Recipes › Breakfast How Do You Poach an Egg? (+ Top Tips | Multiple Methods) By Samira Kazan updated June 14, 2023 How do you poach an egg properly every single time? Or how about two or more? Follow my methods and top tips below for the perfect poached egg without a poacher! I’m talking creamy yolk encased in a firm but not rubbery white! I’ve had a little bit of an obsession with International egg dishes over the last year....

Pantry How to Make Ginger Paste By Samira Kazan updated July 29, 2024 How to make ginger paste at home – a time-saving, long-term stored, meal-prepped alternative to fresh ginger for any recipe! This ginger puree takes just ONE ingredient and a few minutes for months of prepared minced ginger! With how much time I spend in my kitchen, you better believe I love an excellent time-saving hack. I’ve already shared methods for garlic paste , turmeric paste , and recently 2-minute almond milk cubes ....

Recipes › Vegan How to Make Tostones (Healthier Baked/Air Fried Green Plantain) By Samira Kazan updated June 27, 2025 How to make tostones /patacones (fried green plantain) with an oven or air fryer – for healthier results that are still wonderfully crispy. These twice-baked air fryer tostones require just two ingredients, 30-40 minutes, and make for a delicious and crispy snack, appetizer, or side. Plus, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, paleo, and vegan!...

Recipes › Sides Parmesan Crusted Potatoes By Samira Kazan published January 18, 2024 Coated in golden crispy parmesan, these parmesan crusted potatoes are the ultimate upgrade to a classic side dish and so easy to put together. Soft and fluffy on the inside with a crunchy, crispy exterior, roasted parmesan potatoes are an impressive twist on a simple favorite. Not only do they make an excellent side, but this recipe uses thinner slices of potato that make the crispy finished product perfect for dipping or serving as an appetizer....

Recipes › Mains Perfect Wild Mushroom Risotto By Samira Kazan updated April 29, 2024 Mushroom risotto is a rich and creamy dish and doesn’t need to be complicated to be delicious. My mushroom risotto recipe uses simple ingredients and can be ready in less than 40 minutes. A serving of mushroom risotto People would have you believe that risotto of any kind is complicated, time-consuming, and basically impossible to make. But they would be wrong....

Recipes › Desserts Best Date Snickers By Samira Kazan updated March 08, 2024 These homemade Date Snickers bars combine easy nougat, date-based caramel, crunchy peanuts, and chocolate. They’re fancy yet easy to make and perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth. Swap traditional sniker bars with these healthier date snickers. This recipe combines oats, dates, peanuts, and peanut butter, all wrapped in a tasty chocolate. The caramel is made entirely from dates, providing a nutritious alternative....

Recipes › Sides Easy Garlic Sauteed Spinach By Samira Kazan updated November 06, 2024 My sauteed spinach recipe is packed full of goodness without skipping the flavor. This is the quickest, easiest way to get your greens. Take a lesson from Popeye – spinach is the fuel of life. Though the idea of cooking spinach might turn a few stomachs, I’m here to show that your greens can be tasty, easy to make, AND good for you....

Recipes › Sides Easy Homemade Sauerkraut (Just 2 Ingredients) By Samira Kazan updated November 25, 2024 This homemade sauerkraut recipe is beginner-friendly, inexpensive, requires just 2 base ingredients, and is packed with tang, crunchiness, and gut-friendly probiotics! Over the past couple of years, I’ve placed more importance on consuming probiotic-rich fermented foods like homemade yogurt , homemade fermented garlic honey , homemade kombucha , and this homemade sauerkraut recipe. Luckily, making sauerkraut is inexpensive and simple enough for even fermentation beginners!...

Soups Easy Leftover Turkey Soup By Samira Kazan published February 26, 2025 Turn your turkey leftovers into a comforting and delicious turkey soup made with aromatic broth, tender pasta, and fresh vegetables. This quick and easy recipe is a perfect way to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers and trust me, your family will be asking for seconds! I always turn my turkey leftovers into soup or a turkey salad—two of my favorite ways to make the most of holiday meals....

Recipes › Appetizers Easy Pickled Eggs (3 Easy Recipes) By Samira Kazan updated March 19, 2025 These easy pickled eggs soaked in vinegar-brine take just minutes to prep with 3 variations to choose from. They are a sweet, savory, tangy, mouth-watering snack, appetizer, or condiment! Want to save this recipe? What are pickled eggs? The ingredients How to make pickled eggs How to make pickled eggs spicy How to make pickled eggs with beets How long does it take to pickle eggs How long do pickled eggs last What to do with pickled eggs?...

