(Vegan) Easy Crock-Pot Curry Lentils

I honestly believe that the best way to cook lentils is in the slow-cooker.
I’m well aware that the most common method is to cook (or boil) lentils on the stovetop and that the fastest one involves a pressure cooker — but the slow-cooker method delivers the best results not to mention it is also the easiest way to cook ‘em.
Take these Easy Curry Lentils for instance, super easy to make and pack quite the punch in the flavor department. All the ingredients are placed in the Crock-pot for 7 hours and that’s it. You can forget about it.
What you’re left with are healthy and uber delicious lentils that are sure to satisfy even the most- die-hard meat lovers.

Bacon, Spinach, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich with Goat Cheese

I believe there is something really satisfying about a good sandwich. Any time of year, any time of day or night, there are times when a sandwich is just the thing.
I have heard people say they don’t like sandwiches and I wonder if their school lunches consisted of bad sandwiches: dubious bread with three slices of baloney stacked over questionable mayo.
I tell them that they really need to try a good sandwich — such as a Rueben on whole wheat bread with sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese or chicken salad with curry, a Sloppy Joe or a French dip sandwich.

Chicken Salad with Almonds Apple and Apricots

I do love me a good chicken salad and I am always working on new and different versions.
Fact is, there are probably as many recipes for chicken salad as there are cooks in the world. It’s one of those great dishes that you can basically whip up from anything. As long as there’s chicken in the equation of course.

Turkey and Avocado Sliders

Sliders are an awesome easy food idea for any party, game day, or really any other gathering.
I like to serve sliders at parties because I believe they are a great way to make sure I can give guests a full food experience without filling them with a big burger.
They make killer nibbles to pass around and — last but not least — they’re also great for little hands.

Sweet Potato and Pepper Quesadillas

I can say without a hint of doubt that quesadillas are probably one of my fave top five dinner choices. I love making them at home and trying out all kinds of different combos: vegetarian, spicy, even quesadilla-pizza.
I also find myself ordering them — more often than I’d like to admit — when I’m out to eat.
I’m not really surprised about how much I love them because quesadillas are basically a kicked up grilled cheese on a tortilla instead of bread. And if you didn’t know this about me — or you couldn’t tell from my cauliflower crust grilled cheese enthusiasm — I honestly think that grilled cheese is one of the most perfect foods there is.
Quesadillas have the same golden brown crunchy outside and warm gooey cheese filling. Plus the addition of the salty, savory, and sometimes spicy fillings bring the concept of grilled cheese to a whole new level.

Healthier Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parm can be a delicious dish in its full glory, but it can also be on the heavy side. Breaded and fried eggplant, greasy cheese, oily tomato sauce, in other words a calorie bomb.
However there are other and better ways to approach this Italian classic.

Easy Crispy Chicken

Crispy baked chicken with a juicy meat and a crisp flavorful skin. What’s not to love?
Especially when it’s made in the oven with no breading at all and the only ingredients you need are chicken, spices, and herbs (all pantry staples that you likely already have at home.)
Enters this incredible Easy Crispy Chicken also known as the most amazing oven baked chicken thighs.

Turmeric and Ginger Iced Tea

At this point we all know how good for you turmeric is — if you don’t just Google it, you'll be flooded with tons of information on this super spice.
We have also learned how to include turmeric in our recipes: rice, chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, soups, etc. Not to mention that turmeric latte (aka golden milk) has become one of our favorite drinks.
So it was only a matter of time before we would use turmeric in the quintessential summertime drink: iced tea.
Iced tea is cold, refreshing, and looks so pretty in a tall glass with lots of ice. With turmeric it becomes also super healthy.

(Vegan) Chickpea Shakshuka

Shakshuka is originally a North African dish but over the generations it's become a signature dish across the Middle East as a substantial breakfast or lunch fare.
In the recent years, Shakshuka is taking America and Europe by storm being billed as a healthy dish.
Shakshuka can be seen in so many shapes and forms and today we’re making a vegan version of it, with chickpeas in lieu of eggs.
I’m not sure whether we can still call this dish Shakshuka since there are no eggs, but truth to be told chickpeas work like a charm in this recipe.
I will go as far as saying that you won’t miss the eggs in this vegan version.

Chickpea and Avocado Sandwich

For generations, the simple act of layering ingredients between two slices of toasted bread has made the sandwich the preferred lunch option around the world.
Sandwiches are almost inevitable and this is not necessarily a bad thing.
Even if you’re trying to stick to a healthy-eating plan, you shouldn’t feel excluded from the sandwich game.
If you’re smart about how to build it, a sandwich can be healthy and nutritious not only delicious.

