finding time for cooking | for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

Healthy Banana Almond Butter Donuts with Chocolate Glaze (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, No Refined Sugar)

December 4, 2022

I can feel some of you judging me from afar. And let me be clear, I haven’t lost my mind…I’m not going to tell you that these banana almond butter donuts are the best, most indulgent treat you’ve ever had. These are truly HEALTHY donuts.

How healthy, you ask? Well, they’re gluten-free (in fact, grain-free), dairy-free, and free of refined sugars. (NOT, as some of you are snarkily saying, “fun-free”.) In fact, they taste great. So that is quite a feat.

Many of us have someone in our lives who is facing health challenges and has to be on a very restricted diet (or, perhaps, *we* are that person). And those people still want a treat every now and then, but it is very hard to find the right recipes to meet all those dietary needs.

These healthy baked donuts are pretty impressive on that front, and were surprisingly light and moist. They’d make a great healthy breakfast treat regardless of your diet, but are really effective in creating a special treat for someone who rarely gets them.

The original recipe (linked at the bottom) gives them a nut butter glaze, but I went with one made from dark chocolate chips to satisfy the choco-holics (and because my sister was almost out of almond butter at that point). The batter came together in just five minutes, and they were totally ready in a half hour.

Healthy, Spicy Fish Soup (Great for Liver Detox, Gut Health Protocol, etc)

November 27, 2022

I know a lot of you heard “spicy fish soup” and were like…um, yeah, I don’t know about that. But stick with me, I promise this is worth your time!

As someone who is known for not being a big soup lover, this may seem out of character, but this healthy fish soup was a big staple in my detox and gut health protocol over the summer. It ticked a lot of boxes, including being super easy to make, full of great ingredients, and being good as leftovers.

The first several times I made this, the protocol I was on didn’t allow me to have garlic or onion, so I had to adapt the original recipe to make it more flavorful without those key ingredients.

But once I made the soup with garlic and onion (after finishing the protocol), I realized I actually LIKE it better without them. The real punch of flavors comes from the fish stock (more on that in a sec) and the cumin and paprika.

Read more about the detox & gut health protocol + my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

I’ve made this soup a few different ways, making tweaks each time. I loved how easy it was from the start, but it took awhile for the flavors to really gel into the final recipe for me.

One big change I made was using anchovy paste (super easy to find) and water rather than fish stock, which is more difficult to find (and has varying quality). I also loved adding the cumin seeds and red pepper flakes, and “blooming” all the spices at the beginning for more flavor.

At the end, some fresh lime juice, herbs, and avocado provide tart, cool flavors and textures to offset the creamy warmth and spice. Trust me, this fish soup is a super healthy recipe WINNER!

5-Minute Vanilla Spice Cassava Flour Waffles (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

November 16, 2022

Even when I’m being REALLY good with my diet, and temporarily eliminating things like gluten and dairy, I still need a treat sometimes. In the summer I relied heavily on my addictive dark chocolate banana “nice cream”, but as the weather has gotten colder, I was looking for something a bit cozier. And these vanilla cinnamon cassava flour waffles 100% fit the bill!

These cassava flour waffles are dense (though not dry) and so in my opinion it does need some kind of wetter topping (berries, bananas, maple syrup or honey, yogurt) to balance that out. But the flavor it packs is so comforting…that vanilla-y cinnamon-y goodness really comes through.

I’m pretty new to cassava flour, but have really liked using it as a gluten-free alternative to things like these waffles, or coating chicken tenders.

I have tried this with oat flour as well, and it’s delicious and less dense, BUT also falls apart really easily. However if you don’t have cassava flour on hand, it can still work well with oat flour!

Over the past six months, I’ve talked quite a bit about the health journey I’ve been on, so won’t belabor the point here…I go into more detail in my post on how to stay sane on a functional medicine detox or gut health/candida protocol if you want to read more.

Equilife saw some of the recipes I posted while on that journey (like this delicious spiced chickpea scramble), and recently reached out to me asking if I’d partner with them to develop recipes that adhere to the three different main protocols that they use (two of which I’ve done…the functional medicine detox and the gut health one).

So I’m adding my usual partnership disclaimer here, which is that this post is sponsored by Equilibrium Nutrition. In this case I have included their vanilla daily nutritional support powder (kind of a souped up multivitamin + protein powder) in the recipe, because I use it in my smoothie every day (on my own dime). But if you have a different type of vanilla protein powder that you prefer—or just want to omit—that’s fine too. Most of the recipes in this partnership won’t use the products, but will just adhere to the specific dietary needs.

“Bakewell Tart-ini”: A Delicious Cherry-Almond Gin Cocktail

November 12, 2022

When I find something that manages to combine my deep and abiding love for the Great British Bake-Off with my love of cocktails, I know I have a winner. And this Bakewell tart-inspired cocktail with strong cherry and almond flavors (called the “Bakewell Tart-ini”) definitely qualifies.

So…”soggy bottoms up” (HA) and let’s get started!

This cherry almond cocktail has a coziness to it (though it’s cold) that makes it a perfect fall drink. For whatever reason, anything with amaretto makes visions of fall leaves and crackling fires dance through my head.

The two biggest flavors—and what makes it a cocktail that tastes like Bakewell tart—are a rich cherry from Luxardo’s Sangue Morlacco, and sweet, bitter almond from amaretto.

Both are balanced out by the tartness from fresh lemon juice, and (if you have it) a tiny bit of warmth from Licor 43’s vanilla spice.

Cranberry-Apricot Brioche Babka with White Chocolate

November 2, 2022

I realize that name is quite a mouthful, but I promise you that THIS mouthful is worth it. I mean, who can resist a soft, pillowy cranberry apricot babka, made with buttery brioche dough and studded with little gooey pockets of white chocolate??

When I shared my amazing O.G. chocolate brioche babka (Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, natch), I talked about how it lends itself to playing around with different flavor and filling combinations. And that’s where this particular cranberry babka was born.

Who doesn’t have a partially-used bag of cranberries sitting in their freezer? I was trying to figure out what to do with frozen cranberries and then inspiration struck.

And while the messy twisted half-logs of jammy dough are even harder to move and hold together than their chocolate counterparts, they’re super delicious and totally worth the mess!

I know that this type of recipe can feel a bit daunting to some people, I promise that it’s really not difficult at all. It does require time and patience, but the steps themselves are pretty easy.

While you don’t *need* special tools to make this babka, there are a few that I think help.

First off, I STRONGLY recommend using a stand mixer for this, vs. doing by hand. The dough has so much butter worked in that it would be very challenging by hand.
Speaking of butter, the quality of your butter is CRITICAL to the flavor of your babka. Kerrygold is amazing, or look for some other very high fat percentage butter. And make sure it’s really softened before incorporating.
I like a nice thin rolling pin to better control the dough, these bamboo ones are perfect.
This scraper tool is super helpful for everything, and I use it to cut my dough logs in half (vs. a knife).
These silicone basting brushes make it easy to brush the glaze on (and they clean up easily).

The “Last Word”: A Classic Gin Cocktail

October 20, 2022

Who doesn’t love to have the last word?? I’m slowly but surely working my way through many of the classic gin cocktails, and was super excited to finally try a Last Word cocktail after getting my hands on some maraschino liqueur.

You might also like: Gifts for the Cocktail Lover & At-Home Mixologist

At first I kind of felt like I was squeezing in one last summer cocktail and yet…it’s not really?

The strong herbaceous notes make this perfect for someone who’s looking for boozy and interesting, that doesn’t lean toward fruitier flavor palettes, and yet is a bit more refreshing than the standard fall bourbon cocktail.

What is a Last Word cocktail?

As with many of my favorites, it’s a Prohibition-era gin cocktail that has recently enjoyed a renaissance. It’s equal parts Luxardo maraschino cherry liqueur, green chartreuse, gin, and fresh lime juice. The maraschino liqueur and chartreuse both give a pungent, punchy smell and flavor.

The Last Word also has a mesmerizing pale green color that almost goes neon in some lights. I like to garnish mine with a Luxardo cherry or Amarena cherry.

I add a tiny bit of simple syrup just for personal taste preference, about 1/4 ounce…to me it just takes the edge off a tad.

