I was never a fan of salads growing up but that really shifted when I started experimenting with creating my own dressings. A lot of store bought dressings feel goopy, under seasoned, and overly sweetened for my taste. They definitely have a place in my diet from a convenience standpoint but from a satisfaction standpoint, I prefer to make my own.

Caesar dressing always felt unapproachable to me because it usually requires ingredients that I don’t often have on hand — like Worcestershire sauce. I decided to make some tweaks and substitute…

My go-to summer dishes usually include a mix of fresh and cooked foods. I find that although fully raw dishes satisfy my desire for cool foods in the heat, they don’t really digest as well for me. I add a few cooked elements to give my gut a break, balance out the crunchy texture of raw veggies, and help keep me satisfied overall. To keep my kitchen and house cool, I tend to use my oven for as little time as possible. Enter: broiled salmon…

So few things say summer more than cooking skewers on the barbecue. The flavor of charred onions is truly unmatched! These chicken and veggie skewers are a favorite in my house because they are so versatile. Pairing them with various sauces and dips transforms them so you’ll never get bored. The three ingredient feta-yogurt dip in this recipe is also a queen of adaptability. She can do a dip, she can do a drizzle, she can do a dressing — all give or take a few teaspoons of water! I highly recommend making extra to pair with salads, wraps, and bowls throughout the week. I also love…

Prior to this year, I held the unpopular opinion that chicken wings were completely overrated. I never really enjoyed the ones my friends would get for game days and I didn’t love how messy it was to eat meat dripping with spicy sauces off of a bone. That being said, I realized this year that I am, in fact, just a chicken wing snob. I actually do enjoy wings when they’re really fresh and made with quality ingredients. Who knew?!? I attribute this change of heart completely to Fire on the Mountain, a local Portland favorite that specializes in killer sauces and fresh and crispy wings.

For my Super Bowl prep this year, I decided to try my hand at making wings at home! (PS: I am still a wimp when it comes to heat, so feel free to spice these up if your heart desires.) After polling my IG friends, we decided on using an air-fryer for this recipe. It felt less fussy, although didn’t really save me time because I had to make two batches rather than have all the wings on one baking sheet. I really loved how these came out and I couldn’t wait to share. The best part for me is…

This bright, tangy, and earthy salad is an ideal winter meal combo for when you want to get some fresh veggies in but still want something warm and comforting. Enter: Sweet, caramelized roasted beets over fresh mixed greens paired with citrus, candied pecans, and drizzled with 3 ingredient dill-yogurt dressing.

This recipe was inspired by a delicious side salad that I had at Tusk, a local Mediterranean restaurant here in Portland. It was one of the first times that a side salad dish was the highlight of an all-around amazing meal. They paired fresh herbs with roasted beets and blood oranges. I’d never had this sweet-tart, earthy-citrus combination before and was instantly hooked!

It’s so simple that I usually just post the recipe in my Instagram captions and call it a day! But

I feel like I say this a lot here, but this is by far one of my favorite recipes to date! I really love a variety of Asian cuisines because of their rich flavors and unique use of vegetables — especially Vietnamese and Chinese. This recipe is a Pan-Asian fusion pairing sweet and salty Chinese Hoisin sauce with a Vietnamese inspired slaw of raw carrots, cilantro, and cucumber.

Hoisin sauce originates in Cantonese cooking as a glaze for meats, an addition to stir fries, or as a dipping sauce for a variety of foods. It’s dark and thick and both sweet and salty with just a hint of spice, often referred to as Chinese barbecue sauce. In this recipe, it lends itself as a glaze for the chicken meatballs and is the central flavor of the dish.

This recipe was originally inspired by a delicious Banh mi sandwich that I had from a local restaurant, Lardo. It’s truly sensational and my favorite part is the fresh veggies they add to the sandwich to balance the richness of the meat. My slaw is my attempt at mirroring that magic — a combination of shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, fresh cilantro, rice wine vinegar, and a punch of tartness from sliced green apples.

You’ll notice that I use store-bought Hoisin in this recipe — I chose to do this for a few reasons. One

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I am definitely a sides girl through and through… This year, our Thanksgiving dinner tables will look different. Most of us aren’t traveling and we’re spending the holiday solo or doing a potluck with our quarantine pod instead. If you’re like me and hate the idea of cooking turkey, turkey meatballs could be a more manageable (and more delicious, IMO) option!

In this recipe, rosemary, thyme, and a hint of mustard give these meatballs an herbaceous and savory flavor. And paired with a sweet and tart cranberry dipping sauce, it’s a combination that will please just about any palate! Serves as an appetizer or the main event, it’s a dish that can do anything!

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.

Few things scream cool weather to me than a roasted Brussels sprout and squash combo. By the end of fall, I estimate that I am about 95% pumpkin and squash. My skin loves the vitamin A and my tastebuds love the sweet and savory flavor and creamy texture. That’s a win-win in my book! Another nutritious highlight in cold weather crops, although severely underrated, are Brussels sprouts. They are packed with fiber and vitamin C, and when prepared the right way can be a hit with your tastebuds, too!

