Recipes › DIYs How To Make Coconut Flakes (Coconut Chips) By Samira Kazan updated October 23, 2020 How to make coconut flakes/coconut chips at home – including dried and toasted coconut flakes. Perfect for decorating baked goods sprinkling over salads, smoothies, ice-cream, and more! Of all the possible things that you can make out of a single mature coconut, coconut flakes quickly climbed the ranks to become one of my favorite....

Pantry How to Make Coconut Oil By Samira Kazan updated August 13, 2024 How to make coconut oil at home and how to use your homemade coconut oil – from food & baking to hair & beauty to household uses, the choices are practically endless! Did you know that it’s possible to make homemade coconut oil? Not only that, but you can make it in a variety of ways – from regular coconut oil to virgin coconut oil , using a heated method or cold-processed....

Recipes › DIYs How to Make Miso Paste (Kome Miso/Shinshu Miso) By Samira Kazan updated November 27, 2024 How to make miso paste with just 4 ingredients, a simple process, and some patience. This miso paste recipe makes for a great all-purpose mild yellow miso using koji rice (Shinshu Miso/Kome Miso). Plus, it’s easier to make this homemade miso paste recipe than you think! Having previously shared methods for making homemade soy milk and homemade tofu , I’m a little surprised it’s taken me this long to share a technique on how to make miso paste at home using soybeans....

Italian How to Make Tomato Puree By Samira Kazan updated August 07, 2024 How to make tomato puree at home with fresh tomatoes with a simple step-by-step process, then refrigerate, freeze, or can it for later – perfect for adding to soups, stews, and sauces! Whether you’re growing tomatoes or have lots leftover in your kitchen that need to be used, homemade tomato puree is a basic cooking “essential” that you can prepare with very little effort, perfect for making the most of delicious ripe, in-season tomatoes to last all year long....

Condiments In-N-Out Sauce (Copycat) By Samira Kazan published September 17, 2024 Learn how to make the best In-N-Out sauce at home. This copycat recipe is quick and easy and is great for adding a creamy, tangy flavor to burgers, fries, veggies, and more! Ever wish you could take home a bottle of your favorite restaurant’s secret sauce? Me too! The good news is, you can make it yourself. From Raising Cane’s sauce and Chick-fil-A sauce to Big Mac sauce and this In-N-Out sauce , it’s surprisingly easy to recreate these iconic flavors at home....

Recipes › Mains Simple Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower Head By Samira Kazan updated November 02, 2023 This turmeric roasted cauliflower makes for a delicious and nutritious vegan main or side dish for tons of meals. It can be prepared as a whole roasted cauliflower, cauliflower steaks, or florets. Plus, this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and low-carb! I’m always on the lookout for new ways to enjoy my favorite veggies. Though this definitely isn’t a new concept, this turmeric roasted cauliflower is one of the recipes I’m currently obsessed with....

Recipes › Appetizers Steamed Mushroom Dumplings (Vegan Potstickers) By Samira Kazan updated November 06, 2024 These mushroom dumplings are packed with a flavorful umami-rich wild mushroom filling and then steamed to perfection (or steamed and seared for vegan potstickers/gyoza) for a satisfying meat-free appetizer, snack, or main! Plus, they’re freezer-friendly too! Having just shared this recipe for homemade dumpling wrappers , I, of course, had to follow up by making a large batch of one of my favorite kinds of vegan/vegetarian dumplings – mushroom dumplings....

Recipes The Best French Dip Sandwich By Samira Kazan updated November 01, 2023 Best served warm and with plenty of jus to go with it, this easy French dip recipe is sure to make a French dip sandwich that rivals your favorite diner. Who knew a sandwich could have such an extraordinary history – and be a point of real contention between three LA restaurants? Whatever theory you believe on how the classic French dip sandwich recipe came to be, there’s no denying this sandwich is indulgent, packed full of flavor, and perfect for the meat lovers in your life....

Recipes › Sides The Best Pan-Fried Zucchini By Samira Kazan updated August 29, 2024 Pan-fried zucchini is a quick, easy, and healthy, versatile side dish for any meal! Enjoy the sauteed zucchini with garlic, lemon, and parmesan as I have, or experiment with tons of other seasoning options – just 10 minutes from start to finish! Gluten-free, low-carb, keto, vegetarian, + vegan optional! If you usually find zucchini underwhelming, you probably just haven’t tried the “right” recipe....

Recipes › Mains The Best Tuna Casserole (With Noodles) By Samira Kazan updated July 02, 2025 This 30-minute tuna casserole is a classic dump-and-bake comfort food, combining pantry-friendly tuna, egg noodles, peas, mushroom soup, cheese, and breadcrumbs for a crowd-pleasing family dinner! Yes, that’s right, I’m back again with another childhood-classic simple casserole recipe. I’ve already shared options for beef-based hamburger casserole and million-dollar chicken casserole . Now we’re turning pescatarian for this delicious, creamy tuna casserole....