You might also like: 13 Amazing Fall Cocktails to Fall in Love WithREAD THE POST

Tips for Surviving (& Enjoying) a Functional Medicine Detox and/or Gut Health (Candida, SIBO, etc) Protocol

October 16, 2022

So, guys…I’ve been on quite a journey the last six months or so, and so today I’m taking a quick break from sharing delicious recipes to talk a little about the tips I found for surviving (& doing amazingly on) a functional medicine detox and a longer gut health (SIBO, candida, leaky gut, etc.) protocol and diet.

I’ve had a number of friends ask if I could share more about the details, what I cooked, and more, so that’s what I’m doing here. A lot of you won’t necessarily care and that’s totally okay, just move on to the next delish recipe. I definitely won’t take it personally 🙂

Below I’ll share a little about the the diets I had to work within, some of the kitchen gear things that helped me, some tips for not being miserable, and then some of the recipes that were major winners and kept me sane and happy throughout.

About the protocols themselves (diet-wise)

First I wanted to share a little about the specific diet I had to follow, not because I’m trying to sell you on it, but because the specific requirements did inform what types of recipes I had to find and the tips that ended up working for me. I’ll speak to my results at the end of the post.

Plus, I DO believe that a good functional medicine detox is a really good thing to do, and I believe THIS approach to a candida/gut health protocol is the right one (even if you don’t use this company, but I’ve done a number of candida protocols in my time and this one is a cut above).

I started with a 7-day functional medicine detox, intended to help support the liver in detoxifying the body and clean out all sorts of things stashed around the body (particularly in the adipose tissue). I only did the 7-day as a kind of re-set before jumping into my gut health protocol, but really loved how I felt on it and will definitely go back and do the full 21-day at some point.

You can see the detox diet specifics here, but in general it includes a simple shake for breakfast (with vitamin/protein powder), a plant-based lunch, and the option for including animal protein with dinner, and there’s a list of approved proteins, vegetables, and fats.

Then I transitioned over to the 3+-month CBO protocol (Candida & Bacterial Overgrowth). The diet requirements are similar to the detox, but there are more allowed foods (especially veggies & fruits, and complex carbs), and I started having a real smoothie for breakfast (frozen wild organic blueberries, spinach, nut milk, and powders).

In both diets you fully cut out dairy, gluten, red meat, sugar, refined carbs, alcohol, and other things like that (though later in the gut health protocol you can have a weekly cheat meal). I also did a latent food sensitivities test and was cutting out dairy, gluten, and eggs for at least 12 weeks as well.

Why it was hard:

Well…I love food and drinks 🙂 So for one, that was hard. Emotionally and in terms of the small rituals of my life, the ways I reward myself, what I enjoy, I had to find alternatives.
But I also usually travel a lot, and my job also often has food and drink as a key part of socializing, so finding ways to work around that was difficult.
Plus, I felt like I spent like 50% of my time either FIGURING out what to make, or actually prepping food. It took a lot of planning ahead to make sure I could stick to the plan.
I already eat pretty healthy most of the time, but it was taking away some of my favorite things…garlic, brussels sprouts & cauliflower, my Mexican meat & beans for taco salad, etc.

So let’s talk about what actually worked, and how I got really good at this as time went on!

How to survive a functional medicine detox & candida protocol

I go into lots of detail below on some of the items I found super helpful (particularly for food logistics), how to bring more flavor to dishes and enjoy salads, how to “treat yo’self” within the confines of the diets, and then a bunch of recipes that were major winners.READ THE POST

The Best Pan-Seared Stovetop Salmon…& How To Cook Salmon Without Oil

October 11, 2022

Have you ever wondered how to cook salmon without oil? Honestly, I hadn’t until fairly recently (for reasons mentioned below), but once I went down that rabbit hole I realized that simple pan-seared salmon is the most perfect cooking technique out there!

The genesis of this recipe (technique, really) was during the functional medicine/liver detox I did at the beginning of the summer. It includes a fairly restrictive diet of certain proteins (like chickpeas or wild-caught salmon), lots of veggies, and a few healthy fats.

However, cooking with any oil is discouraged due to the oxidation created, so I was looking for ways to cook my favorite (allowed) foods with little or no oil.

Enter: stovetop salmon, which requires no oil (the fish is fatty enough without it) and actually results in the BEST homemade salmon texture!

You can read more about the detox (& gut health protocol) & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

Don’t get me wrong, my pan-caramelized salmon is still a total fave. This pan-seared salmon is a close cousin, just as easy and even a bit healthier.

And the texture is as close to restaurant-grade as I’ve been able to replicate at home. Usually when I grill or bake salmon, it ends up with all that white goo coming out, and a bit soggier than I’d like. It’s definitely edible, but not as delicious as I can get at a good restaurant.

Instead, this stovetop salmon produces a lightly crisp exterior that gives way to perfect moist flaky insides. WE ARE ALL CHEFS!

This would also be a great recipe for surviving a super low-carb diet (see more tips here!)READ THE POST

The Most Epic Single-Serving Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

September 17, 2022

What if I told you that you could have the most amazing delicious bittersweet single-serving chocolate lava cake…in 15 minutes??

And if I told you that it’s also naturally gluten-free and *mostly* dairy-free?? (It does have some butter and whatever’s in the chocolate, so your mileage may vary if you’re crazy sensitive…)

So, yeah, this is one of the most dangerous recipes I’ve ever made.

This is a true unicorn recipe, requiring only a few ingredients, a very short amount of time, and yielding an indulgent treat that’s the perfect texture and JUST the right amount of sweet/rich (for me, I keep mine more on the bittersweet side, but the recipe gives you options).

The texture of these single-serving chocolate lava cakes is more like a sturdier chocolate chocolate soufflé or my flourless chocolate cake rather than an actual CAKE. It’s delicate and melts in your mouth.

And while they’re perfect on their own, I also love playing around with different fillings. I think my favorite is still a dollop of peanut butter, but I’ve also tested some unique ones like my peanut butter balsamic caramel sauce and tart Morello cherry jam (with lemon zest in the batter).

13+ Amazing Fall Cocktails to Fall in Love With

September 7, 2022

This transitional time of year is a perfect time to try something a little new. And you guys know by now that I love (LOOOOVVVVEE) a new cocktail recipe. So I wanted to share some of my favorite fall cocktail recipes, to inspire each of us to expand our mixology boundaries a bit.

The delicious drink recipes below are definitely some of my favorite fall bourbon cocktails (and that’s expected this time of year).

But I think you might be surprised how many of them stray from that whiskey norm and celebrate some of the best fall drinks featuring gin (in particular).

And they really bring in flavors that feel super appropriate to autumn, or even just a VIBE that screams “headed into cooler weather!”

You might also like: Gifts for the Cocktail Lover & At-Home Mixologist

“New York” Whiskey Sour (with Optional Egg White Foam)

A whiskey sour is one of my true loves, but always has a bit of a summer feel to me. The New York sour on the other hand, gives me major fall vibes, and has become one of my favorite early fall cocktails. AND IT’S SO PRETTY!

You basically add a red wine float on top of the traditional sour (poured of the back of a spoon, to diffuse it). It creates a beautiful layer and the dry red wine balances the sweet-tart cocktail profile.

Get the recipe for my “New York” whiskey sour!

Lemon Chili Basil Crispy Chickpeas with Charred Zucchini

September 2, 2022

The real name for these crispy stovetop chickpeas should be “crispy lemony chili stovetop chickpeas” but that…was getting a bit long.

These delicious crispy chickpeas on the stovetop are crazy easy, and packed with flavors…bright lemon, spicy red pepper flakes, fresh herbs.

They whip up in just a few minutes, and then you pile them on a creamy garlic yogurt and add silky charred zucchini! The whole thing takes like 15-20 minutes.

As I was on a special diet, I had to leave out the garlic yogurt, but it was still delicious!

On this 3+ month gut health protocol that I’ve been on (I talk about it a little bit in this spiced chickpea scramble post), I’ve had to find a handful of fast and easy staple meals, including some that are plant-based.

This one has definitely been a winner, as I can throw it together in just a few minutes (while simultaneously listening to a conference call when needed), and has really leveraged the fresh flavors of summer produce. While the zucchini is perfect, I think you could sub other things in a pinch if you can’t find it.

You can read more about the detox (& gut health protocol) & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

“Trouble In Paradise”: Spiced Peach Bourbon Cocktail

August 29, 2022

Despite my deepest desires and best efforts, we seem to be sliding inexorably into fall again. But I’m intent on squeezing every last drop out of summer, and I think this delicious spiced peach bourbon cocktail neatly walks that line.

