Maple Chipotle Roasted Carrots

This recipe is proof that vegetable side dishes don’t have to be boring. Or, to put it in other words, that there are tasty ways to prepare what could be a boring vegetable for a side dish.
Because let’s face it, sometimes carrots can be pretty mundane just plain on the side of your main dish.
Am I right?
Introducing Maple Chipotle Roasted Carrots.

Crispy Baked Marinated Tofu

I’m back you guys!
I took a short (okay, maybe the longish kind of short) break from my TIY posting schedule to travel and relax. I needed it.
But now I’m back and ready to feed your appetites, starting now. Are you ready?
I do hope so.

Zucchini "Crab" Cakes

If you’ve ever been to Maryland, you know eating crabs is a summer pastime: picnic tables covered with brown paper, silver buckets, buttered corn, french fries, cornbread, and the unmistakable scent of seafood.
In Maryland crab meat goes on everything: hamburgers, stuffed shrimps, stuffed mushrooms, soup, literally everything gets crab meat. But my absolute favorite thing made with crab meat are crab cakes.
When done right, crab cakes are just fabulous: the perfect blend of lump crabmeat, hardly any filler, and an amazing blend of seasoning. DELISH!

Easy Blackened Chicken

First off, let’s make things clear: Blackened chicken is NOT the result of burning your chicken, or cooking it too long, or from it sticking to the pan.
No, the blackened part of the chicken is the result of a mix of spices and herbs (paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, thyme, white pepper and onion powder) that coats the chicken and when put to high heat, gives the chicken an outer char.
Usually the coated chicken is seared on a smoking hot skillet to create the blackened effect and then it finishes cooking in the oven.
But in an effort to simplify the cooking process, I skip the ‘smoking hot skillet’ part and instead cook the chicken under the broiler.
It gets a little less blackened but the taste and texture are there, believe me.

Avocado BLT Sandwich

What is your all time favorite sandwich? The one you think is the ultimate sammie?
For me it’s the BLT. Sorry, let me rephrase that, it's the avocado BLT.
It’s my feel-good sandwich and my guilty pleasure, especially after a very hectic work deadline or a grueling workout.
Bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado on toasted bread with a bit of mayo.
So simple, so very delicious.

Maple Peach Blueberry Crumble (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

This awesome Maple Peach Blueberry Crumble lived a full life of about 10 minutes before being devoured by me, sister, nephew, and niece, while sipping Blackberry Mint Iced Tea.
A perfect pairing if you ask me.
And you know what? Two kids unknowingly devouring a homemade gluten-free fruit crumble and loving it is mysteriously satisfying.
I honestly wasn’t trying to trick anyone but I found myself giggling from the kitchen and intentionally withholding the knowledge that this was healthish.

Simple Maple Vanilla Roasted Plums

Okay people, this is barely a recipe.
It’s more a suggestion of how to best celebrate the incredibly sweet plums.
Since I was a kid I loved plums. Red plums, black plums, yellow plums, and even green plums.
When ripe, plums are wonderfully sweet with a rich, complex flavor. They are a convincing argument that fruit is the best candy there is.
So sweet, so juicy, so tender.

Blackberry Mint Iced Green Tea

At this point you are well aware that I love making my own iced teas and adding different combinations of fruit and fresh herbs.
So far I’ve made Rosemary-Peach, Raspberry Mint, Ginger Mint, and even a Lemon Sparkling Iced Tea.
And today I present you with some awesome, super refreshing Blackberry Mint Iced Green Tea.
Because the heat wave we’re currently experiencing in my neck of the woods is a double-whammy (with high heat and high humidity) and one of the most effective ways to cool off is to sit in the cool shade and drink a tall glass of iced tea.
Or at least that’s what I like to do!

Curried Light Chicken Salad

As far as I’m concerned, I have a really clear idea of what a chicken salad should taste: crunchy, salty and sweet, juicy and tangy, fresh and light, flavorful and satisfying.
Believe it or not, this Curried Light Chicken Salad is all the above and maybe even more.
Which is the reason why I’ve been making big batches of this and snack on it throughout the week and pack it up for lunch.
YUM!

(Gluten-Free) Blender Chocolate Banana Bread

I love this recipe for so many reasons.
Let me count the ways!
1) So simple. Throw everything in the blender, pour it in a baking pan, and bake. It seriously doesn't get any simpler than this.
2) Flourless. There's no flour or flour substitute. No almond flour. No coconut flour. None of that. In fact, there's no “specialty” ingredients at all.
3) Only 6 ingredients. I can’t believe I haven’t started with this one. How good is that, though? Only 6 ingredients!
4) The flavor. Oh, how do I describe it? Before baking, the mixture is like a delicious thick banana chocolate smoothie. And though one is tempted to drink it all, I recommend you bake it.
Because after baking it becomes uh-mazing. A fudgy, thick, moist, delectable banana bread that tastes almost like a brownie.

Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables and Olive-Mint Pesto

As you are probably already aware, quinoa is one of my favorite ingredients to work because not only it has a great nutritional profile, it also is incredibly versatile.
You can use quinoa in a wide variety of dishes: casseroles, meatballs, salads, pizza crust or soups.
Quinoa is a superfood for many reasons. It’s gluten-free, easy to digest, packed with fiber, essential vitamins, and it’s also a complete protein (meaning that it contains all of the essential amino-acids).
Meaning that quinoa is a perfect option for anyone following a plant-based diet. Also for anyone that is trying to move from a meat centered diet, but is concerned about their protein intake.

Green Tea Lemonade

For reasons I can’t fully understand, if you show up at a 4th of July barbecue with pitchers of freshly-squeezed lemonade, you’ll be greeted and revered; but if you show up with the same pitchers of freshly-made green tea lemonade, people will actually flip out.
Why is green tea lemonade far more exciting than regular lemonade? It is a mystery to me as well.
But that’s what happened the day before yesterday at a friend’s Fourth of July party.
Along with other food items I was asked to bring lemonade.
I thought about bringing Cherry Lemonade, Peach Mint Lemonade, Blueberry Lemonade or just regular yellow pale lemonade. But then I thought about this Green Tea Lemonade — I make all the time — and how delicious and simple to make it is.
I gave it a shot.
And you know what?

People raved about it and many asked for the recipe. 

So here it is.

Simple Zucchini Chorizo Frittata

I went ahead and make you a perfect lunch for today.
Except I ate it. All. It was too good to resist.
So eventually if you could make your own lunch today, I think that it would definitely be best.
I’ll tell you what to use, how to cook it, and the reasons why you should cook it. I won’t go as far as cooking it though. Because I will eat it all.

My Favorite Breakfast Sandwich

I love breakfast because it’s a way to sneak in a moment of quiet enjoyment before rushing off into your busy day. It’s an opportunity to take the time to eat something delicious and nutritious.
It’s also — without a shred of doubt — my favorite meal to cook, because there’s nothing fussy about it.
While most of the time I’m happy with a chia seed pudding or an energizing smoothie on some mornings I need something more, something more substantial, something like a breakfast sandwich.
Let me rephrase that, an AWESOME breakfast sandwich.

(Paleo) Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

You guys, guess what?
As a thank you for being a TIY reader I made you a batch of warm, fresh, Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins.
I know, how kind of me.
Did I mention they’re paleo, grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free?
Meaning you can definitely eat more than one. Two, three, four, maybe even five.
Yes, plan to eat muffinS, plural.
They’re tiny and oh-so delicious, you won’t be able to stop just at one.
Trust me, they’re that good!

Lemony Harissa Potato Salad

Have you made your own harissa yet?
Hopefully with the Sticky Harissa Chicken or the Harissa Spaghetti I was able to convince you that homemade harissa is the THING and something you really want (and need) to have in your refrigerator at all times.
If that wasn’t enough, then maybe this Lemony Harissa Potato Salad will do the trick.

Avocado Lime and Basil Smoothie

Guys, I think I’m onto something.
Like I know that if you glance at this recipe's ingredient list, it looks like a weird combination of ingredients for a smoothie: Basil? Lime? Avocado?
Wait, what?
But believe me when I say that this is the REAL DEAL.
It’s so smooth, bright, cheery, and refreshing: the perfect antidote to the heat wave we're all experiencing right now.
[On a side note can I just say that I’m so done with this summer. Seriously I’m done. Fall can’t come soon enough. I want to pull out the sweaters, scarves, warm coats, and the fresh smell of hot coffee. Summer begone.]

Farmers Market Hash with Eggs

One of my many escapes in life is to go to Farmers Markets.
It’s definitely one of my favorite weekly activity and a great way to get inspiration.
I love how people grow produce and share it with the rest of the world. And by shopping there I feel like I give back to the local community and receive the best in return.
I love the easy-going pace–browsing around, building meals vegetable by vegetable.
Ideally, I buy fruit and veggies and make something amazing with what I buy. Something similar to a “Chopped” challenge in which I’m the only contestant and where I get to choose my ingredients.

5-Minute Maple and Thyme Skillet-Roasted Apricots

Let me just get the obvious out of the way because I know what you’re thinking: what am I doing here? Shouldn’t I be at the beach or something?
It’s summer after all, so leaving home (even if it’s air conditioned) and spending time outside, in the shade, is (almost) mandatory.
So again, why am I sitting in front of my laptop on a sunny August afternoon?
These are valid questions, but you see, there is history here, a prolonged history of recipe testing/creating which cannot be stopped.
Not even by the call of the beach.

(Vegan) Easy Healthier Sweet Potato Tikka Masala

The Chickpea Tikka Masala recipe I posted earlier this year is truly one of my all-time favorite meals (and yours too btw — seriously, you guys LUV that recipe.)
It’s the perfect balance of spicy, savory, and satisfying. It’s vegan without trying and without pretense.
It’s just awesome. Period.

This Sweet Potato Tikka Masala takes that idea and adds an awesome spin to it. All the classic flavors from that curry show up here, but we’re adding roasted sweet potatoes and sweet peas to bring out a sweet creaminess and a smoky flavor that is legit beyond measure.