Coconut Orange Bundt Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream #Bundtbakers

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Coconut Orange Bundt Cake

For the past few weeks, I’ve been making a conscious effort to eat healthy, which hasn’t been that difficult considering the endless amount of nutritious and delicious recipes on the internet. Eating more healthfully, for me, often means opting for cooking rather than ordering in, and I’ve been having a blast researching so many different recipes from some of my favorite cookbooks and blogs. I’ve been stocking up on veggies,healthier flours (buckwheat pancakes anyone?), and cutting back on sugar. The hardest part about conscious eating, for me at least, is that I can’t resist my incessant sweet tooth. As hard as I try, my hankering for baked goods can not be denied. In addition to my pathetic lack of self control when it comes to sweets, I also didn’t want to miss out on this month’s #bundtbakers theme: Coconut (one of my faves!)  Continue reading

Cranberry and Walnut Buckwheat Pancakes

Cranberry Walnut Buckwheat Pancakes

As much as I curse winter – when the temperature outside approaches single digits and the walls of concrete skyscrapers lining 5th avenue turn into gale-force wind tunnels with threatening speeds that almost knock you into oncoming traffic; as much as I loath hurdling over the puddles of dirty ice water on every street corner, and the tingling sensation you get from defrosting your extremities on the overpowered radiator in your apartment, the same heat source which causes you to wake up in the middle of the night with feverish sweats because your management company decides to blast the heat with no concern for the environment or your sanity, yea..as much as I think I hate winter, I’m reminded on lazy, Saturday afternoons, gazing out the window overlooking snow covered sidewalks littered with discarded Christmas trees, that winter is really not so bad.  Continue reading

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Flatbread with Creamy Greek Yogurt

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Flatbread with Creamy Greek Yogurt

If your holidays were anything like mine, they were filled with an heart-warming array of family, friends, laughter, and cheer.  Our celebrations were also filled with copious amounts of cookies, cakes, gratins, casseroles, cheese, bread, sugar, and of course, lots and lots of wine. To top it all off, I went with a big group of friends on a ski vacation to Whistler, BC over New Year’s, and while we spent the days skiing and working off some of that holiday “cheer”, we spent the nights more than making up for it, stuffing our faces and drinking like we were back in college. Needless to say, I’m ready to get back to conscious eating and a healthy lifestyle.  Continue reading

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Creamy Caesar Dressing

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Creamy Caesar Dressing

One of the many amazing things that I love about living in New York City is the endless list of restaurant options.  It can be overwhelming for an avid home cook, because while I enjoy staying home and cooking, I also thoroughly enjoy discovering new restaurants and dining out. Often when it comes to choosing between cooking something at home, and going out to eat, I’ll choose the latter.  While this significantly depletes my wallet, it contributes heavily to my recipe catalogue.  I love sourcing recipes from restaurants that I visit, and whenever I am feeling a lull in creativity in the kitchen, I look to some of my favorite restaurants and dishes for inspiration.  Continue reading

Creamy Carrot Soup with Potato

Creamy Carrot Soup with Roasted Potatoes

One of the things I love best about cooking is that you can never stop improving your skills in the kitchen. There are always new dishes to try, techniques to master and menus to plan. While I’ve never had any formal training, learning most of what I know from watching my parents at home and my culinary idols on the Food Network, I like to think I know my way around a kitchen, at least for the most part.  But one thing I’ve never been super confident about, and a skill that is absolutely essential to be a serious cook, is knowing how to properly use a chef’s knife.  Continue reading

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Every Sunday, I have a routine of visiting my local farmers market and stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies for the week. Recently, my favorite produce stand has gotten into the habit of bringing these deliciously spiced, absolutely scrumptious apple cider doughnuts with them every Sunday. So naturally, apple cider doughnuts have found their way into my weekly routine.  Continue reading

Traditional Guacamole

Homemade Guacamole

September flew by, (thanks to a pretty lengthy trip to Europe that I promise to write about soon!), and the cool air, shorter days and falling leaves means that fall is officially upon us. And while I have every intention of writing about my favorite fall flavors here soon – cinnamon, apples, nutmeg, pumpkin, butternut squash, oh my – I thought it was necessary to share one of my other fall favorite recipes: Guacamole.  Continue reading

Israeli Couscous and Grilled Tomato Salad

Israeli Couscous and Grilled Tomato Salad

Sometimes there is nothing better on a warm summer night than firing up the grill to cook some fresh summer veggies.  Unfortunately, I live in a small Manhattan apartment with no outdoor space, so a grill is a luxury I don’t always have access to.  So whenever I’m on vacation and there is a grill on premises, I try to take advantage of it as much as possible. I’ll stock up on fresh local corn, summer squash, and fresh local tomatoes right off the vine.  Toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, throw them on the grill and within 10 minutes you have the perfect, healthy side dish. Continue reading

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Whenever I ask my Jewish friends what’s on the menu for their Passover Seder, I always get similar responses: meat and potatoes. The dishes may vary, from brisket to a roast. From mashed potatoes to potato gratin. But chances are, these two staples are most likely on the menu.  It makes a lot of sense, when you can’t have bread, potatoes are the obvious choice for a delicious starchy side.  Continue reading