Called the “Trouble in Paradise”, this drink recipe came to me initially from Instagram, where I saw it and went “Ooooohh yes please!” and took a screenshot. Then it sat on my phone for a couple years before I stumbled upon it again.

It is the perfect encapsulation of summer and fall together…sweet, juicy peach flavor so reminiscent of midsummer, paired with the warming notes of cinnamon and bourbon that denote more of a fall cocktail, and then lifted with a hint of brightness from the fresh lemon juice.

You might also like: 13 Amazing Fall Cocktails to Fall in Love With

Beyond its amazing taste, the other great thing about this peach whiskey cocktail is that it’s super easy to make. You don’t need esoteric or expensive ingredients, beyond some peach schnapps or liqueur.

Many people have a bottle of this on hand from some past party (you don’t need super expensive stuff), and always wonder what to make with peach schnapps. And here’s the answer!

All you need besides that is a decent bourbon (I think a 90-proof or thereabouts is perfect, much less than that gets lost), a lemon, and some cinnamon or cardamom simple syrup (for cinnamon, just substitute cinnamon sticks for the cardamom pods), which takes like three minutes to make and is a great fridge staple.

Easy Turkish Bazlama (Flatbread)

August 21, 2022

Fresh, homemade bread is one of the magical things in life. And most people don’t realize how incredibly easy it is. This bazlama recipe is no different…an easy traditional Turkish flatbread, it can be made and on the table in 30-60 minutes!

Save for later: What Bread You Should Make Based On How Long You Have…

What I love about this particular Turkish flatbread recipe is that, while it includes yeast, it does not require a long rise. So you get the benefit of the flavor and texture that yeast brings to the bread, with just a quick 15-minute rest instead.

So that’s how we’re rollin’ here, just to be clear…

This bazlama recipe is delicious just to nibble on its own, but best when piled high with fragrant chicken shawarma, tender lamb, veggies, yogurt, and more. This Middle Eastern chicken shawarma is perfect, as is Nadiya’s spiced chicken shawarma.

For myself I usually halve the recipe, so making 5-6 rather than the regular 10-12.

Sweet Potato “Toast” with Guacamole & Chili-Lime Black Beans

August 14, 2022

You can definitely tell this is healthy. You can’t deny that it’s pretty. But you might be surprised to know that it’s shockingly satisfying and quite tasty.

This sweet potato “toast” recipe is like a gluten-free avocado toast, made crave-worthy by the addition of a creamy, tart (quick) guacamole and chili-lime black beans that are like a flavor bomb in your mouth.

I’ve already talked about the gut health protocol and very restrictive diet I’ve been working through for a few months in my chickpea scramble post, so won’t belabor it here.

This sweet potato toast recipe has been one of the day-to-day life savers in the past few months. It helps me get in veggies, have a good plant-based meal option, and is a nice antidote to the sheer amount of time that meal planning and prep takes each day.

You can read more about the detox (& gut health protocol) & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

The roasted sweet potato slices are also super versatile, a great base for cleaning out your fridge or adding other protein and veggies. I often roast or air fry broccoli and throw it on top as well, or if I have a cooked ground venison or chicken, I’ll throw that on top for more protein.

The Most Addictive, Indulgent-Feeling Dark Chocolate Banana “Nice Cream”

August 7, 2022

I can feel about half of you rolling your eyes, and about half of you going, “ooooh, I’m intrigued!” And I understand both responses, because calling chocolate “nice cream” made from frozen bananas *indulgent* seems like it might be an overstatement.

EXCEPT IT’S NOT. Seriously, this dark chocolate banana “nice cream” is crazy delicious.

It’s rich, complex, and sweet enough but not sickly. And it’s exactly the thing I’ve needed for the occasional treat during this 3+-month gut health diet and protocol.

Honestly, it will be one of my go-to treats even after I can eat more normally—it’s truly that good.

You can read more about the detox (& gut health protocol) & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

One of the keys here is using a really good dark cocoa powder—ideally dutch-process (this Rodelle is my everyday one), and use more than seems sane. If you don’t have that or don’t want to buy it, Hershey’s Special Dark is my backup for non-dutch.

Look at the color it imparts! The dark cocoa powder flavors really balance out the banana-ness so you don’t even really realize you’re eating frozen bananas.

Strawberry Mint Simple Syrup

July 22, 2022

I’ve got the perfect example of “takes zero time but feels fancy” for you today…this strawberry mint simple syrup takes advantage of the tail-end of strawberry season, and immediately levels-up your cocktail game.

I’ve said it before, but I don’t think people realize how insanely easy it is to make flavored simple syrups, and how it can take your cocktail (or mocktail, or other stuff) game to the next level. It literally takes like 2 minutes.

This strawberry mint syrup is a great way to use up all that late-summer super-ripe sweet juicy strawberry goodness. It kind of gives me a “twist on a Pimms Cup vibe” (the non-cucumber kind because BLECH).

You might also like: The At-Home Cocktail Tools I Swear By READ THE POST

Traditional Irish Brown Bread

July 15, 2022

This is one of those recipes that immediately transports me back…in this case, to a cozy B&B in the boonies of Ireland.

And then discovering how easy it is to whip up this traditional Irish brown bread at home has been quite dangerous for my waistline…

Brown bread was omnipresent everywhere I went in Ireland, even more so than scones (and honestly I rarely saw soda bread). My bowls of fish chowder or plates of cottage pie came with it, and my hotel or B&B breakfasts often included it.

I am completely in love with its moist, dense, crumbly texture and slightly sweet, nutty taste. It tastes healthy (and is!), but in all the best ways. And piled high with Kerrygold and homemade jam, there’s nothing better!

What’s the difference between Irish brown bread and soda bread?

Both are iconic Irish recipes, but they’re quite different. Soda bread usually uses white flour, or occasionally some whole wheat added in. Irish brown bread, on the other hand, is mostly composed of coarsely-ground whole wheat flour plus wheat bran and wheat germ. It occasionally has other things added like flaxseed, oats, or seeds.

All those whole grains in the brown bread give it a deep, nutty flavor, and its super tender and moist, denser texture. Soda bread is often slightly sweet and has more of a scone-like texture. Not that you care, but I’m definitely more partial to the Irish brown bread.

Save for later: What Bread You Should Make Based On How Long You Have…

It’s super easy to make as well. The main thing that’s tricky is getting the right kind of wheat flour. Irish wholemeal flour is extremely coarsely-ground, and we don’t have an equivalent here. I got my sister to grind some for me (though it still wasn’t as coarse as I’d have liked), but you can also easily buy Irish flour online.

This particular recipe comes from Jimmy Bruic, one of my B&B hosts on my last trip to Ireland. It’s simple and easy, and the only main tweaks I had were to add more salt, and then mine definitely needed more than the 40 minutes in the recipe.

If you’re using a regular loaf tin, I’d say minimum an hour, and my second loaf was more like 80-85 minutes. Be patient, and make sure it gets to around 200 F inside with a thermometer.

Easy Air Fryer Green Beans (Blistered Green Bean Fries)

July 7, 2022

I am…not a fan of green beans. They’re definitely in the bottom tier of vegetables for me. Not “I won’t touch this disgusting thing” (AHEM cucumbers), but definitely picked last for my dodgeball team. However, THESE delicious salty blistered air fryer green beans are a major exception.

As I mentioned in my chickpea scramble post, I’m navigating a few months of a quite restrictive diet protocol to try and heal all sorts of frustrating full-body symptoms stemming from gut health issues.

It’s going well, but is honestly quite challenging…both in not being able to enjoy some of my favorite foods, but also the sheer amount of time and planning it takes to have food I can eat each day (including an insane amount of vegetables).

And so I’ve come to really rely on my air fryer this summer, to help me quickly cook a variety of delicious veggies without heating my my house when it’s already hotter than Satan’s front porch outside. And no one is more shocked than I am that these green bean fries have become a daily staple!

You can read more about the detox (& gut health protocol) & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

Summer Nostalgia: Cherry Limeade for Grown-Ups

July 4, 2022

Cherry limeade immediately takes me back to high school, and the very rare (for me) treat of getting to stop at Sonic and get some cheddar poppers and a cherry limeade when the school bus made a stop on the way home from a softball game. So this grown-up version of cherry limeade is the best kind of nostalgia.

