profile

Inquiring Chef Newsletter

Vegetable-forward recipes and budget-friendly meal plans.

Featured Post

missing Thailand and my go-to red curry

Hey friend, Let’s skip straight to the photo this week because how gorgeous is this color??? Click here for the full recipe! Frank and I have been feeling nostalgic lately for the years we lived in Bangkok. We hope to take the kids back there soon, but it’s not in the cards just yet. In the meantime, we like to bring Thailand to us through its food. So if you don’t like the way I made it (with squash and chicken), I’ve included a list of easy customizations to help you make this recipe your...

Good morning! Charcuterie boards are pretty much the best addition to any gathering. They’re fun to make, look great and they give everyone something to snack on without having to serve a full meal. But sometimes those huge elaborate displays (I’ve seen some truly wild ones online) don’t make any sense. Here’s my quick tip for you this week: mini charcuterie boards! Click here to learn how! Small charcuterie boards work great when you want everyone to get an even mix of foods or when you want...

Happy Monday! We had a full weekend of all the fall things. A bike ride with the girls and applesauce in the slow cooker. I had time to get our meal plan for the week lined up which always makes the week go so much more smoothly. With the weather cooling down, one of the highlights of the week is Vegetarian Lentil Chili - I'm so excited for this one (and all the toppings). Lentil Chili Recipe Today I'm over on Instagram sharing my own meal plan for the week. I love seeing what others are...

Recipes are ready! Thank you so much for offering to test a recipe for my upcoming cookbook Start with a Vegetable. The book is vegetable-forward but not vegetarian, so I hope there's a little something for everyone. Here's all you need to do: 1) Jump over to the spreadsheet and enter your name next to the recipe you'd like to make. Please write your name the way you'd like to see it in the acknowledgements page of the finished book. Recipe Spreadsheet 2) Make your recipe. Keep an eye on the...

New Website InquiringChef.com got a redesign! It looks fresh but, most importantly, it's super fast. check it out Spicy Chex Mix It's too hot to do much besides sip cold drinks and live off of snacks. And this chex mix made with Trader Joe's chili crisp (or your favorite hot sauce) has my whole family hooked. get the recipe xo, Jess Unsubscribe · Preferences

Pasta Salad Skewers If you're planning any sort of gathering this spring or summer, try serving pasta salad on a stick. These are undeniably fun and look beautiful as part of a buffet. When I host baby showers or birthdays, these are always on the menu because they're so easy to grab and nibble on while chatting. Add a mix of salad dressings on the side. Get the Recipe No matter what you have on your spring docket, I hope you’re enjoying warmer, sunnier days and time with people you love. ❤️...

Vegetable Frittata If you need an easy dinner this week that makes great leftovers for breakfast and lunch, a colorful frittata is the answer. Fill it with any veggies you currently have in the fridge. Get the Recipe A Cookbook For 8 years, I've had 2 jobs. Not only did I create all of the recipes you see on Inquiring Chef, but I created them for an amazing meal planning service called Cook Smarts. Friday was my last day at Cook Smarts, and I had sad moments saying goodbye to the team and...

A little savory for the sweet I always remind my kids to eat the rainbow, but this time of year I need that reminder myself. We've got cookies to spare, but we still have to eat dinner. (Don't we?) New on the blog this week is a Greek Goddess Salad. In classic Greek salad style, it's full of color and texture, but this time topped with herby Green Goddess Dressing. Add on crispy roasted chickpeas, and it's filling enough for dinner. get the recipe If you haven't tried this Moroccan Lentil...

Focus on the fun Every year I aim to slow down in these last few weeks of the year. And every year I'm disappointed when it doesn't happen. With so many ways to celebrate, busy is built into the season. So this year, I'm just going to focus on having fun. Busy yes. But fun? Let's have more of that. I can't send out an email one week before Thanksgiving and not mention the food. So how are you doing with planning for the big meal? What are you cooking? Are you hosting, traveling, skipping the...

Happy Tuesday Reader, I am sitting at LaGuardia airport, waiting for my return flight to Kansas City after four days in Virginia. I caught up with good friends, wandered the campus of my alma mater - James Madison University (where robots now deliver food to kids in dorms), and spent a couple of nights relaxing at a resort outside of Charlottesville. I have a hard time fully unplugging from work, but it's amazing what a difference a few days can make. I'm feeling re-energized and excited to...