Posts in Quick and Easy
Avocado, Tomato and Corn Salad

I have been eating this super healthy and delicious salad all summer long. It combines all the flavors I love in the summer: tomatoes, basil, avocado and fresh corn. I made this for my family recently and they went crazy for it, so I thought I would share it here too. When I first served it, I served it over a flank steak but I think it is hearty and tasty enough that is stands up all on its own. 

Read More
One-Pan Chicken and Artichokes

I get asked a lot what my are my favorite types of recipes. Do I love to bake, do I love to cook? Well here is the answer I love to bake, that was my first love as a kid, but creating recipes like this is what makes me truly excited. Recipes that are healthy, involve minimal clean up and come together in 30 minutes. I have mentioned this before but I think about my sister a lot when I am developeing these kinds of recipes. Will a mother of 2 be able to do this while wrangling those kiddos and managing a hangry husband? Yes, then it will pass the test! 

Read More
Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

This Thai chicken satay combines all of the flavors that I love in Southeast cooking (and yes I know there are a lot them ) It also involves my love of coconut milk. I love using coconut milk in so many dishes because it adds a sweet richness to whatever is begin cook - savory and sweet. And don't get me started on this spicy peanut situation. I could drink that sauce it is so freaking good. Peanut butter is mixed with lime juice, soy sauce and all sorts of other yummy flavors.  Be prepared to be obsessed.

Read More
Mason Jar Salad

My husband's job takes him all over LA. Literally all over LA.  Half of the time he works out of an office and the other half out of warehouses in areas of LA that I have never heard of. I made the mistake of asking him what he was eating for lunch when he is working at the warehouses and the results were dismal. Basically he was just going to the corner taco truck everyday because there were no other options that were close. He said the food wasn't very good and this, coming from the guy who could eat cereal for every meal, means it is bad. 

Read More
Romesco Sauce

A friend of mine recently asked me to bring over an appetizer to a dinner party she was throwing. After giving it some thought I decided to try and go healthy. Often times appetizers are heavy and not necessarily healthy - or at least the ones I am used to serve. I love a cheese board but who doesn't totally pig out on a cheese board to the point where they are no longer hungry? (Am I the only one?) I decided to go with a crudite platter  (because crudite is the next cheese board? Maybe I have been living in LA too long)  along with the most delicious dip out there, romesco. 

Read More
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

I was cleaning out my fridge recently, something that I need to do more of,  and discovered a bottle of buffalo wing sauce. I bought this bottle for a recipe development project a couple weeks ago and since I was in search of a relatively healthy dinner, I decided to make some buffalo chicken in my Instant Pot.  I served it with a vinegar based cole slaw and a pretzel hamburger bun and it hit the spot.   

Read More
Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Tzatziki

I think in a past life I lived some exotic gorgeous Mediterranean or middle eastern country. I know that sounds crazy, but  I am totally drawn to that type of food - food that is loaded with olive oil, chickpeas, yogurt, pomegranate, spices, lemons, dates, tahini - the list could go on.  Flavorful and simple food. When I see something with any of these flavors on a menu I automatically order them. I recently had this amazingly delicious chicken dish at a California/Mediterranean restaurant in San Francisco and I had an epiphany, the secret to juicy chicken is yogurt.

Read More
How to Make Chimichurri Sauce

There is a jar of this chimichurri sauce in my fridge at all times. It add tons of flavor to steak, chicken, seafood and even bigs bowls of veggies and rice. I know that adding mint into a chimichurri is a little unconventional but if mint is not your thing, just replace it with more parsley. Also my secret ingredient is a little bit of honey -that sweetness balances the acidity and makes it perfect.

Read More
Korean Chicken Tacos

Can I tell you something? Something that is pretty shocking especially in my line of work- I hate (well hate is a strong word)  but deeply dislike holiday food.  I know right!? How can that be? There are a couple of reasons. First, when you work in a test kitchen and have to develop recipes for Thanksgiving in the middle of July, the allure of holiday food kind of loses its appeal. Turkey and stuffing in July is just kind of weird. It also doesn't help that I never really know what time of year it is because I work about 6 months ahead when developing recipes - Christmas in August, Valentine's Day in October - it is kind of confusing when the real holiday finally comes around. Plus most of the time that holiday food just doesn't taste good. There I said it. Bam! But you know what always tastes good - tacos. If I could have a taco for every meal, I would and I would be completely happy.

Read More