You might also like: The At-Home Cocktail Tools I Swear By

There’s a secret ingredient that makes this amazing. I have found the perfect liqueur companion in Luxardo’s Sangue Morlacco, and am deeply obsessed with its dark, sweet cherry flavor.

It’s made by fermenting the juice of marasca cherries, and the taste is what I’ve previously described as “the most intense cherry punch in the mouth you can imagine”. You can learn more at their website, the history and process is really interesting.

It’s also very versatile…no one-trick-pony here. It can make lots of delicious cocktails, so the bottle won’t just sit on the shelf (I recommend starting with a cherry lemonade).

Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Shortbread

June 24, 2022

Figuring out this salted peanut butter chocolate shortbread recipe has been the BANE of my existence, and yet somehow I couldn’t give up on it.

Initially, I found a recipe and was like “oooh yes please!” But after trying to make it a couple different times and having trouble—the dough was dry and crumbly, wasn’t flavorful enough, etc.—I set it aside.

Then a year or so later I decided to try it again, with different alterations. Better…but still not there. And finally, Nicola Lamb came to the rescue by solving a lot of the recipe problems I’d been having with SCIENCE!

I love her Kitchen Projects newsletter, where she takes an incredibly rigorous approach to recipe testing, particularly the chemistry element…for instance, how various proportions of fat impact a particular recipe, how much liquid it needs, etc. It’s nerdy but even if you don’t want to get that detailed, you can benefit from what she learns.

You might also like: The Kitchen Tools & Gadgets I Swear By

And so finally I had a peanut butter chocolate shortbread recipe that I loved and could depend on. The cookies aren’t too sweet, which is a selling point for me (and the flaky sea salt helps a bit too with that sweet-savory feel).

Part of why they aren’t too sweet is that I accidentally left out the brown sugar once when making them, and I actually think they were more delicious that way (the recipe below reflects both options).

You could also omit the chocolate bits and instead melt some dark chocolate and coconut oil, and dip the cookies in that instead. Or do both because I’m not the boss of you.

10-Minute Spiced Chickpea Scramble

June 15, 2022

Yeahhhh…I know that “chickpea scramble” is off-brand for me. Let’s just go with it.

As a person who absolutely loves food, I’m in a tricky place right now, and kind of salty about it…after years of not feeling well, with lots of different and seemingly-unrelated symptoms, plus more than a year of trying other things, I’m now on a complete gut health overhaul program.

In addition to some supplements and lifestyle changes, I have to follow a strict restrictive diet for a few months to clean out and rebuild the gut flora, so I’ve been riding the struggle bus trying to figure out what I *can* eat, what would actually taste good, making sure it’s the right combo of fat, protein, carbs, etc.

You can read more about the detox & gut health protocol, best recipes, & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

You might also like: Tips for Surviving a Super Low-Carb Diet

It’s a lot, and it’s frustrating because I really miss delicious things (including cheese, gin, and garlic and onion which is CRUSHING not to be able to eat). But I really, REALLY hope this helps me feel better, and if so, it’s worth it.

Now, don’t worry, I prepped ahead of time and have plenty of delicious and indulgent recipes stockpiled to share with you over the next few months. So many. So if the super healthy anti-inflammatory gut health thing isn’t your cup of tea, I’ve still got your back.

But if you’re looking to add in some extra healthy recipes here and there, or are in a similar boat as me and trying to follow a candida, gut health, anti-inflammatory, or similar type of diet, then hopefully this sprinkling of recipes (and the deeper post I’ll share later on tips for surviving this kind of diet) will be helpful.

And let’s talk about this spiced chickpea scramble for a minute, because it really does have a lot going for it. First, it only takes like 10 minutes to make (winner!). It’s easy, cheap protein, and the spices really make it quite the party in your mouth. As an easy vegan recipe and plant-based meal option, it won’t steer you wrong.

A Refreshing Basil Gin Smash

June 11, 2022

This basil gin smash is EXACTLY what we need to take us into the brutally hot “spring to summer” transition that’s imminently upon us.

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I love summer. Seriously. But we barely got a spring this year, have had a few weeks of delightful 80s, and now it’s going to be 97 this week with a heat index around 120. TOO SOON.

So I’m trying to cling to some late-spring vibes, and couldn’t resist these stunning tulips when I saw them at the store…there’s such a narrow window for really good tulips, and these colors just make me HAPPY.

Other things making me happy right now?? This delish gin basil smash.

Follow along on Instagram & Facebook for recipe videos, kitchen hacks, & more!

What is a smash cocktail?

Honestly, it’s a pretty loose definition. A smash is a subset of julep (which is also loosely alcohol, sugar, water, and shaved ice). So a smash falls along this line with (typically) a spirit, simple syrup, ice, and some kind of fruit…served in a shorter glass than the traditional julep.

It’s seasonally flexible, incorporating both fruit and herbs as needed, and sometimes people top it with seltzer to water it down a bit. It’s refreshing and perfect for summer.

“Quick” Rosemary & Caramelized Onion Focaccia

June 3, 2022

Sometimes you just NEED savory, carb-y, salty, soft goodness. And sometimes you need it now, not like…tomorrow. While a really good authentic focaccia (like my true love from Samin Nosrat) requires a solid 18-24 hours from start to finish, this “quick” rosemary & caramelized onion focaccia is a winner on speed.

I don’t know why perfection on this quick focaccia recipe eluded me so much. Like the story of the 3 Little Bears, my end results were too thin, too crispy, then too soft, etc.

So mostly I’ve been making this on repeat for months, adjusting the amounts in the dough to get to the right amounts, thickness, and texture.

While this isn’t as crunchy as a traditional focaccia (which needs a good overnight rise to get there) and doesn’t have quite the open irregular crumb structure, you just can’t expect that same texture from something you make in a few hours. It’s still incredibly delicious and satisfying.

Save for later: What Bread You Should Make Based On How Long You Have…

And let’s spend a minute talking about this dreamy combination of caramelized onions and fresh rosemary, studded with flaky sea salt and doused with a really excellent olive oil.

This flavor combo is SO good, super easy, and makes this a great standalone bread as well as pairing well with meals. I’ve also left off either the onions or rosemary before, and even done this with just the flaky sea salt, and it’s still awesome.

The key here is that you need to use REALLY GOOD olive oil for your drizzling. You can skimp a bit on what goes into the dough itself and use your regular EVOO, but what you pour on the pan, on the dough, and on the final baked bread needs to be primo.

I’m a huge fan of Brightland olive oils and vinegars, they’re my go-to for this type of recipe where the taste and quality really matters. I rotate between different ones for this focaccia, but their Awake oil is a staple for this.

Middle Eastern Grilled Chicken Shawarma

May 29, 2022

You can never have too many delicious go-to chicken recipes, and this moist, spiced Middle Eastern grilled chicken shawarma is my new favorite. It’s a great easy and healthy solo weeknight dinner (hello it’s me!) or scaled up for a giant party.

I’ve already shared my take on Nadiya’s chicken shawarma recipe, which I’m obsessed with and make all the time.

There are differences between that one and this recipe in both the spice mix and the cooking technique. That one is baked (and doesn’t require pre-marinating), while this one is great for summer when you don’t want to turn the oven on.

To me this grilled chicken shawarma is perfect, but someday I also want to try a more traditional stacking method on a skewer and then maybe baking it.

And your options for serving it are super versatile. You can eat your grilled chicken shawarma by itself, with rice and veggies, or thrown on top of salad. But to me, this is perfect tucked into a soft homemade flatbread and piled with toppings.

These flaky, buttery no-yeast flatbreads might be my favorite ones, but my easy homemade naan bread is a winner as well. The pics below also show it atop some traditional Turkish bazlama flatbread as well.

Cherry & Lemon Gin Cocktail…a.k.a. Cherry Lemonade for Grown-Ups

May 15, 2022

My deep and abiding love for cherries is well-documented on this blog, and as I (im)patiently await sweet cherry season this year, I grabbed something on a whim that I’m now completely obsessed with. That “something” is Luxardo’s Sangue Morlacco liqueur, and it is the secret to this delicious hard cherry lemonade.

