Recipes › Vegan Simple Lebanese Lentil Soup (Vegan Lentil Soup) By Samira Kazan updated November 15, 2023 For this Lebanese lentil soup recipe (Shortbet Adas) , simplicity is key. All you need are a handful of ingredients, two pots, and under 30 minutes to create a hearty yet healthy Middle Eastern vegan lentil soup. Plus, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and sodium-adjustable! When it comes to soup recipes, this red lentil soup is one of those super “versatile” options....

Pantry Substitutes for Heavy Cream By Samira Kazan updated February 21, 2024 Whether you’ve forgotten to buy an ingredient or need a dairy-free alternative, these are 14 of the best substitutes for heavy cream that you should know. Want to save this recipe? What is heavy cream Considerations when substituting heavy cream Substitutes for heavy cream Substitutes for Heavy Cream Recipe What is heavy cream Skimmed from cow’s milk, heavy cream has the highest fat concentration of any cream you’ll find in the grocery store at 36%....

Recipes › Mains The Best Chicken Quesadilla Recipe By Samira Kazan updated June 27, 2025 Make the BEST chicken quesadilla recipe with juicy seasoned chicken, peppers, onion, and plenty of cheese – a quick, easy, filling, satisfying family-favorite meal! If you loved the quesadilla-adjacent viral tortilla hack (where I enthusiastically shared lists of global filling ideas , breakfast ideas , and even dessert wraps ), get ready to fall in love with this classic chicken quesadilla recipe....

Recipes › Mains The Best Mac and Cheese Recipe By Samira Kazan updated March 26, 2024 How to make the BEST classic mac and cheese – super indulgent, rich, creamy, satisfying, and the ultimate comfort dish for weeknights and holidays! There’s a reason why mac and cheese is a household favorite for thousands, if not millions, of households. Using a combination of cheeses folded into a super creamy sauce, then mixed with perfectly cooked macaroni and optionally topped with more cheese and baked – it’s the ultimate creamy, gooey, delicious, comforting dinner for children and adults alike....

Recipes › Mains The Perfect Crock Pot Roast By Samira Kazan updated October 15, 2024 Make the best crock pot roast with simple kitchen/pantry ingredients (no soup mix!). It combines melt-in-the-mouth tender chuck roast with potatoes and carrots in a rich gravy for an easy, hands-off, comforting meal! When it comes to Sunday dinner and cozy meals for busy and/or lazy weeknights, nothing beats this super simple crock pot roast recipe....

Seasonal › Spring What’s in Season – May Produce and Recipes By Samira Kazan updated May 01, 2025 Spring brings with it plenty of delicious new items and if you’re eating seasonally, here’s my handy guide to what’s in season in May . For Spring, we’re putting away the hearty fruits and vegetables and unearthing ones that have spent the winter quietly puttering away. May produce comes in lots of bright colors, sweet flavors, and dozens of varieties....

Mexican Best Guacamole Recipe By Samira Kazan published June 27, 2025 Best Guacamole Recipe — made fresh, just like you’d have in Mexico, with ripe avocados, white onion, lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, and a big handful of chopped cilantro. Whether you’re making it for tacos, parties, or just scooping it straight with chips (no judgment), this guac is chunky, zesty, and so simple. No weird add-ins, no filler — just the classics done right....

Soups Borscht Recipe (Seriously Delicious!) By Samira Kazan published November 11, 2024 This delicious borscht soup is warm, vibrant, and packed with flavor from the beets, potatoes, cabbage, onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. It’s perfect to enjoy with sour cream and dill on a cold winter’s night. While beets aren’t a staple in traditional Lebanese cuisine, I’ve always enjoyed them in dishes and loved experimenting with them. Besides pickling them and adding them to salad, I often enjoy a refreshing beet juice recipe or this creative beet pasta —beets make gorgeous pink pasta....

Recipes › Snacks Crispy Air Fryer Tortilla Chips (Plus Oven Method) By Samira Kazan updated November 28, 2023 How to make crispy Air Fryer tortilla chips at home from scratch or with store-bought tortillas (oven method also included). These healthy tortilla chips are wonderfully crunchy/crispy for all your dipping, garnishing, and nacho needs (flavor options included)! Plus, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan! Having shared my recipe for homemade corn tortillas last week, I enjoyed them with huevos rancheros ....

Recipes ‚Ä∫ Mains Crispy Fried Chicken Breast By Samira Kazan published June 24, 2024 This crispy fried chicken breast takes just minutes to prepare and pan-fry to perfection. When marinated, the results will be even more flavorful and tender in the middle. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, cookouts, game days , and more! If you want to ditch the fast-food restaurants but still enjoy super crispy fried chicken breast at home (aka comfort food at its best), it’s the perfect time to learn how to fry chicken breast....