In this recipe, roasted shaved Brussels pair with sweet squash and juicy grapes. It’s the sweet-savory combo of the century, trust me.

Growing up, I only are raw or boiled carrots. I’ve always liked them, but I’ve never really felt a craving for them. These carrots, though, I think about constantly. Roasted carrots add the perfect rich sweetness to any savory dish. And I would be lying if I didn’t half the pan as a snack during shooting this recipe. That’s how good they are!

Paired with traditional Middle Eastern spice blend Za’atar, a toasted blend of sesame seeds, sumac, coriander, dried oregano or thyme, and salt. The ingredients vary by region but all za’atar is earthy and herbaceous with the tiniest sharp hint of citrus from sumac. It can be used in marinades for meats, to top dips like hummus or finish really any kind of dish from flatbreads to soup. One of my favorite ways to use it is…

Vegetable hashes are a great way to add a variety of different veggies to your plate. They can be sides, the base for a brunch egg bowl, or served on top of greens and grains, like in this nourishing warm bowl. In this Roasted Root Vegetable Hash, carrots, turnips, onion, beets, and sweet potato all come together in bright, caramelized goodness. Paired with fresh “poultry’ herbs — rosemary, thyme, and sage — they practically ooze cozy comfort. It’s flavorful and unique enough to…

I honestly haven’t been a fan of chicken salad until I made it myself. I always thought it had too much mayonnaise and not enough of the good stuff — the nutty pecans, crunchy celery, juicy grapes, and tart, chewy cranberries.

My loaded chicken salad made with shredded rotisserie chicken has about as much of the “extras” as it does chicken and is much lighter on the mayo. The perfect ratio, if you ask me!

The magic of corn chowder is that, despite being a hot soup, it’s a late summer classic. Admittedly — aside from Mexican street corn, tortilla chips, and polenta — I’ve never been a corn lover. While exploring the Oregon coast this weekend, I had an amazing bowl of clam chowder. Even though it was a sunny 80 degrees out it still felt like the perfect, nourishing lunch. I wanted to try my hand at creating a lighter summer soup at home to capture that feeling.

I decided on a corn chowder because of the accessibility of the ingredients. I also didn’t want to spend an entire afternoon in the hot kitchen because it is still August after all. In this recipe, vegetable stock and coconut milk provide the light yet creamy base to the soup while frozen corn, potato, and onion add hearty texture.

After spending last weekend at a U-pick peach farm, I’ve suddenly acquired $32 worth of the juiciest, most vibrant peaches. As they begin ripening, I’ve been scrambling each day to get them frozen, eaten, or baked into something. We’ve had so many peach muffins and crumbles that I think I’m 80% peach at this point. And I’m 100% okay with that.

These peach honey cornbread muffins are all the fun flavors and textures of summer whipped into a few portable bites. The cornmeal base provides a subtle sweet crunch while diced peaches throughout give a balanced punch of sweet and tart flavor. Lightly sweetened with honey, these hearty muffins can easily be…

If you’re fortunate enough to have your own veggie garden, have access to a community garden, or have been to a summer farmer’s market, you know summer time is prime zucchini season. Growing up, my dad would plant summer squash in our garden and we would have buckets and buckets of zucchini. By summer’s end, we were sick of grilled squash and practically had a conveyor belt of zucchini bread shipping out to neighbors and friends.

I really took those summers for granted — all the missed opportunities to experiment with zucchini recipes! — and I still find myself nostalgic every time I see or make zucchini bread. Now, it seems zucchini has become best known as…

While I’m not vegan or dairy-free, I love experimenting to create plant-based alternatives that everyone will enjoy. In this 6-ish ingredient recipe, blended cashews and lemon juice creates a creamy and tart sour cream-like base for my take on the classic french onion dip — one of my all time favorite party foods.

Cashews are good sources of protein, healthy fats, and the minerals iron, magnesium, and zinc. They also have a distinct buttery and sweet flavor. It’s no secret that they are a staple in vegan and plant-based cooking because of their ability to…

With August just around the corner (next week already?!) and temperatures reaching an unheard of 100 degrees in Portland, I thought I’d break out my favorite replenishing summer beverage.

Staying hydrated in the summer is hard, especially if you’re surrounded by soda or fruity cocktails during a fun afternoon at the beach or at a neighborhood barbecue. Consider bringing this recipe into the mix — a functional mocktail that satisfies that sweet iced drink craving while providing beneficial electrolytes and water.

I know what you’re thinking — quinoa for breakfast?? — I get it but trust me, this is a game changer! For me, one of the most difficult parts of breakfast is finding a quick meal that’s going to fill me up and fuel my busy mornings. A lot of traditional breakfasts can be carbohydrate heavy (toasts, granola, cereal, instant oats) and leave us hungry way before lunch when they’re not paired with enough fat and protein.

Quinoa is a great morning grain option because it provides complex carbohydrates, or fiber, and protein. In fact, quinoa is one of the few plant-based protein sources that…

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.