I found this grown-up take on a cherry lemonade in Food + Wine, and loved that it used the Sangue Morlacco. It’s super simple, using the cherry liqueur and some fresh lemon juice, and then I obvs substituted gin for the vodka it called for…

One of my mantras in life is “why have vodka when you can have gin???”

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Now, you may be wondering what Sangue Morlacco is…I’d never heard of it til I saw it on the shelf next to the Luxardo Maraschino liqueur that I’d been looking for. After reading the bottle I was like UM YES PLEASE.

It’s a liqueur made by fermenting the juice of marasca cherries, and the resulting liqueur is truly like the most intense cherry punch in the mouth you can imagine. You can learn more at their website, the history and process is really interesting.

The (IMO) Best Homemade Key Lime Pie

May 7, 2022

I’ve always loved key lime pie, and I have no earthly idea why I’d never tried making it myself. But *then* a few months ago I did an awesome roadtrip through the Florida Keys and made it my mission to try and find the best key lime pie in the Keys. I succeeded, and it inspired me to search for the best homemade key lime pie recipe.

What makes the best homemade key lime pie?

Traditional key lime pie has only six ingredients—graham crackers, butter, sugar, key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk.

I am a key lime pie purist, when it comes to it. I want my filling to be a perfect balance of tart and sweet, with the lime flavor really punching through. I like a creamy custard-y texture, rather than something more solid (like a cheesecake), or super light (with a whipped texture).

Then, I want a graham cracker crust that is buttery and a little sweet, with a bit of crumble to it. Beyond that…I don’t love piling on meringue or whipped cream or whatever. I feel it detracts from the flavor, rather than enhances. But you do you.

See my ranking of the best key lime pies in the Florida Keys!

To figure out what the best homemade key lime pie recipe is, I sifted through a number of different recipes and also dug into Pancake Princess’s key lime pie bake-off. And, like her, I ended up going with the O.G. recipe, from Cooks Illustrated. Why mess with perfection??

I made this pie twice, once with fresh regular (Persian) lime juice and once with bottled key lime juice. First off, I realize it’s not *technically* key lime pie if it’s made with regular limes but it tastes almost identical and most of us can’t get fresh key limes. SO DON’T COME AT ME INTERNET!

But my ultimate conclusion was that I couldn’t tell a major difference between the two types of juice. Maybe if I’d tried them side-by-side, but generally speaking you can go with whichever you prefer. I think I have maybe a slight preference for the fresh regular lime juice, but go with your heart.

So what you’ll see through this recipe is a combination of photos from both pies. You can ignore variations of color in the photos, it was hard to get the lighting exactly right, but they were basically identical.

Because mine has 4 egg yolks, it might be a bit more yellow than some, but all key lime pies should be some shade of pale to medium yellow—never green!

I was also honestly surprised how easy this key lime pie is to make. I feel like, in my head, key lime pie was tricky (maybe because of the custard texture), which is why I never tried it before. But it is wicked easy.

Super Easy & Healthy “Loaded” Thai Chicken Salad

May 1, 2022

I have to be honest up front…this loaded Thai chicken salad is not a *pretty* dish. But it IS easy, healthy, and (most critically) delicious. No lie, the first time I made it, I threw it together while on a conference call, just putting myself off-camera every few minutes to do another step.

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It’s hard to even know what to call the dish…is it a Thai cabbage salad? A slaw? I think Thai chicken salad works nicely, though somehow under-represents the sheer volume of veggies in it. This will look like it makes a ton, but it’s really only about 4-6 servings (depending on if it’s your main dish or a side).

I’ve made a number of small tweaks to the original recipe to better suit my tastes and simplify as well. I prefer using a fresh head of cabbage (I use a half-head here), but bagged can work too. I used much less pepper, carrot, and herbs, and more chicken (to keep me full longer).

And wow, the heat from the gochujang really comes through! It creeps up on you a bit (though I’m a total baby about spice, so your mileage may vary). The recipe calls for Sambal Oelek, with gochujang as a good substitute (and what I had on-hand).

Now what I can’t tell you is that this makes perfect leftovers. It makes *fine* leftovers, but it has a tendency to get watery (which isn’t the end of the world, and you can drain off the liquid). So here are a couple tips if you’ll be mostly eating it as leftovers:

Definitely don’t use too much lettuce, or any at all
The red onion really takes over once it’s been siting for a while, so go really light if you’ll be eating as leftovers, or keep separate
I found I liked to warm it up slightly…like zap it in the microwave for like 20-30 seconds. I liked it cool or room temp, but not fridge-cold (deadens the flavors)
You also *could* reserve the dressing and dress it as you go…that feels overly complex but it would keep it from getting soggy or watery

Jam & Goat Cheese Phyllo Cups (Easy, Fancy Appetizer)

April 23, 2022

CHEESE AND JAM! Y’all who have been around here long enough know that this is a marriage made in heaven for me. And add crispy phyllo cups?? Yep, I’m on board. What’s even better is that these jam and goat cheese phyllo cups are super fast and literally dummy-proof.

(I’m not calling you a dummy. You’re great. Just sayin’ that even dummies can do this)

I was looking for something to bring to our Night to Be Much Observed dinner that would nicely complement what others were making. I’d settled on some fancy phyllo cup appetizers, but it wasn’t until I found this goat cheese and jam version that I was totally on board.

I’d initially bought phyllo dough…then realized that phyllo cups were an actual thing and that made much more sense. Literally zero effort.

And while I was completely sold on the goat cheese and fig jam flavor combo, I couldn’t find the right kind of fig jam (Trader Joe’s is too dark and grainy). So I pivoted to a chunky papaya lime jam that I bought in Jamaica last year. Gives off a similar flavor profile (weirdly), and was perfect.

It took me maybe 5 minutes to assemble these goat cheese phyllo cups and pop them in the oven…and that was with running upstairs in the middle to help my sister figure out what to wear.

Once they’re out of the oven 10 minutes later, just dollop your jam on them and put them on a pretty plate! VOILA!!!

Super Easy 10-Minute Stovetop Orange Curd

April 15, 2022

It now seems tradition to start the spring season with a sweet and tart citrus curd (see last year’s grapefruit delight). So when I got the hankerin’ for something bright, tart, and sweet, I decided to whip up some crazy easy orange curd.

And when I say “whip up”, I really mean that…sometimes people are intimidated by curds, but this stovetop curd recipe that I’ve been adapting to different citrus fruits is seriously the easiest thing ever! Once you have your citrus juiced and zested, it only takes 5 minutes to cook.

Rather like with my grapefruit and blood orange versions, this orange curd is a little less thick and a tad sweeter than the original lemon version, since the fruit itself is a bit more sweet and floral, less tart.

The recipe below backs off the sugar a bit to account for that, and you could even sub in a couple tablespoons of lemon juice to up the acidity a bit.

The Easiest, Juiciest Poached Chicken Breasts (& How to Shred Chicken in 10 Seconds)

April 8, 2022

This recipe is a two-in-one kitchen hack, and it actually blew my mind. How did I not know this was a thing??? Because today I’ve got for you not only how to make the easiest, juiciest poached chicken breasts, but also a 10-second hack for how to shred chicken.

I am all about having some cooked chicken in the fridge to snack on, or to add to pasta, rice, or a salad for a super fast meal. But I overdid it on grilled chicken for a few years and needed to mix it up a bit.

This super moist shredded chicken made with poached chicken breasts was the perfect answer. I keep a container of this at all times, and sometimes add it to recipes (like the loaded Thai chicken salad shown below), but often just put a bit of BBQ sauce on and eat it straight out of the container.

I made an Instagram Reel of the technique so you can see it in motion…this link will take you to the video on IG (and follow me @findingtimeforcooking) for recipe inspiration, videos, & more!).

What temperature should chicken be cooked to?

More modern thinking says 145 F to be done and safe inside (previously was considered 165 F which can be quite tough & dry). For poaching, you’ll have trouble getting the chicken much higher than 145-150 due to the gentle cooking method in water. Make sure to insert your thermometer at the thickest portion of the breast.

A Perfect Amaretto Sour Cocktail (with Bourbon)

April 3, 2022

So, y’all know I love me a cocktail (see: evidence here). But somehow I’d never had an amaretto sour until last fall…and in Jamaica of all places.

The very first cocktail I had at the resort was truly terrible, and I was stymied on what to order. The waiter suggested an amaretto sour, I accepted, and it (weirdly) ended up being my signature cocktail for the next 8 days. So it’s time I figured out making this for myself!

