Author: keestevens

Zesty Mexican Cobb Salad

Zesty Mexican Cobb Salad

This nutrient-rich Mexican cobb salad is packed with protein and fiber with over 65 and 27 grams, respectively. Plus, it’s delicious with buttermilk dressing offsetting the smoky achiote chicken, sweet corn, seasoned black beans, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and mozzarella cheese. What a slice of heaven! (more).

Buttermilk Dill Salad Dressing

Buttermilk Dill Salad Dressing

This buttermilk dressing is so delicious that you’ll be licking the back of a spoon! This dressing was a failed attempt at making ranch dressing, but what came out of this experiment was a huge win! Try this dressing on my Zesty Mexican Cobb Salad (more).

Curried Couscous Salad with Carrots and Cashews

Curried Couscous Salad with Carrots and Cashews

Although pearl couscous was invented in Israel, I give this salad a tropical yet Indian twist with the complement of cashews to a curry dressing. Top it with dried apricots, golden raisins, and shredded carrots, and you’ll have a meal your family will clamor for! (more).

French Lentil Salad with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

French Lentil Salad with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

This vegan French lentil salad is nutrient-rich in fiber with 31.2 grams per serving and packed with plant-based protein with 32.8 grams per serving. Plus, it is delicious with a sweet hint of maple syrup, apricots, and carrots caramelized in balsamic vinaigrette. It’s a great (more).

Mexican Soy Tostadas

Mexican Soy Tostadas

These Mexican soy tostadas are fast and easy to make, requiring only 18 minutes and using just 6 ingredients, one of which is water. The crumbled Mexican soy is a good source of protein and makes this dish vegan if paired with vegan sour cream. (more).

My Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

My Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

This homemade red enchilada sauce is so addictive that you’ll be topping it on a plethora of recipes, like my Mexican Soy Tostadas.  It’s also a nice accompaniment to eggs, like the traditional dish of Mexican huevos rancheros. Try it for yourself and tell me (more).

Heavenly Seven-Layer Bars

Heavenly Seven-Layer Bars

Who can’t enjoy seven layers of heavenly chocolate, creamy butterscotch, nutty coconut, earthy walnuts, creamy butter, and a flaky, graham cracker crust, all held together by condensed milk? This bar is a slice of heaven, and once you taste it, you’ll know what I mean! (more).

My Grandma’s Legendary Peanut Butter Cookies

My Grandma’s Legendary Peanut Butter Cookies

As a young girl, I’d sprint one block to my grandma’s house and we’d spend the afternoon, immersed in one of our favorite pastimes: baking, Needless to say, I grew up on these legendary peanut butter cookies, which are decoratively crisscrossed and sprinkled with sugar. (more).

Bacon, Asparagus, and Cheese Frittata

Bacon, Asparagus, and Cheese Frittata

A spin-off of my Asparagus, Potato, and Leek Frittata, this Bacon, Asparagus, and Cheese Frittata is stupendous with its savory bacon and shallots, garlic, and veggies cooked in its flavorful drippings. Then, add a heap of cheeses and you have the perfect Sunday brunch dish! (more).

Three’s A Charm Apple Crisp

Three’s A Charm Apple Crisp

I call this apple crisp, three’s a charm, as it took three tries to perfect. It was one thing or another —either too many apples, not enough topping, or forgetting the brown sugar. But the third time was a charm and well worth the blunders, (more).

Asparagus, Leek, and Potato Frittata

Asparagus, Leek, and Potato Frittata

My asparagus, leek, and potato frittata was inspired from the tortilla española, a Spanish omelet made of egg, potato, and onions. The changes I made were to swap out leeks for onions and add asparagus, goat, Parmesan, and cottage cheese. Try it for yourself and (more).

My Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

My Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

As a young girl, I grew up on my Grandma Phyllis’s old-fashioned sugar cookies. Whenever I went over her house, I’d have free license to pull out one of these cookies from a tin in her freezer. Sample one and you’ll know why I grew (more).

Nourishing Cream of Asparagus Soup

Nourishing Cream of Asparagus Soup

Held to be an aphrodisiac, asparagus was also long known for its medicinal properties, as it was used by Hippocrates in ancient Greece to combat diarrhea.*  But for me, what asparagus means is the beginning of spring. With bundles of asparagus available in my produce (more).

A Grain-Rich Redo of Tabbouleh Salad

A Grain-Rich Redo of Tabbouleh Salad

While the typical tabbouleh recipe calls for a higher proportion of parsley and mint to bulgur, here, I flip-flop the ratio out of personal taste. What results is a grain-rich salad that is still accentuated by mint and parsley. Tell me which way you prefer! (more).

Tzatziki, Yogurt Cucumber Dip

Tzatziki, Yogurt Cucumber Dip

This tzatziki, or yogurt cucumber dip, is worthy of a prize, as it can be combined with my Baba Ganoush, Eggplant Dip and my Ever-So-Delicious Classic Hummus (see Appetizers). Serve these for a Middle Eastern/Greek dinner, and your guests will be moved by your food! (more).

Baba Ganoush, Eggplant Dip

Baba Ganoush, Eggplant Dip

Who knew that this Arabic phrase, bābā ḡannūj, translates to father of coquetry or pampered daddy? And who knew that it was rumored a member of the royal harem supposedly created this glorious dip? * **This dip is regal with its mix of roasted eggplant, (more).

Ever-So-Delicious Classic Hummus

Ever-So-Delicious Classic Hummus

After years of trial and error, you can learn from my blunders and benefit from the right balance of tahini to lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. This creamy mix is a welcome taste for vegans and the population at large. Try it once and (more).

Oriental Peanut Teriyaki Salad

Oriental Peanut Teriyaki Salad

My Oriental Peanut Teriyaki Salad is exploding with a palate of Asian flavors— from that classic teriyaki sauce to a dressing full of sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Plus, the peanut butter in this dressing makes you want to lick the spoon! And (more).

Oriental Pasta Salad with Spinach, Mandarins & Almonds

Oriental Pasta Salad with Spinach, Mandarins & Almonds

This scrumptious, protein-packed salad features over 76 grams of protein per serving from the dense chickpea pasta and the sweet yet savory teriyaki chicken. And don’t forget the nutrient-rich spinach, high in folate and Vitamin K, which is highlighted in this salad. And if that (more).

Stellar Oriental Salad Dressing

Stellar Oriental Salad Dressing

My Stellar Oriental Salad Dressing is a must-try for anyone who loves the taste sensations of Asian cuisine but has little time on their hands. With the robust mix of sesame oil, lime juice, and teriyaki sauce, it’s unthinkable it takes 10 minutes to make. (more).

Ham and Cheese Panini with a Balsamic Drizzle

Ham and Cheese Panini with a Balsamic Drizzle

My sensational panini will awaken your taste buds with a burst of hickory ham, melting gouda cheese, fruity pear, and my secret ingredient, a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. The homemade vinaigrette plays off the pungency of the Dijon mustard and complements the smokiness of the (more).