Recipes ‚Ä∫ Appetizers The Perfect Fried Mushrooms Recipe By Samira Kazan updated March 28, 2025 These delicious fried mushrooms are perfect for dipping, serving as an appetizer, and enjoying with friends ‚Äì and they’re so easy to make! I love frying things. Most of the time, I like to focus on nourishing foods and things that I can make at home. But I can’t resist the pull of a perfectly crispy, golden-fried something....

Holidays Turkey Stock (From Leftover Turkey Bones) By Samira Kazan published September 19, 2025 Turkey stock is the secret to next-level Thanksgiving gravy and cozy soups. After you roast your turkey , don’t toss the carcass. With just a few veggies and herbs, you can turn it into liquid gold. My trick is to simmer gently for hours, skim early, and cool fast so the stock sets beautifully and tastes clean....

Recipes › Mains Vegetable Lasagna By Samira Kazan updated November 15, 2024 Enjoy this mixed vegetable lasagna as a hearty, wholesome, comforting evening meal; perfect for meat-free Mondays (or any day of the week!). This vegetarian lasagna recipe is simple to make and can be made entirely from scratch or with a few cheats! I enjoy getting connected with my Instagram followers and sharing my breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes in my “stories” every day....

Recipes › Sides What Is Arugula and What to Do with It By Samira Kazan updated July 31, 2024 If you’re looking to add more leafy greens into your diet, don’t forget to use arugula – it’s packed full of goodness and has a distinctive peppery flavor that’s great for salads, sandwiches, and more. A simple arugula salad recipe included! So many of us resolve to eat more veggies when the new year rolls around....

Recipes Authentic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich By Samira Kazan updated August 01, 2024 Get an authentic taste of one of the USA’s most popular regional sandwiches with my homemade Philly cheesesteak recipe – the perfect Philly cheesesteak sandwich for impressing a crowd. If you live outside of the US, your first question might be – what’s a Philly cheesesteak? And bar the ingredients in its name, what’s ON a Philly cheesesteak? I’m here to demystify this delicious feat of American cooking, one that came from a pair of brothers running a hot dog stand in its namesake city – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

Recipes › Drinks Beet Juice Recipe (2 Methods) By Samira Kazan updated April 10, 2025 How to make beet juice with or without a juicer. This sweet and earthy beetroot juice recipe is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants . Optional add-ins included. Raw beet juice, a vegetable juice made from fresh beets (beetroot), boasts an early and mildly sweet taste, great on its own or in juice blends. Learning how to make beetroot juice at home is cheaper than purchasing the juice....

Pantry Best Cornmeal Substitutes By Samira Kazan published February 20, 2024 Whether you want a gluten-free alternative or something less corny, these are the best cornmeal substitutes for sweet and savory dishes. Cornmeal is a rougher flour made from grinding dried corn. It can come in a variety of textures, flavors, and colors and is used as a flour substitute to make everything from porridge to tortillas. So, what can I substitute for cornmeal, I hear you ask?...

Recipes › Breakfast Bircher Muesli (The Original Overnight Oats) By Samira Kazan updated June 21, 2022 Bircher muesli (aka Swiss muesli) combines wholesome ingredients like rolled oats, apples, raisins, nuts, and yogurt – for a simple, nutritional no-cook apple overnight oats breakfast. Plus, you can prepare this Swiss oatmeal gluten-free, dairy-free, or 100% vegan! If you were as obsessed as I still am with overnight oats, then chances are you may have already eaten Bircher muesli – or as I like to call it, the original overnight oats....

Recipes › Snacks Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bars By Samira Kazan published June 25, 2024 These homemade fruit and nut bars are a delicious healthy snack made with dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and chocolate. They are easy to make and perfect as a grab-and-go alternative to store-bought protein bars. These chocolate-covered fruit and nut bars are wonderful pantry-friendly healthy snack bars that combine whole foods to make an appetizing gluten-free, vegan breakfast or snack....

Recipes › Desserts Chocolate Zucchini Cake By Samira Kazan updated April 29, 2024 This rich and fudgy chocolate zucchini cake is full of hidden zucchini (that you can’t taste) and iced with a silky avocado frosting. Eating your greens has never been tastier! The secret to a decadent, fudgy chocolate cake that doesn’t lose any moisture? Shredded zucchini! You’d never know there were secret veggies in this chocolate zucchini cake. Plus, it’s also gluten-free and vegan, so it’s the perfect cake for everyone to enjoy....