Amaretto is an Italian almond-flavored liqueur that’s used as an ingredient in many cocktails. It balances sweetness and a bit of bitterness, and it’s crazy I hadn’t owned a bottle until recently because I LOVE almond flavor. It’s a running family joke that I manage to put almond extract in any baked good 🙂

So a few things to know about this amaretto sour recipe…first, it’s not light on the calories or sugar, just due to the amaretto. I feel like we have to get that out of the way.

I’ve also made a few tweaks to make it (to my mind) perfect. First, BOURBON. I strongly believe an amaretto sour needs bourbon to punch it up and balance out the sweetness and low alcohol of amaretto. I also backed off the simple syrup a bit, because I don’t feel it needs to be sweeter.

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And I do really believe it’s better with the egg white! I’ve provided the technique below, it’s really not scary, but if you really want to leave it out you can.

As you can see, I tried this in a couple different glasses (a traditional large coupe, and a small cut-crystal rocks glass). Both work great, though I think I slightly preferred drinking this out of the rocks glass.

I loved using my adorable cocktail sticks to skewer the Amarena cherry. (None of this maraschino cherry nonsense here.)

Spicy Unleavened Cheese Straws

April 1, 2022

So I don’t totally know what to call these, so have landed on unleavened cheese straws. But as you can see, they’re not straws exactly. Cheese…fingers doesn’t exactly sound as delicious. And they ARE delicious!

Every year I like to try out at least one new unleavened bread recipe for the Passover season, and I’m pretty excited about this one.

My usual disclaimer: I keep the Days of Unleavened Bread (the week following Passover) as laid out in the bible, so I avoid leavening (sometimes called a rising agent). This can be things like yeast, baking powder, etc. (definition here). My understanding is that some Jewish people (particularly Orthodox Jews) may keep these days differently and also avoid flour and certain grains. I can’t speak to that in any way, and only you know how you keep the Days of Unleavened Bread. So please don’t send me angry comments, you have been warned 🙂

Okay, back to our cheesy biscuits. Now, the “spicy” part is up to you…the first time I had these, they really had a kick! It had a bit more cayenne than my taste buds prefer, so when I make them I back off of that.

I’ve also added some smoked paprika for depth and a bit of heat. I feel like you could experiment with different spices or herbs in these cheese straws depending on your mood.

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These do take a pretty crazy amount of cheese, and you want to go with a nice sharp cheddar for lots of flavor (and less moisture). And here’s the key—if at all possible, grate it yourself rather than buying grated cheese at the store (which has stabilizers that mess with the texture).

If I were doing this on a box grater this would be so annoying (I’m WAY too lazy), but I used my cheese mill/grater, which has a turn handle and is so much easier.

Speaking of easy, you can freeze these cheese straws, either before baking or after…this is handy since it makes a ton. To do it before, go ahead and cut the dough into pieces, lay on a baking tray (with parchment) and freeze for an hour or so, then you can transfer to a ziploc. Bake for a few minutes longer from frozen.

Peanut Butter Balsamic Caramel Sauce

March 20, 2022

This is the caramel for people who hate caramel. *raises hand*

I’m not remotely joking…when I first stuck my finger in this peanut butter balsamic caramel and tasted it, I said out loud (to myself, and the cats) WHOAAA.

For me, caramel is usually way too sickly sweet. But the addition of the peanut butter and balsamic vinegar bring a salty umami or savory-ness plus a brightness and acidity that completely elevate this. And I am on board!!

GOOD balsamic vinegar is key here, because you want something that is really bringing flavor to the party. I used this Brightland balsamic from California that’s double fermented with zinfandel grapes and ripe Triple Crown blackberries. It is SO GOOD!!! I love their products and highly recommend!

Amazing Intense Dark Chocolate Sable Cookies

March 16, 2022

These “intensely” chocolate sables are the ultimate “don’t judge a book by its cover” experience. These cookies are like being punched in the face with rich, bittersweet dark chocolate. I felt like I had to lead with that.

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These dark chocolate sables bring such an intense flavor and it kind of explodes when you take a bite. In my opinion this is the best chocolate cookie recipe, FULL STOP. Yes, it’s unorthodox, but trust me on this.

Now, if you prefer super sweet milk chocolate type cookies, then I’ll tell you upfront that these are not the ones for you. But if you gravitate toward rich, dark, complex, bittersweet chocolate flavors that aren’t sickly sweet…then keep reading!

So a few notes about the dough for these dark chocolate sables…I have to level with you, the dough is not the easiest to work with. Rolling was HARD because the dough kept coming apart.

But that’s okay! They still turned out delicious and looked fine. I’ve found that chilling it too long made it hard to work with, and I tend to use my palms quite a bit (for warmth to make the dough more pliable, which is counterintuitive with dough, I know).

Rather than rolling it like bread dough, I made very small, light movements with the rolling pin, kind of little wiggles. My bamboo rolling pin was perfect, and then my scraper tool was critical for picking up the cut-out dough.

Roasted Sicilian Cauliflower

March 5, 2022

I’m struggling to even figure out how to best explain this Sicilian cauliflower dish to help you truly understand how delicious it is…

What makes it Sicilian?? The roasted cauliflower is paired with a classic Southern Italian combination of savory, spicy, acidic, and sweet elements for a “party in your mouth” end result.

And these are all great ingredients to keep on-hand anyway (plus fresh parsley is cheap), because pine nuts are great for pesto and tossing in salads for crunch, fresh garlic is a must-have for curries and more, and golden raisins are amazing in salads, kheer, and korma. (I buy my golden raisins in bulk on Amazon)

The original recipe calls for white wine vinegar, which works well, but I’ve been using this absolutely delish champagne vinegar from Brightland. I’m obsessed with their oils, vinegars, and honeys, and using them in all sorts of recipes.

And not only that, but it’s wicked easy as well. While the cauliflower roasts, you prep a couple ingredients to toss together with it (soak some golden raisins, quickly fry up some garlic and pine nuts), and then once it comes out of the oven…VOILA!

This has become a staple side dish a few times a week, on rotation with my brussels sprouts rubble and some charred broccoli bits with Trader Joe’s 21 Spice seasoning.

The Best, Easy Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes (Naturally Gluten-Free)

February 27, 2022

These chocolate molten lava cakes are a dangerous thing. Why, you ask??

Well, when you find the best chocolate lava cake recipe and it only takes a few ingredients, plus it’s the best texture, plus it’s naturally gluten-free, PLUS it only takes like 15 minutes from start to finish…yeah, that’s dangerous. I may or may not have made it multiple times just this week.

This recipe uses some of my must-have kitchen tools!

I got the recipe from the always-reliable Smitten Kitchen…she calls them chocolate puddle cakes, and she’s not wrong, because they are ooey gooey.

Texturally they’re more along the lines of my flourless chocolate cake or a more sturdy chocolate soufflé, rather than cake-y or “fondant” as the Brits say (which I’m not mad at). It’s a beautiful delicate texture that’s a blast to cut into.

I’ve included a lot of notes along with the molten lava cake recipe below, not because it’s difficult but because there are a few choices you can make based on your tastes.

For instance, I prefer them less sweet (closer to 1 tablespoon of sugar rather than 2 tablespoons) and I do prefer to put a little dollop of something in the middle to cut the intensity of the chocolate.

I give you a bunch of ideas on that in the recipe notes, but some of my favorites are peanut butter, my unique peanut butter balsamic caramel, and tart cherry jam (with lemon zest in the batter). It’s endlessly adaptable!

Side note, I’ve also developed a single-serving version of this recipe which is delicious (and dangerous)!

Check out some other of the best gluten-free dessert recipes around!
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts “Rubble”: The Easiest, Fastest, Most Delicious Way to Eat Them

February 20, 2022

I’ve shared many brussels sprouts recipes over the years, from simple (caramelized shredded) to a little more involved (maple-dijon roasted). But I realized I hadn’t shared a super straightforward recipe for how I eat them on an almost-nightly basis…BEHOLD, the best roasted brussels sprouts EVER a.k.a. “rubble”.

These balsamic-honey ones are probably the closest to these, and you can absolutely add a bit of sweet and vinegar to give it an extra layer of flavor. But these are still amazing all on their own, with only salt and garlic powder for flavor.