Recipes Easy Broccolini Recipe By Samira Kazan updated April 10, 2025 My easy broccolini recipe is a great way to add some variety to your meals and try out a new veggie in the process! A versatile vegetable that can be used in place of broccoli, broccolini has a similar taste and texture to broccoli but with longer stems and smaller florets. It has become increasingly popular in recent years and is now available at many grocery stores....

Asian Easy Mongolian Beef By Samira Kazan published April 24, 2024 Fragrant, rich, and ready in just 15 minutes, this Mongolian beef recipe is an easy stir fry that’s simple to put together and even better tasting than its takeout version. Served in a sticky ginger and garlic sauce, Mongolian beef sounds more complicated than it is. Strips of tender beef are stir-fried and drenched in a rich, aromatic sauce – it’s so delicious that you’ll never go back to the takeout version....

Holidays Easy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe By Samira Kazan updated July 30, 2024 My recipe upgrades this Thanksgiving staple to make a sweet potato casserole with pecans that’s deliciously sweet and spicy – perfect for a holiday dinner table. If you’re not from North America and don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, a recipe for sweet potato casserole may not be common in your recipe book. Outside of the US and Canada, this much beloved side dish doesn’t get much attention – but it’s so worth it....

Lebanese Fatayer (Lebanese Spinach Pies) By Samira Kazan updated February 06, 2026 Make a delicious and easy fatayer recipe with sumac, spinach, and onion. These Lebanese spinach pies are perfect for a snack, appetizers, lunch, and more! I absolutely love fatayer (pronounced ‘fat-tah-y-er’)! Every time my mom makes them, she prepares a big batch, and they vanish before you know it. And whenever one of us is about to travel, she prepares some for us to take along—a little piece of home to carry with us....

Recipes › Desserts Healthy Fruit Popsicles By Samira Kazan updated April 17, 2024 These rainbow fruit popsicles are made from 100% fruit, are super customizable, and are a delicious and refreshing treat for warm weather! When the warm weather comes rolling around, I am the type of person who instantly wants something cold and refreshing. Ice cream usually doesn’t make the cut because it feels creamy and “heavy” at a time when I want light and refreshing....

Recipes › Desserts Homemade Filled Chocolates By Samira Kazan updated February 04, 2022 These easy homemade filled chocolates (vegan chocolate candy) are a versatile and delicious dessert, treat, or gift for a loved one. They are made with a healthy combination of a dark chocolate shell and lightly spiced chocolate nut filling (or the filling of your choice!). I love chocolate, you love chocolate, we all love chocolate! Okay, now that we’ve gotten that crucial part over with, let’s get into the juicy stuff – how to make vegan (or dairy!...

Recipes › Sides How to Boil Green Beans Perfectly By Samira Kazan updated August 13, 2024 How to boil green beans perfectly every time from fresh or frozen for a tender-crisp vegetable side tossed in butter. Boiled green beans are quick, simple, naturally low carb, gluten-free, paleo, whole30, and optionally vegan! Sauteed green beans are perfect for those wanting tender-crisp and slightly blistered green beans, and roasted green beans and air-fried green beans maximize caramelization....

Recipes › Desserts How To Make Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux) By Samira Kazan updated April 19, 2021 How to make light, fluffy, and crisp choux pastry (pâte à choux) every time (with Tons of top tips and troubleshooting ). This recipe takes just 7 ingredients (water and salt included) and just 10 minutes of hands-on preparation , and you are on your way to tons of delicious pastries! Choux pastry (pronounced like ‘shoo’), also referred to as pâte à choux, is the basis of tons of delicious recipes....

Recipes › DIYs How to Make Coconut Butter By Samira Kazan updated November 02, 2023 With just one ingredient and around 10 minutes, you can learn how to make coconut butter that is smooth & creamy. Dairy-free, refined sugar-free, vegan & perfect for baked goods! I think, by now, that everyone is well aware of my coconut obsession. I’m basically always on the lookout for new ways to use coconut, especially for my DIYs....

Pantry How to Make Colored Pasta (All Natural) By Samira Kazan updated March 07, 2025 This simple homemade colored pasta is 100% naturally colored using vegetables, adding a beautiful rainbow to your plate without any food coloring. Discover the joys of homemade, naturally colored pasta! This simple and customizable recipe enhances your meals both nutritionally and visually. The basic dough requires just 1 cup of 00 flour and one egg per portion, allowing for a variety of vibrant, natural colors without altering the taste....