Provencial Tomato Tarte

This quick summer treat is so easy and elegant!  With just a few basic ingredients you'll be ready for a decadent brunch dish.  Or, it pair with a green salad for a refreshing dinner.  Its the perfect way to showcase your homegrown tomatoes, or the beautiful seasonal tomatoes on display at your local market.

Mango Sun Cake

After the delicious joy of extra-sweet, slightly tart, perfectly ripe mango season has come and gone, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the bright flavor of mango.  This recipe is perfect when mango is in its prime, but is also a nice way to bring not-quite-there mango into the spotlight it deserves.

Its a wonderfully light dessert, that is extremely simple...just right for after a mid-summer meal.

The Naked Cookbook

What I love the most in the kitchen is the purity of it all.  The feel of the fresh produce, the crunch of the veggies as the knife cuts across their leaves.  The sizzle of olive oil heating in a pan...

Chai Escape

Sitting at a cafe a Kuala Lumpur a few years back I had what felt like a life-changing moment.  One of those small details of life that becomes a total game changer.  It was something so simple, but something I knew would become part of my life from that point on. .

One Skillet Salmon Dinner

Life gets busy.  But that doesn't mean its time to give up health eating habits and trade them in for a drive-thru meal.  There are plenty of ways to eat healthy in a hurry!

Meatless Mondays with Gardein

Every day is a great day to go meatless...and Meatless Monday is a fun way to build meat-free options into our weekly routines.  Meatless habits we make on Mondays carry through the week, and before long our whole dining style evolves into something much more healthy - all week long!

Flan for the Soul

This is a fantastically dramatic yet healthy dessert: Flan. With simple, pure ingredients and no oil and just a little sugar, its a great ending to a light meal.  The flans are inverted just before serving, making a gorgeously elegant caramel-covered custard.

5-Minute Ice Cream Cake

Sometimes there are shortcuts that make life so easy - this is one of them!  Learn how to make a homemade ice cream cake in a matter of minutes.

Rinse your Rice

One of the very first days after I moved to China, at the grocery store, I was staring at the most extensive rice aisle that I'd ever seen.  Overwhelmed, I took some time to check out all the options.  An older lady came up next to me, very concerned.  This was before I understood the language, so an elaborate game of charades ensued.  What was her message that was so worthy of all the song and dance:  Rinse your rice!

Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts are so underrated.  When they're roasted, and not old-fashioned boiled, they're absolutely amazing.  I've yet to find someone who's not a lover of brussel sprouts, deep down inside...when they're prepared right.

Citrus Beet Salad

Salads are great all year long, and this Citrus Beet Salad is a great option for the colder months of the year, using garden-fresh ingredients that grow well into Fall and Winter.

Chocolate Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MemoriesInTheBaking #CollectiveBias

Cookies.  They're a sweet little indulgence, that can add up quickly - especially during the holidays!  This recipe gives all the flavor and texture of a traditional cookie, but is a much lighter version...so go ahead and take two.  

This recipe for Chocolate Oatmeal Pecan cookies has a hearty cookie texture, but uses much less sugar and butter than a traditional recipe - without losing the flavor!

Lemon Poppy Seed Madeleines

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MeAndMyTea #CollectiveBias

As the weather gets chilly outside, there is nothing better than waking up in the morning and warming up the house with a warm oven and the smell of freshly baked French pastries!  These Lemon Poppy Seed Madelienes are simple, elegant, and the perfect snack with your favorite hot beverage.

8 Best Cookbooks for the Chefs on Your List!

If you know someone who loves food, a cookbook can make a fantastic gift.  These are some of my very favorites of the year, each with a unique approach and featuring gorgeous photos that make you want to jump right into the kitchen and start enjoying!

Homemade Olive Crackers

One of the best parts of the holidays is having everyone come together, eating and sharing stories.  

I love putting together an 'Apero-Dineatoire' - a French concept that is perfect for bringing everyone together and enjoying each others company.  The idea behind Apero-Dineatoire is that there is plenty to eat, all in small finger-food portions casually served in the living room.  Everyone relaxes and explores the array, grazing throughout the evening over stories and music.  Its the best!

The Homemade Kitchen: Plum Tart

Plum season doesn't last for long, but I can't resist the juicy little fruits while they last. They're great simply sliced and eaten as a snack, but when I get a big batch I love baking them into a tart. 

Simply Ancient Grains: Bulgur with Chard and Saffron-Infused Yogurt

My pantry is overflowing with delicious grains, each in its own mason jar for safekeeping.  I love their hearty earthiness, and that they're a healthy alternative to the more mainstream pasta or rice.  

Oven-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin carving is a serious undertaking in our house.  Growing up, Dad's neighborhood claim to fame was always his elaborate carvings - and lots of them.

I've never been much of a carver, so I always got seed duty.  Separating the pumpkin's seeds from the orange fibers and roasting them into a delicious, healthy snack.  For me, Halloween is Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Turning the the leftover bits of pumpkin into a tasty snack is fun for all ages with these simple instructions.

French Onion Soup / Soupe a l'onion

 In France, French Onion Soup...or Soupe a l'Onion...is more than just a tasty, hearty soup or bistro appetizer.  It is the sign of a great party that lasts late into the night! 

Sticky Apple Date Cake

"I wanted to explore a broader spectrum of complementary tastes and flavors, and to imaginative beloved classics as a more balanced blend of sugar and spice.  In these recipes I've tried to take down the sugar to bring up the flavor.  I think that less sweet leaves more room for delicious." - Samantha Seneviratne