I discovered that this was the best roasted brussels sprout technique by accident…I used to quarter or halve my sprouts before roasting, which was often great but frequently also gave me some tough, chewy pieces. Then my grocery store started having MASSIVE brussels sprouts, and quarters just didn’t make sense.

So I halved them and then diced like I would other veggies (small slices, then turn and slice the other way). What I realized after months of doing it this way is that it is 1) wicked easy, 2) they cook way faster and more evenly, and 3) they pick up more flavor this way.

This is now my default way of preparing them when I just want easy roasted brussels sprouts on a random Tuesday. I can have them prepped and in the oven in 5 minutes (in fact I have to remember to pre-heat my oven ahead) and then they’re ready in 10-12 minutes.

Cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts are a great source of fiber, many critical vitamins and minerals, cancer-fighting compounds, and a great way to promote gut health and biodiversity. My two main cruciferous foods are brussels sprouts and cauliflower, but I’m trying to add more into my diet.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies (Levain Bakery Copycat)

February 12, 2022

Yeah, that’s a mouthful. But these double chocolate peanut butter chip cookies deserve all of that name and more. They probably are the best cookies I’ve had in my life.

So…this all goes back to December several years ago, when a media sales rep sent us a box of cookies at work from Levain Bakery in New York. These cookies weighed like 5 pounds each and were the size of your fist.

Now honestly I’m rarely that tempted by store-bought or bakery cookies. I’m a homemade girl all the way. But I was stressed and there were these chocolate ones with chocolate and peanut butter chips that were calling my name.

So I broke off a piece of one and took it into a meeting with me…GAME OVER. I became instantly obsessed (and I ate the rest of that cookie, duh). We decided to order more and then found out it was $75 for four cookies, which…NO. So I decided that, hell or high water, I was going to find my perfect Levain copycat cookie recipe.

And I believe I’ve gotten like 99% of the way there. I tried a couple different copycat recipes and this was definitely the closest. I also read through a lot of the comments and suggestions and found a couple that make a big difference, so I’ve incorporated them into my recipe below.

One other thing I’ve found is that I actually like them better the next day, vs. fresh. The texture sets and they become moist and amazing and dense, and a little less rich than fresh out of the oven.

Fair warning, each cookie is like 550-600 calories. But it’s definitely worth it on occasion. Trust me and make these NOW.

How To Make the Best, Creamiest Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)

February 12, 2022

For some completely inexplicable reason, kheer is one of my ultimate comfort foods. I didn’t grow up with it at all. In fact, I didn’t grow up with any kind of rice pudding. But now it instantly transports me to a cozy happy place.

In 12 or so years of falling in love with the amazing Indian, Thai, and Chinese takeout that surrounded me in Atlanta, kheer became one of my shorthands for a “treat yo self” moment. Sadly, where I live now kheer is harder to find, as Indian takeout is an hour away roundtrip.

So I assumed it would be simple to recreate myself, and I’d been mildly offended that every single recipe and technique I tried had fallen short.

Then I stumbled upon this kheer recipe from Chetna (of GBBO fame!) on YouTube and was intrigued. After trying it a couple times, this is definitely my ONLY recipe for kheer!

How can I made my kheer thicker?

My early tries at kheer were thinner than I wanted, and the texture just wasn’t great. The way I’ve made my kheer lovely & thicker with a creamier texture came from a few techniques Chetna’s recipe gave me.

The first is crushing the rice so it’s in small even pieces, letting it thicken evenly. The second is not starting with ghee and rice, but rather by heating the milk. Thirdly, using sweetened condensed milk rather than just sugar.

There are a couple variables I’ve tested out, including trying it in both a big saucepan (like a stock pot) and a wider shallow pan (Chetna uses a giant bowl-shaped pan).

I also have played it by ear on whether or not I needed the extra milk at the end. If I’m serving it and eating it mostly right away, I don’t always use it because I do like my kheer on the thicker side. But it does really thicken in the fridge over a few days, so if you’ll be eating it mostly as leftovers you may want to add it.

I also always add a couple drops of either rose water or orange blossom water, because that’s just the flavor profile I find nostalgic…but JUST literally a drop or two.

Orange Amaretto White Russian Cocktail

February 5, 2022

Confession: I got busted for having Kahlua in my dorm fridge in college. Yes, I was HARDCORE. And once upon a time my 21-year-old self was a big fan of white russians and mudslides…and then I got into wine and moved on.

It’s been like 15+ years since I last had a white russian until just now. Hadn’t really given them a big thought. Wasn’t really a big vodka drinker. And then I saw this orange amaretto white russian and literally said UMM YESSSSS out loud. I’ve been obsessed ever since.

Follow along on Instagram & Facebook for recipe videos, kitchen hacks, & more!

This orange amaretto white russian has SO much going on! Not in a bad way, though, where the flavors might all be trying to out-shout each other. It’s super balanced, quite boozy, and the richness of the coffee, sweet bitterness of the almond liqueur, and brightness of the fresh orange really elevate it.

And while it might look like a lot of ingredients, the actual recipe/technique couldn’t be simpler. You can see my Instagram Reel of the recipe here (first time I’ve done one, quite fun but I have some learning to do!).

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This is mostly using the original recipe from Yes to Yolks, but I backed off the cream just a bit because I prefer the flavors of the coffee and almond liqueurs and orange oils to punch through a bit more (and cream tends to deaden that). I sometimes put a tiiiiiny bit more amaretto in too, as I love that flavor.

Adapting Ottolenghi’s “Cauliflower Cake”: A Unique, Delicious Vegetarian Meal

February 2, 2022

Hehe, I can hear some of you guys…”cauliflower” and “cake” do NOT go together! But I’m here to show the doubters how wrong they are. I love Yotam Ottolenghi’s super interesting and vegetable-forward recipes, and this cauliflower cake is no exception.

After making it the first time, I made some changes to the recipe, including adding more veggies (I went with roasted brussels sprout “rubble” for texture, flavor, and health).

I also backed off the parmesan and added soft goat cheese for more interesting flavor and textures. And I layered in salt through multiple steps and was more specific about amounts, as my first try was quite bland.

Finally, the first time I made it, I found the texture to be a little too flour-y and dense, so I’ve added an egg and backed off the flour to get a bit more fluffy version. This new version is checking all my boxes!

Texturally, this cauliflower cake is somewhere between a Spanish tortilla, Indian pakoras, and…I’m not even sure what. It’s a great vegetarian meal, hearty enough to satisfy and packed with flavor. Plus it makes awesome leftovers.

Three’s definitely the ability to adapt ingredients based on what you have…just think about texture and taste changes. So if you left out the goat cheese, you should add a little more salt (or another soft, salty cheese). And just be careful with adding other veggies, as too much moisture will break down the cake.

The Crispiest Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer (or Oven or Stove)

January 27, 2022

I never quite got my membership card for the cult of the air fryer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against them at all, but I just don’t use mine nearly as often as some people do. But there are absolutely some recipes where an air fryer is a no brainer gadget—and these super crispy chicken tenders definitely qualify!

I’d been playing around with some easy paleo/keto-friendly chicken tenders in the air fryer several months ago, based on some dietary restrictions I had. They used mostly almond flour as the coating, which definitely didn’t crisp up.

So I really wanted to try getting a TRULY crispy chicken tender in the air fryer. I used this technique and *rough* recipe from The Kitchn, and played around with the amounts of panko and spices, and only used about half of the buttermilk and one egg (felt wasteful otherwise).

As I’ve made it subsequent times, I’ve adjusted the spices specifically, for a more flavorful punch…the recipe below reflects those changes. And I think it’s great!

This is my view while cutting up chicken 100% of the time…

Warm Spiked Apple Cider with Port & Cranberries

January 22, 2022

I’m strongly on the record as not being into hot alcohol. But for whatever reason, this spiked apple cider is an exception…probably in part because the alcohol doesn’t come through really heavily, but also because the combination of port and cranberries intrigued me.

This is a really great low-ABV option, as the only alcohol is coming from the port (which isn’t all that high-proof to begin with). I’ll admit that I’m intrigued by the idea of adding some bourbon for more of a boozy punch.

The original recipe from Floating Kitchen is for four people, but I’ve adjusted this for two (or one, if you’re me and don’t feel share-y). I mean, who’s going to have just one?!

Small-Batch Challah French Toast

January 16, 2022

Y’all, I have been converted to the cult of challah french toast! I truly don’t think I can go back to regular sandwich bread french toast after this.

