If you know my modus operandi, you know I'm all about tasty and healthy meals with minimal effort. People often assume I love to cook (whatever gave them that idea ;)) but the honest truth is, I'm more driven by the end game than the process. My paramount goal has always been to feed my family simple homemade meals created from clean, whole ingredients. That's why I gravitate toward uncomplicated food. Are you anything like me? If so, this recipe is perfect for you too.
Read moreHoney Pistachio + Rhubarb Loaf { gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo }
The girls showered me with their praises when they tasted this loaf. And since I thrive off flattery and compliments (heehee), I made a second loaf immediately for next morning's breakfast which was greeted with the same gleeful enthusiasm.
Stroke stroke stroke. My ego.
Never you mind that the judging panel was comprised of a 6 year old and a 3 year old. I decided I would definitely share this recipe on the blog with you so you too can have your ego stroked. Or at the very least, have your breakfast sorted.
Read moreDIY Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait { gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegan, paleo }
I assume most people's mornings are just as hurried as ours. Mine goes like this: wake up, get self ready (aka barely splash some water on face and put a bra on), dress children, make breakfast, pack lunches and most importantly drink that coffee that's getting cold dammit. The saving grace of warmer mornings now is more simple options for breakfast, such as chilled overnight oats or overnight chia puddings. Lately the girls have been obsessed with chia pudding parfaits and they really get a kick out of choosing their own fixings and assembling their own little parfaits. Which is a complete score for me. I can sip my hot coffee while they take over that part of the morning routine.
Besides hurried mornings, this Do-It-Yourself concept translates really well for overnight guests or a weekend brunch gathering with friends too, as the main event (as it is definitely filling enough) or a hands-off component of a larger spread. The assortment of goodies is more or less the same, although you may add more options to make it extra special (see my suggestions further below). All you need to do is scale up in quantity. The best part is how it can be styled beautifully into an impressive spread, as I've done for this blog post. Isn't it pretty? As a mama of a daughter with food restrictions, it's bonus for me that it is suitable for both adults and children, as well as people with dietary constraints since the entire set up is dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar free, vegan and paleo-friendly (if the granola is omitted from the parfait for those individuals).
Read moreMango Tapioca (Sago) Pudding { 芒果西米露 }
I'll concede that as far as food trends go these days, you're much more likely to see a chia pudding appear on your Instagram feed than a tapioca pudding! You might even say the latter is a little old-school. But to me, this MANGO TAPIOCA PUDDING has a special nostalgia and holds a supreme ranking as far as desserts that delighted me as a child. And as an adult :)
Read moreChewy Sea Salt Chocolate Pecan No-Bake Bars { gf, v, dairy free, refined sugar free }
I had a sudden hankering for something sweet, chewy, nutty with a hit of chocolate and a touch of saltiness......buuut still kinda healthy and definitely not tooth-achingly sweet. After 5 minutes of pantry-diving and another 10 minutes perusing Pinterest for inspiration, this bar was cobbled together in no time at all and boy, did it satisfy every single one of those needs.
So scrumptious. So addictive. I'm already diving into the second batch within a week. I had to...for research purposes.
Read moreBraised Beef Cheeks, Chickpeas, Kale + Lemon Basil Gremolata { gluten free, dairy free, paleo }
The selfish part of me doesn't want to publicly share how ah-mazing beef cheeks are for braising! Beef cheeks are at once lean and tender. When slow cooked or pressure cooked, it is extremely flavorful and yields lusciously to your fork. Or should I say, spoon because that's the utensil to use for this dish. It's how wonderfully tender it is!
Read moreEasy Coconut Curry Seafood Udon { dairy free , gluten-free option }
When I discovered a package of frozen udon in the freezer, I was delighted. My cravings spoke loudly and decisively. I knew instantly that I wanted to enjoy it in this easy coconut curry noodle bowl. Since we limit grains including wheat these days, we rarely slurp down any noodles (made from wheat) at home anymore. I cherished this bowl of udon with my entire being.
Read moreBraised Rice Cakes (Nian Gao) with Napa Cabbage, Shiitake and Pork
This BRAISED RICE CAKES WITH NAPA CABBAGE, SHIITAKE AND PORK recipe is an easy one-pot meal that is also total comfort food. The magic happens in the final simmering when the starches released from the rice cakes combine with the liquid cooked out of the cabbage to create a velvety, luscious sauce. Utterly delicious and satisfying!
Read moreHazelnut Dairy Free Coffee Creamer { dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo }
After my theFeedFeed snapchat takeover last week making this Maple Almond-Cashew Iced Latte, I wanted to immediately follow up with this post. This is a game changer, friends.
