3-Ingredient Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Salmon

Today I have a new entry in the much-neglected seafood category on this blog.
It’s a known fact that I am almost fish-averse.
Sure, I’ve come around to salmon and tuna but for the most part my seafood appreciation level is pathetically low.
If you ever invite me out for sushi, I will never say no but don’t be surprised if I order only avocado sushi and cucumber sushi.
Raw fish is still a step too far for me. I mean I can eat it, of course, and I’ve done it many times but I don’t find any pleasure or satisfaction in it.

Vitamin C Bomb Smoothie

Is it me or it looks like spring is finally in the air?

The temperatures are still pretty chilly but the forecast says it will start warming up soon and the days are getting longer and lighter, if you know what I mean.
Although the approaching change in season has us rejoicing for the sunshine, warm weather, and blooming flowers that it brings, it also has us bracing for allergies and seasonal colds to flare up.
No matter how much you love spring, colds and allergies are not fun.
Luckily, there are natural ways to fend them off.
Such as charging on Vitamin C, which is considered the "muscle" of the immune system.

Crock-Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

For someone who was all “Harrumph! There’s only one authentic recipe for Bolognese Sauce!”, I have some nerve telling you what I’m going to next, which is that I’m in love with an unapologetically 100% so-not-authentic Chinese recipe.
Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, this Honey Sesame Chicken is — just like General Tso’s chicken, wonton soup, hot and sour soup, sweet and sour pork, chicken balls, ginger beef, crispy beef, and lemon chicken — one of the quintessential American-Chinese recipes.
Dishes we think are Chinese but are considered foreign fare in China.

(Vegan) Crock-Pot Thai Red Curry Lentils

Guys, I have a brand new crock-pot.
I found it under the Christmas tree, all wrapped by Santa Claus. How awesome is that?
But let’s start from the beginning.
About a month ago my old crock-pot died an unnatural death (I won’t tell you how though).
Since that day I felt lost and alone.
You see, I use my crock-pot many many times a week. I make a bunch of things with it: chicken tikka masala, pulled pork, roasted red pepper sauce, bolognese sauce, just to name a few.
I consider it one of the best inventions ever. I can't fathom going through a winter without a crock-pot.
So imagine how I was feeling. Mike without slow cooker -> disaster.

Quick Lemon Broccoli Pasta Skillet

Surely, you didn’t think I was going to let this year end without populating the broccoli archives with one new recipe, right?
I mean, sure, the Broccoli and Mushroom Casserole is still a star. The Creamy Broccoli Soup always gets raves. And so does Chinese Chicken and Broccoli.
But when you have a nephew that likes broccoli — scratch that — LOVES broccoli, you’re always on the hunt for new and advanced ways to prepare the beloved green cruciferous vegetable.
These days, I’ll find a recipe for a broccoli dish in a magazine and be like “Man I have to make this for Nephew!”
I’m such an awesome uncle, I should get a medal...

(Paleo) Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins

 If you know anything about me, I guess you know that my love for cinnamon runs deep as my love for soup.
I actually keep two different kinds of cinnamon in my pantry.
Yup, that’s right. I have two kinds of cinnamon — please, don’t act like you’re surprised.
It’s no mystery that I'm a spice freak. I have more than a hundred spices in my pantry and like to grind my own spice mixes using whole spices. I even broke two coffee grinders trying to grind spices in them before buying myself an (almost) professional Electric Spice-and-Nut Grinder, that grounds hard and soft spices and breaks them all down in a few pulses.

(Easy) Bacon Spaghetti Aglio Olio

Being a healthy food blogger (and a triathlete) is a give-in that I exercise.
And I do. Every day.
Although there are times when I feel like I’m not doing all I can, I always manage to fit in some exercise: run, or swim, or cycle, or practice yoga.
The other night I felt especially accomplished after completing a 10 mile run, followed by a 45 minutes HIIT cardio and abs workout, and a gentle stretch yoga class.
So accomplished that I decided I deserved a special dinner, a carb-o-licious dinner (also known as carbageddon).

(Easy) One-Pot Turmeric Chicken and Rice

There’s no doubt that one-pot meals are the best, easiest weeknight dinner solution, ever.
We can go even as far as saying that they’re almost a miracle when you need to cook but just don’t have the time or energy to do it.
Don’t feel like cooking? But look — it’s dinner in one pot!
Don’t feel like creating a pile of dishes? But it’s just one pot! (And a spoon, a plate, a fork, and knife but shhh, I don’t want to scare you off.)
Have a lot of friends coming over?
No more picking main, planning sides and veggies, running the stove, oven, and microwave at the same time. One pot and you’ve got a full-blown meal.
Everyone arriving at different times?
Don’t worry, one-pot meals are very forgiving of tardiness.