Mint and dark chocolate…one of my favorite combinations! As soon as I saw this fudge recipe, I instantly knew I had to make it for our holiday party this year because I love Andes Mint Chocolates. It was very easy to make, very pretty and holiday themed, and tasted even better than Andes Mint Chocolates!…
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Our 5th Annual Holiday Party: Bite-Sized Finger Foods!
It’s that time of year again for us to host our 5th Annual Holiday Party! My husband and I love hosting parties, having people over, and cooking. But with the kids, we don’t always have the time on weekends and energy to have all our friends over all the time! So we make it a…
Pomegranate, Feta, & Walnut Salad (gluten-free, contains dairy)
My father-in-law came to visit and brought some home-grown pomegranates from their backyard in palm springs! When we opened them up, they were bright red and luscious! Before I single-handedly finished all of them with a spoon, I had to use some in a salad. So here is yet another one of my favorite…
Roasted Bussels Sprout Chips (vegan, gluten-free)
For thanksgiving this year, I wanted to use Brussels Sprouts as one of my sides and decided to make them two-ways: Brussels Sprouts w/Garlic and Butter (a recipe I posted awhile back), and some Roasted Brussels Sprout Chips. These chips are very addicting! They are crispy, thin, and so delicious that I guarantee you will…
Coconut Burfi (gluten-free, contains dairy)
I’m not a huge fan of traditional Indian sweets. However, if there’s one ingredient I can’t stay away from, it’s coconut. I love everything and anything containing coconut. I first enjoyed this coconut burfi (an Indian sweet confection made from sugar and milk) in a small town called Morbi located in India, where my husbands…
Curried Tindora w/Coconut & Onions (gluten-free, vegan)
On a recent trip to San Diego, my parents brought me some fresh Tindora (otherwise known as baby watermelon) from their backyard. I typically make a standard Curried Tindora dish using curry leaves, turmeric, coriander, onions, and cumin, but this time I decided to try something a little different and more flavorful. My mom suggested…
Baked Apple Chips w/Cinnamon (gluten-free, vegan)
I personally like my apples nice and crispy. When they start to soften, I don’t enjoy them anymore, and I always end up with uneaten apples in my fruit basket. So after making the kale chips, I decided to try making apple chips with all my leftover apples! My 2 yr. old son loves cinnamon,…
Potato Pesto Pasta (gluten-free option, contains dairy)
After the long day I had with my kids, I wanted to cook something that did not require much prep work for dinner. I looked in my freezer and saw some prepared pesto I had made and had some russet potatoes sitting out on my counter that I’ve been wanting to use. So I decided…
Palak (Spinach) Tofu (vegan, gluten-free)
This recipe is my version of Palak Paneer, a traditional Indian dish containing spinach and Paneer (cheese) in a thick curry sauce based on pureed spinach and tomatoes. Instead of using Paneer, I use tofu because it’s healthier and tastes good! I started blending cooked spinach and tomato into a smooth puree as a dish…
Kale Chips (vegan, gluten-free)
My brother recently convinced me to buy a vitamix by telling me about all the healthy shakes and smoothies he makes everyday. One of his main ingredients is kale. He throws it in raw every time and can’t even tell it’s in there. So after purchasing my vitamix from costco, I went and bought…
Grilled Veggie Sandwich w/Pesto & Mozarella (gluten-free option, contains dairy)
The key to this delicious sandwich is some freshly made pesto, ciabatta bread, and some grilled veggies. And since fresh pesto is always a staple in my kitchen, we end up making this grilled veggie sandwich all the time! I posted a small comment about this sandwich in my pesto recipe awhile back, but thought…
Rigatoni w/Creamy Mushroom Sauce (gluten-free option, contains dairy)
This recipe is courtesy of Giada Laurentiis from the Everyday Italian cooking show on Food Network. I just recently started watching a few shows on the Food Network and Giada was featuring her favorite vegetarian dishes. This creamy mushroom pasta was amoung one of the recipes and I knew I had to give it a…
Indian Spiced Tofu (or Paneer) w/Peppers (vegan, gluten-free)
I was contemplating whether to put this recipe online because I don’t always like using spiced packages or mixes which I did not make myself. However, my mom came to visit and brought a Paneer Chilli & Spice mix packet along with some paneer and made us her version of Kati Rolls. Kati Rolls originated…
Baked Pasta w/Roasted Red Peppers & Zucchini (gluten-free option, vegan option)
My husband has always loved baked red sauce pasta dishes. Me, on the other hand, not a huge fan. That is…until I made this baked pasta dish. This tomato-based sauce is made up of some of my favorite vegetables. The flavors of tomato, lots of garlic, sauteed grated zucchini, and roasted red bell peppers are…
Cucumber-Avocado Tea Sandwiches (gluten-free option, vegan option)
Here is a simple recipe for an afternoon tea sandwich or regular sandwich for lunch. A long time ago I remember having a tasty sandwich with cream cheese as the spread. So when I saw this recipe, I decided to make it for myself for lunch, especially since I had some leftover whipped cream cheese…
Thomas Train Cake!