Read moreDairy Free Mac + 'Cheese' { dairy free, Gluten-free + Paleo option }
Ever since my family moved to a diet with limited dairy, my girls have been begging for mac & cheese. This is a dairy-free version which satisfies all the cravings for the real thing. They love it so much I literally have to cut them off before they gorge themselves silly on it.
Read moreOkonomiyaki Wraps { gluten free, dairy free, paleo }
Guess what! I have another awesome mash-up for you. OKONOMIYAKI WRAPS
First of all, what is okonomiyaki? Other than that it's fun to say (rolls off the tongue doesn't it), it is a Japanese savory pancake originating from Osaka, Japan. The pancake batter itself is traditionally flour-and-egg based, with finely shredded cabbage mixed right in. The name itself translates to "grill as you like it", meaning you can adapt it by adding to the pancake batter a variety of different ingredients from veggies (i.e. corn, mushrooms, potatoes) to meats (i.e. pork, beef, chicken) to seafood (i.e. shrimp, squid, fish). When we lived in downtown Toronto, we were lucky to be a 2-minute walking distance from Okonomi House, a small Japanese-run restaurant that specializes in - you guessed it - okonomiyaki. It was there that we discovered this ultra tasty food.
Read morePassionfruit + Meyer Lemon Tart { gf, dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo }
If you love a little pucker with your sweet with a little tropical twist, you'll go mad for this tart!
Read moreFluffy! Grain-free Pancakes w/out bananas { gf, dairy free, paleo }
Miso Gochujang Braised Pork Roast
I have been looking forward to sharing this recipe for months...I just had to make it a second time to make doubly sure it was a winner. IT IS. If you know miso's intense brininess and gochujang's savory pungency, then you might hesitate to believe me that using both of these together in this recipe results in a braised pork roast that is deeply flavorful, yet mellow. Wonderfully mellow. Believe.
Read moreTamarind Chicken Banh Mi Tacos { gf, dairy free, paleo }
I'm so happy to kick off the new year with a recipe I'm rather excited about as it uses an amazing and wildly flavorful ingredient that is a relatively recent discovery for me - tamarind. I didn't grow up with tamarind, but I have made up for that lost time by how much I love it now. Are you thinking what even is tamarind anyway?
Read moreTomato Eggdrop Zoodle Soup { gf , paleo option }
I have a dichotomous personality when it comes to food. I avoid processed food in the house, go to great lengths to find products with no added color, flavors, preservatives or emulsifiers (like that insidious soy lecithin). I make a conscious effort to ensure our meals are not heavy with refined carbs and that vegetables & leafy greens are well-represented in general. All measures to eat more clean and healthy.
Read moreCashew Waffles { gf, dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo }
In my previous post, I wrote about my family's (temporary) grain-free and dairy-free diet. Since then, we had our follow up visit with the naturopath and received an 'okay' to consume rice, oats and quinoa in small amounts. I won't pretend to understand naturopathy at all. I don't. As a fairly science-based household (my husband is an intellectual property lawyer with a specialty in biotechnology and medical devices, while I worked nearly a decade at a global pharmaceutical company in a Finance capacity), this venture into alternative medicine is a giant leap of faith. A leap we had not choice but to take since traditional medicine failed to help my daughter beyond full-body topical steroid cream applications to treat her eczema and absolutely nada to diagnose or treat her mild but persistent, daily stomach aches.
Read moreItalian Almond Cookies { gf, paleo, dairy free }
Being prescribed a grain-free diet by my daughter's naturopath just before the holidays is like getting sick right before vacation ... or scoring free drink tickets only to get bar rail liquor ... or finding a hole in your sock the moment you take off your shoes at someone's house ... or dripping yellow mustard on your brand new sneakers (that stuff's like dye and never completely comes off!) ... or getting an unexpected visit from Auntie Flo when you're totally unprepared OK THAT IS GOING TOO FAR.
Read moreNYC Chicken & Rice with 'Secret white sauce' { inspired by 'The Halal Guy's' food cart ! }
If you've been the New York City, then you've seen the plethora of street food carts selling pretzels or nuts or bagels that fill the streets with their amazing aromas. But I don't waste my money there.
Read morePumpkin Spice Cashew Smoothie { gf, dairy free, refined sugar free }
I made this the other day because I had hella pumpkin puree to use up. It's only mid October and I'm still on my annual pumpkin (and pumpkin spice) bender and I wannit in EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
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