1 |   Main Dish

Spinach, Leek, and White Bean Soup

Beans are often a key ingredient in vegetarian recipes so I keep my pantry stocked with a variety of options. This recipe takes white beans (or cannelloni beans) which are white kidney beans used in Italian cooking. They have a mild nutty flavor, are full of protein and mesh perfectly with leeks. This hearty, broth-based soup is dairy-free and has plenty of flavor. It’s also simple to make as a gluten-free meal.

3 |   Side

Cheesy Herby Biscuits

Soup is great on it's own, but drop biscuits can really add a scrumptious element to the meal. Biscuits alone can be great, but adding some fresh dill makes them incredible. Dill is a fragrant and potent herb that can be found at most grocery stores. Once you try this simple and quick recipe, you'll be making these all the time!

2 |   Salad

Red Pear, Feta, and Pecan Salad

Your standard salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and maybe carrots can get boring after a while. Adding fruit to a lettuce salad is a delightful and delicious way to mix up the flavors. This salad calls for feta, pear, and pecans to create a simple, but elegant combination. It's important to keep the dressing light because pears are delicate, and you don't want to overpower it's flavor.

4 |   Dessert

Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Scottish butter cookies are some of my favorite sweet treats. Their rich and buttery flavor is melt-in-your-month fantastic. However, I wanted to cut down on the calories and prepare a gluten and dairy-free recipe. To add just a little extra crunch and pizzazz, I include pistachios which are incredible in shortbread.

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 leeks

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups vegetable broth or veggie chicken broth

2 cans cannelloni beans, rinsed (2 - 16 oz cans)

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup couscous

2 cups fresh spinach

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This soup is already dairy-free. To make it gluten-free, substitute gluten-free couscous for regular couscous. Or skip Simple Step 4 and add cooked brown rice to Simple Step 6.

Make ahead option– This soup stores well in a sealed container in the fridge for five days. It does thicken up a bit after a day in the refrigerator. To thin it a bit just add a cup of broth to the soup pot before you reheat it.

The Simple Steps...

1. In a medium pot, heat the oil. Clean and thinly slice the leeks. When cleaning the leeks, be sure to separate the leaves and wash throughly. Dirt often gets caught between the leaves.

2. Sauté the leeks and garlic for about five minutes.

3. Add in the broth, beans, bay leaves, and cumin.

4. Bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the couscous.

5. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add spinach, salt, and pepper.

7. It’s ready to serve and enjoy!

4 oz package of mixed baby greens

4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons grape seed oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 red pears

1/2 cup feta

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup toasted pecans

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Tonight it’s easy; this salad is already gluten-free. For a perfect dairy-free option, just don’t add the feta.

Make ahead option– There’s no need to make this salad too far in advance as it is quick to toss together and the lettuce leaves will wilt if you let it sit too long.

The Simple Steps...

1. Place all the lettuce into a medium bowl. Be sure to pick through the lettuce leaves. Even pre-washed lettuce packages sometimes have rogue leaves that are rotten.

2. Toss the lettuce with vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper.

3. Rinse the pears, cut out the stem and core, and thinly slice them length wise. Place the pears on top of the lettuce.

4. Top the salad with the feta, cherries, and pecans.

5. Enjoy immediately.

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup very cold butter

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup shredded cheddar

2 tablespoons fresh dill

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Use my favorite brand of baking powder, Clabber Girl Baking Powder. It’s gluten-free! Bob’s Red Mill has great gluten-free all-purpose flour to use instead of regular flour, but there are other gluten-free flours out there if your store doesn’t have Bob’s.

Make ahead option– These biscuits can last up to five days in the fridge. Just pop one or two into the toaster oven for 30 seconds to reheat.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat oven to 450˚.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Shred the cold firm butter (with a cheese shredder) into the flour mixture and mash together using your hands until the mixture looks like pea-sized crumbs.

3. Stir the cheddar and dill into the dough.

4. In a small bowl, beat the egg to break the yoke, then stir in the buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture, and use a fork to combine them just until the dough comes together.

5. Use a big spoon to scoop out the dough and make 8 small fist-sized piles on a baking tray. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil at room temperature

1 1/3 cup gluten-free flour blend

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons pistachos, finely chopped

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This is gluten-free and dairy-free. If you have a nut allergy just don’t add the nuts. They will be just as delicious.

Make ahead option– These can be stored in a sealed container on the counter for one week.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and coconut oil.

3. Mix the flour and salt in until the dough comes together and begins to form a stiff dough.

4. Add in the pistachios and mash them into the dough until they are all incorporated.

5. Form the dough into 2” circles that are about 1/4” thick. Cool these in the refrigerator for 5 minutes and up to 3 days. This dough should make about 24 cookies.

6. Place the circles on a cookie sheet at least an inch apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden brown.

7. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing them and devouring them.