Every year around this time, I get the urge to bake.  It seems like ages since I last turned the oven on.  Lately, it has been too hot to even contemplate any form of baked good; that is until this week.  Yippee! This endeavor dovetailed nicely with the banner crop we have of zucchini this… Continue reading

Most summers I tend to obsess over one specific salad.  A salad that circulates through pot-lucks, bbq’s or just dinner at home.  Last summer I made this Quinoa Lentil Salad many, many times.  The previous summer, my garden was bursting with vegetables, which inspired this Summer Squash Salad with Feta and Herbs. This year a… Continue reading

Last month I enthusiastically shared my interest in Skinny Pasta, now one of my new go-to’s for a quick lunch.  As I previously told you; these noodles are virtually calorie free, carb free, no sodium, grain free, gluten free, vegan, full of fiber, oh and they come in different shapes too!  A lot of hype… Continue reading

Last week, while perusing Instagram, my daughter asked if I had ever made carrot cake.  Well, sure a long time ago B.C. (before Celiac’s) I did.  Back then I could bake just about anything with success, regular flour is… predictable.  Gluten free, well not so much. I love carrot cake, it’s a great way to… Continue reading

As you can imagine, I am perpetually on the hunt for new food trends.  Anything that can be adaptable here in my gluten free/vegan/sometimes vegetarian/meat lovers kitchen is a win.  However, it was my daughter who introduced me to Shirataki Noodles by Skinny Pasta- chip off the old block perhaps? Shirataki or Konjac noodles are… Continue reading

I wonder how many people eat eggplant on a regular basis?  It doesn’t seem to fall into our weekly dinner rotation as, say, broccoli or green beans. We like it, we do!  It’s not even that exotic or hard to find, we just forget about it perhaps. And then you cook some and remark “why… Continue reading

Back when my husband and I were first married, I found a no-knead overnight artisanal bread recipe in our local paper.  What a way to wow your family, or even better dinner guests!  The smell of freshly baked bread has a swoon-worthy effect every time. I forgot about the recipe throughout the years; having kids, moving… Continue reading

This week, I have been experimenting in the kitchen with a grain free-gluten free-dairy free-nut free muffin.  So far, this darn muffin troubles me.  Sure, I have come across a few recipes online with fabulous pictures of such muffins, which makes me wonder why mine won’t work?  They look good, but the middle of the… Continue reading

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for this fabulous black bean soup, hard to believe that a bag of God-knows-how-old dried beans  could produce such a remarkable bowl of soup.  I thank the crock pot for that. It was so easy that I felt we had to do it again, for  quality control… Continue reading

I have to admit although pasta is certainly in our regular dinner rotation, lasagna is not.  We love it  – of course, but it’s a lot of effort for a weeknight dinner. There is the option of no-boil noodles, sure, that would be a lot easier, however those noodles tend to be gummy, especially when reheated. … Continue reading

From my over stuffed pantry I unearthed 3 packages of dried beans while trying to find 2 packages of the same spaghetti for dinner.  To tell you the truth I have no idea how long they have been languishing in there.  Months? Years? The thing about dried beans, ancient in this case I fear,  is… Continue reading

My daughter regularly texts me obscure grocery items that she wants purchased – by me of course.  Last month it was: matcha powder, cocoa nibs, jackfruit and cardamon pods.  All with the intention of creating something she most likely has seen on Pinterest. Most of the time these specialty items are used once, then languish in the… Continue reading

I have posted a lot of cheesecake here – mainly because I love them,  also because you can adapt them to so many occasions.  Dinner party?  This Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake or Key Lime Cheesecake marry well with any menu. Holiday? Try this Pumpkin Pie Ricotta Cheesecake or equally as festive Pumpkin Cheesecake with Candied Nut… Continue reading

I have to admit by this time in the summer I long for a cooler day.  Though, not as a respite to the heat, more for the opportunity to turn on the oven and bake.  The thought of twisting that dial, and indadvertedly heating the kitchen, when it’s so hot outside doesn’t seem right With… Continue reading

I picked up a tin of Za’tar Za’tar while traveling a while back, such a while back that I don’t remember where.  It seemed like serendipity when I found a recipe for Socca – a grilled chickpea flatbread made frequently in the south of France. A Middle Eastern spice blend of marjoram or thyme, oregano, dried… Continue reading

Every summer there seems to be a salad that I gravitate to, and tend make again and again.  The criteria is usually that it’s super easy to whip up, no ingredients that are strange or hard to procure. Extra points if it contains local, in season produce, doesn’t need extended refrigeration, can pair well with most… Continue reading

I am not going to pretend that I haven’t posted these muffins previously, I have.  The reason to share them with you again is because they are so versatile.  I made them the first time because I was traveling and needed them to be hearty enough to last in my carryon without being squashed too… Continue reading

Some of the best dishes I have ever made were created, not because I followed the recipe correctly (I am really not good at that) but rather because I didn’t have all the ingredients listed, and had to just wing it.  For all you recipe followers, I know that is a tough concept – just… Continue reading

My daughter was home from university last weekend and noticed a small container of ricotta cheese in the fridge.  Lately, I have been spreading it on toast, then showering it with lemon zest and capers, adding few slices of smoked salmon, and finishing with tons of fresh chopped dill for a fabulous and easy lunch…. Continue reading

When most people plan a big trip I think the last thing on their mind is baking.  Not so much for me – of course.  I need to bake to make sure I have something gluten free to resort to if there are no other options. Bonus points if it travels well, fills me up, with sweet… Continue reading

In these dwindling December days filled with endless parties full of punch bowls laden with egg nog, bacon wrapped scallops on fancy trays, and entire tables devoted to artistic cheese displays, I thought you might appreciate something a bit lighter to ingest between Fêtes. This one simple soup may be the thing we all need… Continue reading