, but try to add as little as possible (this will keep the rolls tender).

Put the dough in a large greased bowl and turn to coat with oil. Either cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours (anywhere in between), or cover with a clean cloth and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch down the dough. Divide the dough into 15 pieces and shape (roughly) into round rolls. Place in greased muffin cups. Let rise until about doubled in volume, about 45 minutes if the dough was chilled, or 30 if not.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.

If you’ve never made your own hummus, you’re missing out! Even the most basic of food processors can handle this task – I had a super-classy $12 model for several years and it had no problem grinding up chickpeas. The lovely thing about homemade hummus is that you can completely control the flavors to your liking. I usually go with garlic and roasted red peppers, but this basil version is a great change of pace for summer. And if you have a basil plant, this is so cheap it’s kind of ridiculous.

Creamy Basil Hummus
Daily Garnish

Hummus is an acquired taste for many people — I’m admittedly a bit of a texture snob and didn’t like it the first time I tried it. I’ve grown to love hummus and its versatility. Throw it on a salad (as mentioned), use it as a much-healthier sandwich spread, or serve it with veggies and pita chips. Hummus adds a huge punch of flavor and great vegetarian protein to a wide variety of dishes. This version is great if you’re a hummus newbie — the basil makes it taste almost like pesto!

Makes about 2 cups

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)*
1 tablespoon water
pinch of salt (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and process. Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently and continue to process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your likings. Enjoy!

*Tahini is the one hummus ingredient that can be hard to find and kind of expensive, but it’s becoming more widely available. Look for it at your local health food store, and please don’t be scared away by the $6-$8 price tag. You’ll only use a tablespoon or two per batch of hummus, so it lasts a very long time!

I thumbed through the book for the first time while on my bike trainer the other day, and this quick bread immediately caught my eye. The combination of fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, and black olives is what sold me and made for one delicious bread. It’s hearty and flavorful without feeling overly heavy. We ate some with dinner that night and it was hard to wait that long!

Mediterranean Olive Bread
The Joy of Vegan Baking

Makes one 9-inch loaf

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 1/2 cup water*
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon each chopped fresh rosemary, and basil, or 3/4 teaspoon each dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup nondairy milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chopped pitted black olives
1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly grease an 8-inch or 9-inch loaf pan.

In a food processor, whip the flaxseed and water together until thick and creamy.

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the flours, baking powder, herbs, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the flaxseed mixture, milk, and olive oil.

Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold until about three-quarters of the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the walnuts, olives, and tomatoes, and fold just until the pieces are distributed and the dry ingredients are moistened; the batter will be stiff and a little sticky. Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

*This is the equivalent of 3 eggs. Eggs aren’t an issue for me, so I used 3/4 cup liquid egg whites instead.

On this visit I picked up a loaf of sourdough bread studded with kalamata olives, asiago cheese, and fresh thyme. Will you look at those olives? I am in cheesy olive heaven with this bread. It’s going quickly in my house!

The next time you’re looking for a lovely loaf of handmade bread, pay a visit to Great Harvest Bakery. Locations in Salt Lake City and elsewhere can be found here.

I love a good baked pasta dish, and this one is surprisingly healthy. In fact, it combines pretty much all the traits necessary to a winning dinner recipe (for me at least): it is simple, healthy, tasty, and cheap. And it makes for a wonderfully comforting meal on a cool, rainy spring night.

So have some pasta! This kind is totally guilt-free.

Baked Tomato Pasta with Spinach
Adapted from Shape Magazine

Serves 4*

1 cup wheat pasta of your choice
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup medium cheddar cheese (I use Tillamook!)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart oven-safe casserole dish.

In a medium pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a skillet over medium. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add spinach and about 2/3 the can of tomatoes (no need to get precious with measuring here); cook for about 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining tomatoes, spices, salt, and cheese. Add tomato-spinach mixture and pasta, and stir until well combined. Pour into casserole dish.

Bake pasta for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, top with breadcrumbs (or additional cheese if desired) and bake about 5 minutes more, until breadcrumbs are lightly toasted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

*The original recipe claims to serve four, so the first time I made this I divided the recipe in half (as you read it here), anticipating two servings to result. We each ate a fairly large serving and the dish was still half full, so I’m not sure what kind of gargantuan servings Shape intended. That being said, you can certainly double my version and expect six to eight comfortable servings (or just a lot of leftovers, which is good too).

I know this might seem a bit basic, but who doesn’t love chex mix? The great thing is that you can use whatever you’d like in it. And it travels well (which I’m looking forward to, come Friday).

Chex Mix
Adapted from Peas and Thank You

This is just the best such snack mix I’ve ever had. I love the flavors here. And honey-roasted peanuts are a must, in my book!

Makes about 6 cups

4 1/2 cups cereal of your choice (I like generic rice chex)
1/2 cup pretzels
1/2 cup nuts of your choice (honey-roasted peanuts!)
1/8 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 250°F. Combine cereal, pretzels, and nuts in a 9×13 pan.

In a glass measuring cup, melt butter and add seasonings. Stir until combined. Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture and stir until everything’s coated.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour onto paper towels to cool and store in an airtight container.

In the meantime, this is a wonderful cornbread addition to many things you’re probably eating these days, namely soups, stews, chilis, and the like. It’s that time of year, right? The days are shorter and crisper and although I’m usually decidedly anti-soup (a bowl of liquid for dinner, really?), I find myself making exceptions. Admittedly, I’m a lot more interested when things like this are involved. Plus it gives me an excuse to play with chile peppers and an open burner.

Green Chile Cornbread
Simply Recipes

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that frozen corn (which I always have on hand) works perfectly – there’s no need to mess with fresh corn if you don’t feel like it. You can also swap out canned chiles for fresh-roasted ones if you don’t share our fire-handling proclivities. And if all of that wasn’t good enough, when made in muffin form it freezes beautifully. Pop in the microwave for just a few seconds and they’re good as new.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter or margarine
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
2 cups of chopped, roasted green chiles (Anaheim or Hatch) (2 7-ounce cans of whole green chiles, drained, chopped)
1 cup corn (frozen is fine)
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 8×12 inch baking dish or two muffins pans.

In a large bowl mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar. Beat the sour cream and eggs to the butter sugar mixture. Add the milk and the dry ingredients, a third at a time and alternating wet/dry. Mix in the green chiles, corn, and shredded cheese. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 35 minutes, until top is browned, the center springs back when pressed down, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean (for muffins, it should only take about 20 minutes). Let cool almost completely before serving.

Makes about 12 serving pieces or 12-16 muffins.

High-Altitude Notes: Bake at 425°F.