Sides

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Crispy Prosciutto & Heirloom Tomato Avocado Toast

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Crispy Prosciutto & Heirloom Tomato Avocado Toast

So that got me thinking. Avocado Toast. Is it just a California thing? And if it is, I can't see why...because it's delicious. Simple food that is easily elevated with the addition of one or two more ingredients...like prosciutto. And vibrant heirloom tomatoes; each one with their own vibrant color, flavor, and texture. This recipe isn't hard-fast - more like a simple guide for a visually beautiful, flavorful open-faced sandwich/toast that can inspire you to build your own. Sometimes the best meals come from throwing whatever you have in the fridge together.

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Quinoa Crusted Chicken Nuggets

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Quinoa Crusted Chicken Nuggets

One of my favorite "junk food" indulgences has always been chicken nuggets. The options out there aren't that healthy; most of them are deep-fried, and heavily breaded. Sometimes we don't even know if the nuggets are made of actual chicken! Chicken nuggets are easy to make at home, and with this recipe, I'll show you how you can replace extra breading with yummy quinoa!

Quinoa is actually a seed that is very high in protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, and more. It's also gluten free. Quinoa has a sweet, nutty flavor and is delicate in texture. In recent times, it's been known as a substitute, but quinoa is so versatile, it can easily be a main! 

Making Quinoa Crusted Chicken Nuggets is as easy as a 3 step breading process and throwing them in the oven! They're baked, not fried. I love putting a twist on classic junk food by simplifying the ingredients and making them more straightforward. It's important to know what you're putting in your body. These nuggets get a little superfood boost from quinoa, while tasting just as good as your favorite fast food joint. Let's get cookin :) 

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Grilled Halloumi with Herbed Strawberries

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Grilled Halloumi with Herbed Strawberries

Cheese. I think it's safe to say that for some, cheese is its own food group! Cheddar, Gruyere, Jack, Parmesan, Cotija, Brie, Fontina, Feta, Mozzarella...the options are deliciously endless. One of my favorites is Halloumi, which is a semi-soft, brined cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk. Because of its high melting point, it can easily be fried or grilled. Grilled cheese.

Halloumi is salty, and really wonderful when paired with mint. It's nice to eat during the warm months. The flavor of the cheese is perfect with fruit like grapes, watermelon, figs, and strawberries. Today's recipe is a surprising mixture of flavors that really play off each other and create a fun dish where spicy meets sweet and salty. This would be beautiful when served at brunch or as an appetizer . The macerated strawberries get a little kick from Serrano pepper, and fresh mint and cilantro top it all off. Let's get cookin :) 

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Chicken Thighs and Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce

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Chicken Thighs and Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce

Simple, tasty weeknight dinners are so clutch! This one takes minimal prep, uses a bunch of ingredients you already have in the fridge, and yields the tastiest meal. Tender, juicy chicken thighs and crisp Brussels are glazed in a tangy, savory sauce that takes minutes to come together. Let’s get cookin :)

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Elote Salad

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Elote Salad

BBQ season is here! Warm weather, ice cold drinks, and tons of yummy dishes and sides. I love BBQs because they’re often potlucks, and you get to try out all kinds of new dishes and get inspired by others’ cooking! One of my favorite indulgences is Mexican Grilled Corn, or Elote. Elote is corn on the cob, often served with salt, chili powder, butter, cheese, lime juice, cilantro, cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. They’re so delicious and comforting. 


I was thinking about ways to make Elote for large groups of people, and realized it would be so easy to simply cut the kernels off the cob and cook the corn in the same way. The result is a vibrant, flavorful side dish that is fantastic for parties or regular ole weeknight dinners. One other perk that I love is that I always tend to get corn stuck in my teeth when I eat it off the cob - and this way, it’s a little easier to eat shovel into your mouth hahah :) 

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Baked Avocado Fries with Chipotle Lime Cream

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Baked Avocado Fries with Chipotle Lime Cream

Avocado fries are the best of both worlds - crisp, seasoned panko crust surrounding creamy, ripe avocado slices. They’re easy and fun to make, and are the perfect snack for satisfying your deep-fried cravings! Best part is, they’re baked, not fried.