The theme this past year for my sons 2nd birthday was Thomas the Train! So of course I had to make a Thomas the Train cake. The first time I used fondant was with my sons Mod Monkey cake for his 1st birthday. I decided to try using fondant again to make Thomas as a…
Chocolate Cake w/Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting (contains gluten, contains dairy)
For my husbands birthday last year, I decided to make a double layer chocolate cake with dark chocolate frosting in the middle. I wanted to keep the look of the cake simple and clean so I used the dark chocolate ganache to frost the outside. When the ganache solidifies, it creates a clean sleek look…
Sweet Chilli Lime Tofu (gluten-free, vegan)
I came across this simple sweet chilli lime tofu dish online at the Vegan Yum Yum blog. Great reviews on the blog along with the fact that the sauce ingredients were already in my pantry made me want to try it out right away. I ended up increasing the amount of garlic and mint in…
Greek-Style Eggplant Pita Sandwich (vegan option, gluten-free)
This is a great greek-style eggplant stuffing which can be eaten as a sandwich stuffed in some pita pockets, or even as a main salad. It’s loaded with fresh veggies and herbs, cooked down and cooked together to form a blend of amazing flavors. Top it off with some feta and fresh mint and parseley…
Peanut Butter Frosting (contains dairy, gluten-free)
For Father’s Day this year, I wanted to make some dessert for my husband. I happened to run into a picture of a peanut butter reese’s butter cups decorated cake online, and since my husband LOVES peanut butter, I thought I’d try to replicate it! I made my standard double layer chocolate cake using basic…
Pastry Pride Frosting (contains dairy)
For my sons 2nd birthday this year, I decided to use a non-dairy commercial product called Pastry Pride to make the frosting for his cupcakes. I took a class at a local cake decorating shop called Do It With Icing. In addition to the buttercream frosting I posted awhile back, this is the other…
Thai Vegetable Tom Kha Soup (vegan, gluten-free)
My mom brought this vegetarian paste from 99 Ranch the last time she visited. Normally I shy away from pre-made thai pastes or cubes, but after looking at the simple ingredients on the container, I decided to give it a try since my mom raved at how great it tasted and how easy it…
Strawberry Mint Lemonade (vegan, gluten-free)
Freshly grown ingredients and a HOT summer day calls for some freshly squeezed lemonade! I’ve been wanting to make some ever since summer started. My lemons and mint springs finally started growing in my small garden and strawberries have been in season for awhile, so I decided to make some strawberry mint lemonade. I searched…
Homemade Croutons (gluten-free, vegan)
I never know what to do with left-over fresh bread I buy from bakeries that are 1-2 days old. I end up using what I need, and then can’t seem to finish off the rest. I recently went into Baker and Olive (a local shop) to get some rosemary and olive oil bread and was…