Chicken shawarma is a very long-time favorite of mine. I fell in love with it in college, at a small Mediterranean restaurant near my apartment outside Chicago, Ill. Then I found a favorite spot in Washington, D.C., where I lived for about 5 years. And now that I’m back to my hometown of Charlotte, N.C., I’ve happily discovered a new favorite spot to get my shawarma fix. But you know I love cooking at home, too, so I just had to tackle this favorite dish of mine!...

With the natural sweetness of boiled beetroot and the cooling effect of yoghurt, this raita is a refreshing addition to any fasting meal. Plus, it’s loaded with nutrients, making it an ideal dish to keep you energized throughout the day. Why to Make This Beetroot Raita is a must-try because it’s both delicious and nutrient-rich. The combination of beetroot and yogurt is excellent for digestion, and the dish comes together in minutes, making it perfect for fasting days....

Tuscan sausage pasta What do you call a meal that tastes like exquisite fine dining, looks like the perfect dreamy, date-night meal, and feels like an easy week-night dinner to prepare? Hint – you don’t really need one and it wasn’t really a question. This Spicy Tuscan Sausage Pasta is all that and then some. Rice and pasta recipes feature heavily in our dinner rotation, and I’ve shared a few pasta dishes on the blog before (like this cajun chicken and sausage pasta and chorizo bolognese with homemade turmeric pasta)....

Hi friends! I hope you’ve had a wonderful Christmas/Hanukah/holiday season! Santa paid us a visit and we had the best day at home with the kiddos (who are 6 and 4 and ALL about Christmas). We had tons of presents, a big breakfast feast and then lots of playing and couch time and movie watching and snuggling! ❤️ And now today, I’m bringing you a light, fresh and healthy salad that’s LOADED with veggies!...

Alternating layers of milk-soaked Maria cookies and soft, creamy chocolate buttercream are all you need for this deceptively delicious dessert that also happens to be just so easy to make. This is one of the most well-loved Sri Lankan desserts. A classic Sri Lankan dessert Yes, Sri Lanka – the land of ceylon tea and cinnamon and countless other fiery spicy savory dishes (like this chicken curry, black pork curry, beef curry etc....

I can’t do much about the first two, but I thought I should try to do something about the Biscuits. If you do happen to know a place where I could get Arnott’s Cookies, Tim Tams or Kingsingtons in the mid west PLEASE let me know and I will forever be in your debt! One of the cookies that I loved to eat were the Raspberry Tartlet Biscuits. This is a beautiful shortbread cookie with a jammy sweet Raspberry or Strawberry Centre!...

I have partnered with La Terra Fina on this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I hope you had a great weekend and a fun Father’s Day! We spent it outside, listening to the symphony. Our local symphony does a Pops in the Park series every June and last night was the music of John Williams. Think Star Wars, Jurassic Park, E.T., Superman and more. My parents came too and we took the kids for the first time (they fell asleep on the blanket) so it was a really fun family evening!...

Y’all understand that, right? As much as I’d love to spend more hours in the kitchen (after spending the majority of my day there working on cook book stuff) coming up with meals to write out for you, I’d rather put on my hat and scarf and head out to look at Christmas lights with my husband and kids. No hard feelings? So I can’t speak for Kate, but I’m just telling you right now, for the next few weeks you’ll be seeing quick and easy stuff from me- mostly fun stuff I’m doing at home with my family so I think it’s stuff you’ll enjoy too!...

Several weeks ago I shared a post about Zucchini Noodles (click here to see it) and I included this photo of these Thai Peanut Zoodles and everyone was asking for the recipe, to today’s the day! How many of you have Spiralizers now? It’s been one of my most favorite kitchen gadgets lately. It lets you easily adapt so many traditional pasta recipes to lighter versions. This particular recipe is simply a lightened version of one of our most popular Our Best Bites recipes: Thai Peanut Noodles....