I paired these avocado fries with a quick and easy Chipotle Lime Cream, but love any number of dipping sauces for these fries, such as good ole ketchup, mustard, sweet chili sauce, ranch, wasabi-soy sauce…the options are endless. So if you’d like to find out how to make these delicious little babies, let’s get cookin!

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Puff Pastry, Prosciutto & Parmesan Asparagus Bundles

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Puff Pastry, Prosciutto & Parmesan Asparagus Bundles

Springtime is officially here and I couldn’t be more excited! Tons of fruits and veggies are in season, bringing tons of new possibilities in the kitchen. Whether you are looking for lighter meals or dishes for Easter entertaining, I have an amazing recipe for you. I was really hopeful about this one when I dumped it in the oven - the flavor profiles are perfect together. But when these asparagus bundles came out of the oven; toasty, perfectly salty and tender, wrapped in delicate puff pastry, I was honestly a little overwhelmed. This is one of my favorite things I’ve ever made or blogged. They are unbelievably easy to make, take minimal time to bake up, and are delicious. 
I love asparagus. They are delicious on their own, or roasted with some olive oil, salt, pepper, parmesan, and lemon. But what about wrapping a few tender stalks in salty prosciutto, add a few shavings of nutty Parmesan cheese, and tuck it into a flaky blanket of puff pastry? It’s basically heaven. They are portable, don’t fall apart when eaten, and are gorgeous for entertaining. They’d be perfect for a spring or Easter potluck, and are pretty easy on the wallet if you find well-priced prosciutto, pancetta, or even ham. I’m going to apologize ahead of time for the sheer volume of photos in this post - I couldn’t get enough of how gorgeous they turned out! :) Let’s get cookin!

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Corned Beef with Roasted Cabbage, Balsamic Carrots & Mashed Red Potatoes

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Corned Beef with Roasted Cabbage, Balsamic Carrots & Mashed Red Potatoes

Growing up, my grandma always baked her corned beef with a crust of mustard and brown sugar. I’ve also heard about a ton of people boiling their brisket in ginger ale, which adds a little sweetness to balance out the brininess of the meat. I decided to combine these two techniques, and see how it would come out. I thought that it would bring tons of flavor to the brisket. 

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Crispy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey

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Crispy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey

The other night at dinner my friend and I were talking about how much Brussels Sprouts have made a huge comeback. When we were kids, I hated them and avoided them at all costs. Maybe that’s because they weren’t dressed in duck fat (Barbacco in SF has the most amazing Duck Fat Brussels), tossed with bacon, or covered in cheese. These days, Brussels Sprouts are on menus everywhere, in every which way. Just this last week, I had some amazing ones with cinnamon, radishes, and an over-medium egg. Another night, my friend made some with simple olive oil, sea salt, ground pepper, Parmesan, and lemon juice. They were delicious and made me want to play with another recipe using these lil addictive veggies. 
I roasted these Brussels after tossing them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. They get golden brown and crispy in the oven, and this is one of the easiest ways to prepare brussels sprouts! Balsamic vinegar brings a slight tang to the crispy little guys, and a drizzle of honey after roasting balances everything out. Hope you try these out - they’re the best snack or side for dinner ..they’ll even convert the biggest nay-sayer! Let’s get cookin :) 

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Crispy Smashed Potatoes

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Crispy Smashed Potatoes

I like to think of these as the grown up version of hash browns. They’re crispy and salty on the outside, soft, creamy and steamy on the inside. That was borderline food erotica for me to type. Let me take a second. 
Haha these are amazing. They’re so simple to make, and are the perfect snack to serve for #SuperBowlSunday, or as a great side dish to any meal. They’re also so versatile - why didn’t I cook up a bunch of bacon to toss on top of these?! You can keep them simple with coarse salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped herbs, or get fancy wit it and treat them like baked potatoes, topping them with cheese, sour cream, bacon, anything your tummy desires. K my mouth is watering - let’s get cookin! :)