Recipes › Mains Easy Vegetable Casserole By Samira Kazan updated July 02, 2025 This vegetable casserole recipe is a budget-friendly favorite that’s easy to make and uses freezer staples for a buttery casserole with a deliciously crunchy topping. Vegetarian casserole recipes, like this cabbage casserole , are great vessels to sneak veggies into dinners or include more meatless meals into your weekly rotation. With a creamy texture and plenty of flavor, an easy vegetable casserole doesn’t have to be complicated to make....

Recipes › Desserts Fresh Watermelon Granita (Watermelon Shaved Ice) By Samira Kazan updated August 13, 2024 This watermelon granita recipe is the ultimate watermelon summer refresher! Plus, it can be made with as little as ONE ingredient – fresh watermelon. However, I’ve included a whole list of optional add-ins and variations! Best of all, watermelon shaved ice requires just minutes of hands-on prep before freezing, fluffing, and enjoying! This year I’ve decided to make the most of watermelon season while it’s at its sweetest....

Recipes › Drinks Homemade Hot Apple Cider By Samira Kazan published November 27, 2024 My hot apple cider is the perfect holiday beverage! Made with aromatic spices like cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, it will surely bring joy and warm you up! My recipe for hot apple cider (aka mulled apple cider) is made with warmed fresh apple juice , fresh orange juice , and a delicious, winter-warming combination of festive mulling spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and ginger)....

Pantry How to Make Cashew Cream By Samira Kazan updated January 17, 2024 Smooth, creamy and oh so delicious, this vegan cashew cream is about to become your kitchen’s most versatile ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes. A homemade cashew cream is quick and easy to pull together with just a handful of ingredients and only one piece of equipment. When blended at high speed, cashews can produce an incredibly smooth texture – the perfect silky cream....

Recipes › Breakfast How to Make Cinnamon Toast By Samira Kazan updated November 21, 2024 How to make cinnamon toast in the oven or air fryer. This homemade cinnamon sugar toast is sweet and flavorful with a crunchy, caramelized topping and soft middle for a delicious breakfast, brunch, or snack! I recently shared my DIY for homemade cinnamon sugar and have eaten so many slices of homemade cinnamon toast since then that this post practically wrote itself!...

Lebanese Lebanese Okra Stew (Bamya Recipe) By Samira Kazan published December 18, 2024 This Lebanese okra stew is a hearty and comforting dish made with okra, beef, and rich tomato sauce. Perfect for enjoying over Lebanese rice! Okra, also known as bamya and bamieh, is such an underrated ingredient. However, once you know how to prepare it, you can enjoy it in many forms. I have shared six ways for how to cook okra , as well as a crunchy pickled orka recipe ....

Lebanese Mom’s Best Hummus Recipe (With Video) By Samira Kazan published November 22, 2024 Make the best hummus like a pro! My mom’s hummus recipe uses chickpeas (canned or dried), tahini, and lemon juice or citric acid. It’s perfect with veggies or pita . Detailed steps, tips, and a video are included! Hummus is a popular Middle Eastern dip or spread, essential in Lebanese cuisine‚Äîno Lebanese mezze is ever complete without it!...

Recipes › Sides Roasted Brussel Sprouts By Samira Kazan updated September 02, 2024 This side dish gets a delicious makeover with my oven-roasted Brussel sprouts recipe – packed full of flavor and a perfect way to get your veggies in this holiday season. I’m on a mission to turn Brussel sprouts haters into brussels sprouts lovers! Like so many vegetables, I’ve got bad memories of Brussel sprouts boiled to death and served just as they are – gross....

Ingredient Guides Simple Homemade Soy milk Recipe By Samira Kazan updated November 02, 2022 A simple how-to to make a delicious homemade soy milk recipe . A great lactose-free, vegan, high-protein dairy-free milk that is low cost and easy to make at home. This blog post will be discussing how to make soy milk quickly and easily at home with a simple homemade soy milk recipe. I’ve also included some ways to flavor and vary your soy milk, for different flavor palettes....

Soups The Best Roasted Garlic Soup By Samira Kazan updated September 10, 2024 This roasted garlic soup combines caramelized garlic with potatoes and mushrooms in a fragrant vegetable broth. The result is a cozy, comforting, and hearty soup! This roasted garlic soup relies on the caramelized roasted garlic for a sweeter, creamier, mellowed, slightly nutty flavor. When combined with potatoes, mushrooms, and cream, it becomes a delicious appetizer/amuse-bouche or main and can served alone, with bread, or alongside a side salad....