Somehow I made it 26 years without trying whipped feta but now that I have, I’ll never be the same. I had it as an appetizer from a local Mediterranean restaurant in Portland called Shalom Ya’ll. While the restaurants version includes green garbanzo beans and I imagine many herbs and spices, I wanted to make my own version as simple as possible while still delivering on flavor and texture. This recipe features just 6 ingredients and holds endless possibilities for snacking. If you’re having a little New Year’s get together, it can hold it’s own as the center of the appetizer table. Or enjoy it with veggies and crackers for lunch, like I did this afternoon.

In my recipe, bright basil pairs with…

There’s something really magical about a charcuterie board. First, the act of planning and designing it is both a creative and intuitive process. You can customize it to any size or style of event and palate — large super bowl party, casual game night, intimate holiday party, or make it plant-based or strictly desserts. It also encourages both the builder and the eater to play with their food (my favorite thing!), physically arranging the foods or constructing the perfect bite with the ideal balance of flavors and textures. Crafting a beautiful and delicious board plucks at your creative brain through both designing and arranging the board through functionality and aesthetic…

I believe the best meals are shared with others and a charcuterie board is a beautiful, interactive way to draw guests into great conversation around something nourishing and comforting. While the board I am featuring in this post is larger and elaborate, please know that what makes a charcuterie spread great is that it can be adapted to any size space, budget, and dietary needs. All you need to know are the essentials, and you can customize your own from there! Let’s get started.

In the fall and winter months, salads tend to take the back-burner. We shift our focus to richer, warmer, and heartier dishes and we leave the fresh greens in the rearview. But what if we could have a medley of warm roasted veggies, seasonal flavors, AND still get our raw greens in?

I present to you: The Hearty Autumn Kale Salad. It’s the perfect balance of cooked to raw, sweet to savory, and crunchy to creamy. It’s got enough going on that it satisfies our energy and comfort needs in the cooler months, while also feeling light enough not to bog us down like many richer dishes on the menu.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking… I do not have the time to sit and make a risotto from scratch! And trust me, I feel you, risotto is definitely a labor of love. But while we’re all sitting at home in “Quarantine 2: Winter Edition” and longing for those warm, comforting meals, when is there a better time to make risotto???

This vegetarian risotto is hearty and savory thanks to the addition of mushrooms that provide a meatiness as well as rich umami (savory) flavor…. When you try this recipe, you’ll be thanking the glutamate gods because it’s truly one for the books. I’ve made this three times in the past month and every time it’s exactly what I need for dinner on a gloomy fall Pacific Northwest evening. The process, although time consuming, is fairly simple and requires just enough skill to impress your friends without making you pull your hair out. So throw on some cozy music, grab yourself a glass of wine (or kombucha), and get cooking! You won’t regret it.

Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. With everything going on in the world and our country this week, I needed this ya’ll. Comfort foods so often get placed in the “forbidden” foods category. We forget that it’s okay to actually enjoy our food; to get comfort from eating something cozy, satisfying, and nostalgic.

In this recipe, I used goat milk and cheese to make the creamy cheese sauce. Goat dairy products can be easier on the digestive system for those with a lactose intolerance or sensitivity… I’ve always loved a broccoli mac and cheese combo and roasted broccolini felt like a nice grown up addition. They provide crunchy texture, fiber, and a salt and pepper punch to the top of this rich dish.

With the weather cooling down, I’m switching gears towards making cozier, heartier dishes for dinner. Soups always make my meal prep list during fall and winter months because of how comforting and nourishing they can be…

In the past, I’ve made a simpler version of this soup that was delicious and satisfying but it lacked that extra oomph of the restaurant version. After a little research, I realized that wine was the flavor I was missing… Not only did I feel like Ina Garten cooking with wine for the first time, but the recipe finally tasted like the classic french onion soup I was longing for!

For me, the ideal summer 30 minute meal has fresh greens, seasonal produce, and a grilled protein. This salad checks all those boxes: Delicious sweet and tangy barbecue chicken breast paired with sweet, juicy peaches, creamy burrata cheese, crunchy greens, and drizzled with a light oil and vinegar dressing. It perfectly combines my need for a light yet nutrient dense dinner when it’s too hot to spend more than a half hour in the kitchen.

If you asked me for a fool-proof, crowd pleasing appetizer for all your summer adventures (BBQ, picnic, lazy pool day, etc)… this would be it! A perfect blend of tangy-salty-sweetness paired with bright mint and a hint of spice, this summer salad hits the spot every time!

It’s so easy to make, I’d barely even call this a recipe. It can also easily be adjusted to suit any serving size and palate.