Some of you may recognize this recipe from my e-book, Well, balanced. It has been a staple dinner in our home since recipe development for my e-book and I just couldn’t keep it exclusive any longer! What I love about this recipe is the flavor to effort ratio. Making a good soup is sometimes an all day affair, requiring hours of simmering and stirring. This flavor-packed soup can be ready in 45 minutes and if you're even tighter on time, consider my lazy girl recipe hacks at the end of this page (hint: with a few pre-made substitutes, it could be ready in under a half hour!)

This is one of my favorite late summer meals because it’s bright and light yet cozy and comforting. Cooking pasta in broth allows the starches to form a creamy texture without the addition of a heavy cream or a lot of cheese. It’s also a one pot wonder and makes a great easily reheatable meal prep.

As a general rule, for every one cup of orzo, add two cups of liquid. So if you need this to last longer than four meals, or you want just two servings, you can customize this recipe to meet your needs. And as always, I fully encourage adding more garlic if you want! ;)

Palomas are my all time favorite summer drink. Although I prefer them best beside a taco, they are the perfect outdoor patio/sip by the pool/enjoy any time of year cocktail as well. I even had a rosemary paloma as my signature drink at my wedding! I couldn’t wait to share it with my guests, and now I can share it with you, too. They are so easy to make and are a delicious balance of refreshing lime, punchy grapefruit, and sweet aromatic rosemary. Cheers!

While I do enjoy perusing the chocolate aisle at the grocery store and am known to have a bar or two stocked in my pantry at all times, there is something really special and fun about making confections at home. Homemade chocolates make a thoughtful and impressive gift — with just enough skill to seem fancy, without a ton of time spent in the kitchen.

This recipe is inspired by Hu Kitchen’s raspberry cashew butter chocolate bar (my ride or die) and Rachael Good Eat’s DIY Reese’s eggs. In my opinion the raspberry and cashew combo is like an adult version of the classic PB&J! With creamy cashew butter, sweet and tart raspberry and decadent dark chocolate, you’ll have suitors lining up down the block wanting to be your Valentine! They’re the perfect way to say “I’m nuts about you” ;)

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

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…

Okay, I’ll admit that it’s really hard to make Brussels sprouts look and sound appetizing. Whether you’re #TeamBrussels or against them, there’s simply no denying their benefits. Brussels sprouts are good sources in vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. Members of the cruciferous vegetable family, they have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects thanks to sulfuric compounds that give them their signature smell, similar to cauliflower and broccoli. And finally, when cooked properly they can be pretty tasty…

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!

Cranberry sauce has always been one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving although admittedly, up until recently, I’ve been Team Canned Cranberry. I still enjoy the thick gelatinous texture but have grown away from the can shape and over-sweetened flavor. These days, I’m more into minimal sweetness and really letting the flavor of what I’m sweetening shine on their own. I also have an affinity for sour things, so I love letting this tart cranberry-citrus combo sing.

If sweeter sauce is your thing, fear not. You can easily add a little extra sugar to this recipe without compromising the texture. This recipe is ready in 40 minutes and requires minimal baby-sitting.

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.

Possibly the one thing I love more than bread products is the spreads and shmears that accompany them. I love experimenting with flavored butters, cream cheeses, and dips that double as wrap or sammy spreads.

Enter: Tomato Butter. I worried that it might taste like tomato sauce on bread, but it’s the perfect balance of tangy, savory tomato and sweet, creamy butter. It’s ready in about five minutes and can be used for bread, bagels, or wherever else you might spread butter.

In this recipe, rich and tangy teriyaki pairs with the tart taste of pineapple, sweet onions, and the bright, juicy crunch of red bell peppers. It’s one of my favorite weeknight meals because it reheats easily for lunch the next day. This sauce can also be used for marinating kebabs or with tempeh or tofu for my vegan friends!

Teriyaki is a Japanese tradition of cooking sliced meats with a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin (rice wine), sugar, and sake (also rice wine). The word itself derives from teri, referring to the sheen the sauce gives, and yaki, which refers to the cooking method of either grilling or broiling. Traditionally…

For a quick protein and fiber packed snack or on-the-go breakfast, look no further! These remind me a lot of Belvita bars. They’re soft, slightly sweet, and have a chewy texture thanks to the oats. In place of using a cooking oil in the recipe, plain greek yogurt provides more protein and reduces the fat content.