Unlike most recipes, my trick is to use two cherry components for the best flavor in this filling; a thick, concentrated cherry flavor base + juicy, whole cherries coated in that base. Plus, an optional dash of red wine for even more flavor. Why this cherry pie filling is so much better than store-bought! I developed this delicious cherry pie filling for one simple reason. I just don’t like canned cherry pie filling....

This guide will show you how to make the best lemon simple syrup recipe that is tart and sweet, and still has the flavor of fresh lemon! I love simple syrup and I love lemon. But store-bought lemon syrup is simply too sweet for my liking. Another problem I have with lemon simple syrup is that it doesn’t have a strong enough lemon flavor, especially the tartness of fresh lemon juice....

Recently I shared Italian wedding soup and Instant Pot lentil soup, two favorites that I’ve been making on repeat! Today it’s another favorite: turkey white bean soup with kale. This is a recipe that I’ve actually been meaning to share for quite a while now. I remember making it a few years back for a neighbor who had just had a baby boy. She’s about to have another baby, so that tells you something....

Ingredients Needed Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy whipping cream will provide a creamier, richer, softer finished ice cream, but you could use regular whipping cream in a pinch. Sweetened Condensed Milk Flavorings or Add-Ins, If Desired Vanilla or Other Extracts Crushed Cookie Crumbs Caramel or Chocolate Fudge Fruit Jam How to Make Two Ingredient Ice Cream

There are three basic thickening techniques: flour and water, cornstarch and water, and roux (pronounced “roo.” Darn French and their superfluous letters.) Each has its place and its own pros and cons. In both the cornstarch and flour methods, the general rule of thumb is equal parts starch and water, although you’ll definitely find recipes that call for different proportions. And if the recipe tells you to do it differently, do it....

Butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian dishes around, with it’s mildly spiced creamy tomato sauce, and packed full of flavor. It’s usually made with dairy cream, and of course with chicken. I’ve created the most delicious vegan version, and I’m so excited to share it with you today! The “chicken” is actually tofu, but it’s not any old tofu. No, the tofu is prepared in a unique way in the oven that makes it perfectly chewy....

A vegan buttercream frosting for all your cupcake and cake decorating needs. Just try not to eat it all by the spoonful; it’s that good! The trick is in the technique and using a quality vegan butter. I’ve been making a version of this frosting for years but recently perfected it. I’ll teach you everything I know! Ways to use vegan frosting There are endless ways to use this frosting, but here are just a few ideas:...

Along with my 1 Hour Vegan Cinnamon Rolls and Vegan French Toast Casserole, this Vegan Coffee Cake should be at the top of your list to make for holiday mornings! It’s such an easy recipe with no fuss at all! It’s moist, fluffy and full of cinnamon streusel goodness. How to make vegan coffee cake The full recipe is at the bottom of the post, but let me show you how easy it is....

Go ahead and make it next time you have guests over because everyone can enjoy this as it has NO DAIRY, NO EGGS, yet NO WORRIES – ’cause this one’s a doozy baby! I love making crepes. My recipes for classic French crepes and chocolate crepes are very popular on the blog and they make for some easy and impressive French desserts. And I’m always looking for an excuse to make crepes for breakfast or brunch, especially on weekends!...

If bread is your favorite food, then you’ll love this easy Vegan Focaccia recipe. It’s slathered in olive oil, incredibly fluffy on the inside, and golden and crispy on the outside. Best of all, it’s one of the most beginner-friendly artisan breads there is! Just like my no knead Dutch Oven Bread, this focaccia recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients to give you bakery-style results every time. Making the dough is relatively hands-off and doesn’t require much kneading, too....

Vegan Fried Rice is hearty enough to serve as the main dish, but can also be served on the side of Orange Tofu, Kung Pao Tofu or General Tso’s Tofu. Or make it go further by adding more vegetables, some Marinated Tofu or Vegan Chicken! What I love about fried rice is how versatile and quick it is to make. Make extra rice one night so you are ready to make this easy dish the next!...