Cooking has always been the thing that can bring peace into my life when I am in need of a reset. Sometimes I simply don’t want to commit to an extravagant meal that is going to take several hours, but I need to cook. My mind is often wandering, dancing around a cliff edge in a Portuguese wonderland and cooking is the roadmap to bring my head out of the clouds and back down to earth. It’s as simple as this… cooking is one of the purest things you can do for your soul. At least for me. 10 Minute…
vegan recipes
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Continue ReadingThe food you put into your body has a big hand in creating the energy around you. So be proud of what you are eating and lets make it fun. That’s why for this recipe I have injected as much color as I can into this super simple vegan beet pesto recipe. The hot pink color and fresh green basil is enough to get me out of my chair and skipping around the city. Yes, I am dramatic about most things and that includes my pasta game. There are only TWO STEPS in creating this show stopping pasta dish. 8…
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Continue ReadingIf you’ve ever met me in person, you’ll quickly learn that I’m a walking contradiction between all things fancy candlelit rooftops vs grungy alleyway eats. Both sides of food and dining are fascinating to me. That’s why I’m enamored with this quirky Date Kebab dish so much- she is a walking contradiction. I fell in love with a version of this dish at a swanky rooftop restaurant in downtown Chicago, and I knew I had to recreate it. If you are looking to make a whole cooking experience out of this meal, consider adding on my sweet corn hummus as…
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Continue ReadingEvery so often I get an idea for a dish that drives me to the point of going out to buy new presentation plates. That’s how you know it’s going to make it on the blog. I have filled this dish with humble ingredients and as all the cooking reality show hosts say “elevated’ them. That’s half the fun of cooking! Turning simple ingredients into beautiful little works of art. Ever Heard of a Sunchoke? Hang around me too long and I am sure to start asking you about food. I won’t tell you how many people I have interrogated…
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Continue ReadingCooking dishes that are traditionally popular in street food markets is a great way to spice up your cooking routine. I cannot tell you how often I get lost in the art of street food. One quick search on the Philippines and you are sure to discover this traditional Filipino snack/dessert. What is a Turon? A turon is the traditional sweet egg roll snack stuffed with banana, fresh jackfruit, and fried in brown sugar oil. I have made these with and without jackfruit, but if you can get your hands on some then I highly recommend it. Plus, that is…
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Continue ReadingVietnam is my own definition of asian wonderland. Imagine being thrown onto the side of a bustling street while motorbikes spend their entire existence avoiding crashing into one another. Every alleyway (you know how I feel about alleys) stocked with cute old ladies throwing anise star and fresh cilantro into the air as they whip up their latest concoction. Traditional Pho Cuon First I think we need to define a Pho Cuon. This is rice noodle roll packed with the same flavors and ingredients from a traditional Vietnamese pho soup. It is rolled similarly to a spring or egg roll…
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Continue ReadingOccasionally I pop out of bed at 7am with an insane desire to cook a certain dish. I have an agreement with Dream Courtney… if she wants to cook a vegan risotto at 7am… then who am I to stop her? Besides, I am forever a believer in doing the things that make you happy. Even if they means I am uncorking a bottle of white wine while the sun rises for the maitake mushrooms. The “Dancing” Mushroom Speaking of maitake mushrooms. If you have never heard of these gems, have no shame. I urge you to add these to…
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Continue ReadingFresh bread baking in the oven while summer fades to fall… the thing dreams are made of. When I was a kid, my mom used to make this beer bread with this exact dip. At thirty-three years old, I still lounge in my Chicago kitchen daydreaming about those fresh loaves. I think we call those our nostalgia foods. The ones that take us back in time. If you’re anything like me, you’ll try to ration how often you make them, afraid that they will lose their time traveling powers if you bring them back too often. 3 Minute Beer Bread…
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Continue ReadingI wish I had some fascinating story to tell about China that would explain my love and connection to it. In reality, the closest I ever got was laying half delusional from a 42 hour flight in the grass outside a Beijing airport. However, I still find myself bargaining with real-estate agents for even a possibility that they can find me a place in the city above a Chinese noodle shop. The heart wants what it wants. And I’m absolutely not to proud to say that while I love authentic Chinese dishes, I am also a big fan of the…
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Continue ReadingMaking your own hummus is one of the simple pleasures in life. The inspiration for this dish came after I hit downtown Chicago with rooftop reservations at the posh Mediterranean tapa’s restaurant- Aba. It was love at first bite with their sweet corn hummus and I knew I had to attempt a recreation. That’s one of my favorite parts of hummus, there is so much room to be creative with it. I have made everything from pink beet hummus to a chocolate hummus. There are just no rules… at least not in my kitchen. What is Hummus? Hummus is a…