This is the perfect lazy person’s brunch recipe, great on a weekend but even totally doable on a random Tuesday morning if you have leftover challah bread. The end result feels so much more satisfying than the 10 minutes it takes to make. This is what we call return on investment.

While you could technically use store-bought challah, I always find it drier, less eggy, and less flavorful than homemade, so the resulting french toast won’t be as good.

But I have great news—making your own challah is so easy! I have two different recipes, this easy soft challah, and this traditional one (that I did a 4-strand plait round on). Either works great for this, though I used the latter for this french toast recipe and it was AWESOME.

I’m sharing a small-batch recipe below (which makes french toast for one or two people), but it can easily be scaled up. It’s really straightforward, but the regular egg/milk foundation is elevated with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and lemon zest. The zest and cinnamon really make this amazing!

Why is challah bread good for french toast?

Both challah and brioche (and even a Hawaiian roll) are better for french toast versus plain sandwich bread, or something like french bread or sourdough. This is because they are made from a richer, egg-ier dough (usually they have butter or oil, some sugar, and eggs). This brings a LOT more flavor to your french toast, plus a softer and more pleasant texture (and they soak up the egg/milk moisture better).

A couple tips to make your challah bread french toast extra awesome:

I think that thick-cut slices are better. Like maybe an inch thick or just over that? Don’t make the mistake of cutting too thin!
You’ll get a better french toast texture from day-old challah, and I recommend even slicing it ahead of time and letting it dry out a bit. This will help it soak up more egg mixture, resulting in a softer, custardier end result.
Because challah is a little more dense and we’re doing thicker slices, do make sure that you let the bread soak up the liquid. Don’t just do a 2-second dunk…I leave each side in the liquid for like 5 seconds, just to make sure it’s picking up enough liquid.

Smitten Kitchen’s Mind-Blowing Date Cake with Toffee Sauce

January 11, 2022

All this cold weather has me craving COOOZZZZYYY food, and this sticky date cake with toffee sauce absolutely fits the bill.

I’ve shared a “traditional” sticky toffee pudding recipe that is also absolutely amazing, but couldn’t keep this date cake a secret from you any longer. It’s got some similarities, but is definitely not identical.

I’ve made this toffee date cake twice, and the batter looked pretty different each time…one was very dark (likely more date-forward) and the other much lighter. But both baked up deliciously.

Pro tip: splurge on the medjool dates without pits, to save yourself some time.

What Bread Should You Make? An Easy Tool To Help You Decide Based On How Long You Have…

January 7, 2022

“I only have XX hours before dinner, what kind of bread can I make??” It’s a question most home cooks end up facing (for me, pretty frequently), and I’d often poke through different bread recipes, find one that sounded great, and then realize it would take twice the time I had.

So I’ve spent some time collecting my different bread recipes and grouping them based on the amount of time they take from start to finish. This way if you’re wondering what bread to make, you can decide what amount of time you have, what type of recipe you’re looking for, and choose accordingly.

I’ve grouped them into breads that can be ready in less than an hour (or a bit more), in 1-2 hours, in 3-5 hours, and ones that need an overnight rise. These are more “normal” or savory breads, ones you might eat with a meal rather than more dessert-y bread options (you can browse all of those here if you’re looking for them).

Tools that can help make great bread

Bread is strange in that, like baking in general, it can want a lot of precision. But yeast is sometimes unpredictable and requires some adaptability and going with your gut. And there are some good (not expensive) tools that can help make your bread better and more consistent.

A thermometer is super helpful for knowing when bread is done (usually above 200 F, and you want it to cool to less than 80 F before cutting into it).
A good kitchen scale is cheap but critical, as there’s an insane difference in the outcome when you weigh your ingredients vs. just measuring cups…particularly for bread.
When it comes to kneading and shaping dough, I love this multi-purpose scraper tool and these French-style rolling pins.
I also use giant plastic wrap to seal dough as it’s doing its first rise, and then a giant plastic bag for doing the final rise before baking.
These silicone pastry brushes are a cinch to clean and are great for doing an egg wash. A lame is a bit more of an indulgence but it’s made a world of difference in how deep and clean I can slice dough prior to baking.

Bread that can be ready in less than an hour

Simple & Amazing Chocolate Brioche Babka

January 4, 2022

We’re going “back to basics” with this chocolate brioche babka…why mess with perfection??

Now, I say “basics” not because it’s plain but because this marries two traditional dishes—buttery brioche and a chocolate babka—and executes them perfectly. We’re not trying to get fancy here, no exotic flavors or crazy techniques. Simplicity is the goal.

For this I’ve used Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, and she never steers me wrong. She made a few tweaks to hers that I’ve mostly picked up here as well.

I agree with her on the orange zest front (not that lemon’s bad, it’s delish, but orange is perfect). I also skipped the optional pecans and extra sugar for the filling, because I didn’t feel it was necessary (and I’m not a nut person). This brioche babka isn’t super sweet, so if you want it sweeter you could sprinkle some sugar on top of your filling.

Because this makes two loaves, you also could experiment with other flavors…make one loaf the traditional chocolate babka, then play around with the other. The sky’s the limit. I recently tested a cranberry-apricot one with white chocolate which will be coming your way soon.

While you don’t really *need* special tools to make this, there are a few that will help a lot.

First off, I STRONGLY recommend using a stand mixer for this, vs. doing by hand. The dough has so much butter worked in that it would be very challenging by hand.
This scraper tool is super helpful for everything, and I use it to cut my dough logs in half.
I like a nice thin rolling pin to better control the dough, these bamboo ones are perfect.
These silicone basting brushes make it easy to brush the glaze on (and clean up well).
The quality of your cocoa powder and chocolate is critical. I use this Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder and either these Ghiradelli chocolate discs or Trader Joe’s dark chocolate bars.
Similarly, the quality of your butter is essential. Kerrygold is amazing, or look for some other very high fat percentage butter.

Ottolenghi’s Easy Yogurt & Pea Pasta with Feta, Basil, & Chile Pine Nuts

December 29, 2021

I realize that “yogurt & pea pasta with feta, basil, & chile pine nuts” doesn’t exactly *sound* easy. But I promise it is. This slightly adaptation of Yotam Ottolenghi’s pea pasta is a super simple meal with fascinating, complex flavors, all in under 30 minutes.

I’ve made a few slight changes to the recipe, mostly to simplify steps (and number of bowls/pots), ensure it’s seasoned properly (it definitely needed more salt), and adjusting a few of the ingredient amounts.

Below I’ve also included both a “full” recipe (in the recipe card) and a smaller version that’s roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the original, adapted for 2 to 4 people—or one person plus a few meals of leftovers.

This might be a controversial take, but I actually loved this the MOST cold straight out of the fridge…or maybe zapped for 20 seconds in the microwave but still basically cold. It makes totally bomb leftovers.

A Traditional Challah Bread (& 4-Strand Braided Round)

December 26, 2021

I look at this photo and am like…MAN, did I really make that?? There is something just so satisfying and slightly impressive about a traditional challah recipe that’s been twisted into a beautiful and compact four-strand braided round

I definitely feel like my skill with—and comfort with—bread has increased over the last couple years. I’ve learned a lot more about the science behind certain things…for instance why I should avoid the temptation to add more flour and keep the dough sticky, which is how you get the amazing soft texture of a challah.

But really getting creative with shaping dough and expecting it to hold its shape is still very much a work-in-progress. I can usually manage a 3-strand braid or a twisty babka, but have been scared to try anything more complex.

I finally pulled up my big girl pants and decided to try this four-strand challah braid. Rather than a long braided loaf, I followed instructions a beautiful kind of braided round knot, and was super happy with the results!

In reading through a few different recipes and techniques, I came across the idea of brushing the loaves with egg wash twice before baking—once just after braiding (whole egg and a bit of water), and then right before they go in the oven (with egg yolk and sugar).

As you can see, this gives the final loaf a gorgeous rich color and glossy sheen. I’m a convert!

You don’t have to have any super special tools to make awesome bread, but there are a few kitchen gadgets that will help make your bread better and the process simpler.

I strongly recommend weighing ingredients with a digital kitchen scale rather than volume measurements. The scraper tool is a must (in my opinion) for dealing with dough, pastry brushes for the egg wash, and a thermometer for checking doneness.