(Paleo) Broccoli Au Gratin

I know I said it over and over again but it doesn’t hurt to say it one more time: broccoli are a deal-breaker. Like beets in (almost) anything or asparagus. It’s nearly impossible to mention broccoli without at least someone in the room saying “ew”.
Which is the very reason why I like to procrastinate and share yet another recipe with broccoli today.
Because I want to show you guys that cruciferous vegetable is actually delicious if cooked the right way.
Enters (Paleo) Broccoli Au Gratin: broccoli topped with an amazing paleo bechamel sauce and baked to cheesy perfection. Delicious.

Pomegranate Glazed Turkey Meatballs

Ah meatballs. These little bites of heavenly meat are seriously one of my favorite things to whip up, especially when I have a recipe for clean meatballs that are easy to make and delish.
I don’t mean to discriminate against other food, but meatballs are seriously one of my favorite things.
Beef, chicken, turkey, pork, vegetarian, baked, fried, with sauce on top, glazed, etc. The combination of flavors can be endless.

Parmesan Zucchini Chips

Today I have a super simple recipe for you guys. One that I always come back to when in need of a snack and that my friends request time after time.
Even those who claim to dislike zucchini pop these little babies in their mouth as fast as humanly possible.
To be honest, even I don’t have self-control with these Parmesan Zucchini Chips, good thing they are ultra light and packed with goodness.

Greek Chicken Marinade

Let’s be real for a second, barbecue season is still a long way away.
This winter feels like it's lasting forever and spring is nowhere near.
To help beat the winter blues why don’t we pretend it’s grilling time already and make ourselves some delicious Greek Chicken?
Let’s act like the sun has come out to stay, temperatures are in the mid 70s, we’re sitting out on the back patio, we’re firing up the grill, and making some mouth-watering chicken. Okay?

Easy Rice and Mushroom Casserole

Our weather has been incredibly and ridiculously cold recently (although it seems like months) — a seemingly endless string of days of bone-chilling temperatures.
This type of weather makes me crave comfort-type food — something warm and filling.
In my opinion casseroles are the quintessential all-American belly-warming one-pan comfort food.
Hearty, nourishing, and simple to make, they can make nights a little easier by keeping dinner contained to just one pan.
No dishes to wash and heat of stove and oven to warm home naturally. Kinda like kill-2-birds-with-one-stone.

Mom's Gratineed Spinach

If there’s one thing I truly detest in life, it' canned spinach.
It's one of those foods that I can't image liking. To me they taste bland and are pretty much a mushy mess.
I love fresh (and frozen) spinach though. Even as a kid I would choose Mom’s Gratineed Spinach over French fries any day of the week.
Mom was always happy to whip it up for me time and again.
I mean, when a kid asks for spinach there’s no way a mother would refuse such a request, am I right?

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

This is Italian comfort food at its best. No joke, at its best.
If you’re not familiar with it, Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (which means gnocchi Sorrento style) is a crowd-pleasing dish that comes from the town of Sorrento on the Amalfi coast, near Naples (Italy).
A classic Italian staple you can easily make in your own kitchen.

Curried Chickpeas

This recipe come from Joan’s on Third, a specialty food store and restaurant located in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. A great little place with a refreshing yet comfortable atmosphere and a great menu selection.
I am obsessed with the curried chickpeas at Joan's on Third. They are the best curried chickpeas ever. I’ve been there three times and every single time I’ve ordered them as part of the salad trio (a selection of three salads from their daily specials on the marketplace menu). But truth to be told I should order just the chickpeas because they're all I ever want to eat (well, that and the carrot cake.)
Luckily for me, I found the recipe on the LATimes and I was able to recreate it home — meaning that I don’t have to fly to LA if I get a curried chickpeas craving.

French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese

Guys, I think I have a favorite new grilled cheese sandwich.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still fond of my cauliflower crust grilled cheese and of my zucchini crust grilled cheese but this French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese is really special.
I think it has something to do with my love for caramelized onions. In fact, I just realized that a good percentage of my recipes call for either partially caramelized onions or super caramelized onions.
Especially when I am making something vegan or vegetarian caramelized onions add a much needed umami flavor, such as in this sweet potato hash or on this focaccia.

Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken teriyaki is probably one of the most well known and liked Japanese dishes in the US and for sure one of the classic takeout recipes we all love.
Most people don’t think about making it at home because they either have a restaurant they love or because they buy teriyaki sauce like they buy ketchup.
But I do love making it from scratch.
In fact I have not one, not two, not three, but four different recipes for chicken teriyaki on this blog: Baked Honey-Teriyaki Chicken, Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Kebabs, Beer-Flavored Chicken Teriyaki, and Pineapple Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Skillet
And today I have a fifth.
*drumroll please*
Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki -> one word: uh-mazing.