Seven Layer Taco Bites

Individual Seven Layer Taco Bites that are the perfect appetizer bites for parties, BBQ’s, potlucks, games, and get togethers.  Each bite is layered to create a flawless balance of crunchy, creamy, sweet, and just a little spice for the ultimate bite.
Continue reading “Seven Layer Taco Bites”

Top 15 Recipes of 2020

The year 2020 has not been without its challenges though I feel stronger coming out of it and ready to start a new year.  One thing I am very proud of myself for doing is relaunching my blog and getting more creative with my work.  I’ve managed to publish quite a few recipes and many of them were pretty popular.  I want to thank all of you for taking the time to visit my blog and trying my recipes.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year as you read the top 15 from this year based on reader reviews and responses.  I hope to continue growing and sharing my love of cooking with you in 2021.  Here are the top 15 recipes of 2020.

Sweet Potato and Beet Hash with Fried Eggs

A delicious, nutrient dense brunch dish that will become of one your favorites right away.  Easy to make it vegan by omitting the egg, this recipe is also sustainable using the beet greens along with spinach for the base of the hash.

Butternut Squash and Lentil Salad 
A warm lentil salad with a sweet butternut squash, the crunchy seeds, apples and pomegranates with feta crumbles adding a little creaminess is the perfect blend for this salad.  Another nutrient dense dish that can fill you up for lunch or dinner.

Instant Pot Tortilla Soup 

A quick and easy soup that is packed with flavors and perfect for a winter weeknight.  Settle in with a bowl of this Instant Pot Tortilla Soup which takes only 4 minutes to cook!

Pineapple Fried Rice

A quick stir fry that takes only 20 minutes to make this Pineapple Fried Rice is filled with texture, flavor, and an exotic touch.  Try it out for your next Thai night.

Aloo Paratha


A staple in almost every Indian home, Aloo Parathas are perfect for brunch, a rainy day, or pretty much anytime!

Spiced Plum Crumble Bars
A delicious treat that can be eaten for snack, breakfast, or as a nibble with your afternoon tea.

Rangoli Ladoos 
These sweet Ladoos (truffles) are a delicious and easy recipe that can be made any time of the year, but especially for festivals such as Diwali, Holi, and Navratri.  Try them out and you will have your very own batch made in less than 15 minutes!

Tinseltown Tostadas 

A delicious, light, and healthy appetizer, these are perfect for any type of party or dinner.  Brighten up your table during the Holidays with these colorful Tinseltown Tostadas.

Tandoori Gobi (Cauliflower) Zucchini Boats

A quick and easy recipe that is packed with traditional Indian flavors, make these healthy Tandoori Gobi Zucchini Boats to bring some spice to your table.

Skinny Skillet Veggie Enchiladas


These are a great way to Enchiladas while cutting down the carbs significantly.  The flavor is still there and packs a good punch!  No wonder they are so popular.

Mango Pico


A delicious salsa with the addition of mango makes for a yummy sweet and spicy bite.  So versatile, you can eat this Mango Pico with practically anything!

Pear Halwa Cake


A delicious Indian Fusion recipe, this Pear Halwa Cake is a great dessert to have at any holiday or birthday table!  Make it for Easter, Mother’s Day, Birthdays and Anniversaries alike!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
These light and fluffy pancakes have become a weekend staple in our home.  Try them once and you’ll be addicted too!

Chocolate Samosa
A sweet twist on the traditional Samosas, these irresistible Chocolate Samosas are filled with Nutella.  I promise it will be very hard to stop at Just one!

Adai Waffles / Lentil Waffles

Healthy Lentil Waffles that are packed with proteins, vitamins, and minerals.  These are your one stop shop for a complete meal.

Thank you so much for making 2020 so special for me.  I have enjoyed and embraced cooking for you.  Which recipes have you tried?  Feel free to leave comments below, or tag me with your pictures on Facebook or Instagram.  See you in 2021!

Skinny Skillet Veggie Enchiladas

Enchiladas are one of my favorite Mexican meals.  What I don’t love is the amount of work and clean up goes into making a good batch of enchiladas.  Making the filling, rolling the enchiladas, and the baking sometimes feels like too much work.  And I don’t always have an hour or more to dedicate on a weeknight when I am craving enchiladas.  Let’s be honest… I don’t think anyone does.
IMG_7366
These Skinny Skillet Veggie Enchiladas satisfy my cravings for enchiladas without the fuss.  I can make them in less than 30 minutes (yep!) and the only dishes I have to clean are my chopping board and skillet!  Literally made it super easy!

You can work ahead for these and have the veggies chopped up to save time but really, it’s not that time consuming.  Speaking of veggies, of course I added a rainbow of them.  Yellow squash, green zucchini, red bell peppers, purple onions, corn, and poblano peppers!

If you want to add meat, a quick shortcut is to add in shredded rotisserie chicken.  Cut down the amount of beans by half or increase the amount of enchilada sauce by another 1/4 cup to avoid having a dry dish.
IMG_7370
Make sure you are using an oven safe skillet.  Here is the one I like to use.  You only need to pop the skillet in the oven for 5 minutes so the cheese can melt and get a golden color.

For spices, I used smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, chipotle powder and a little ancho chili powder.  I know it seems like a lot, but a little of all of them really helps create a depth of flavor.

Serve it with some Mango Pico and Guacamole to add the finishing touches.
IMG_7388
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy this delicious meal!

Mango Pico

Mango is my absolute favorite in the whole world!  Done.  That’s it.  If I were stuck on an island and there were mangoes, I would be set.
wp-1591883427364.jpg
Yum
That being said, I think for my hubby, it would be salsa.  Honestly, I’ve never seen a salsa that man has not devoured.
wp-1591883427396.jpg
I love this mango salsa because it is so fresh, tangy, sweet, and spicy all at the same time!  I’ve paired this the traditional way with chips, fish, tacos, fish tacos, as a dip during parties and more recently with Hawaiian chicken.  There’s no wrong way to eat mango pico!
wp-1591706168380.jpg
The mango pico that I made is very easy and simple but it packs a punch of flavor.  I go a little heavy on the spice to balance the sweet of the mango and only 5 ingredients needed to make.

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy this recipe!

Instant Pot Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup is one of my favorite soups.  Especially this instant pot recipe which takes only 4 minutes to cook!  It’s filled with delicious veggies and spices like ancho chile and chipotle powder to build a good depth of flavor.  Perfect for a hectic weeknight or a cold day, this tortilla soup is a great way to use up pantry essentials.  Continue reading “Instant Pot Tortilla Soup”

Shrimp Ceviche

The husband is a big fan of seafood so I decided to surprise him with some shrimp ceviche today.  With a few changes on the classic recipe, here’s my version of shrimp ceviche.

Shrimp Ceviche

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh, raw shrimp
1 c lemon juice
1 large cucumber, deseeded, peeled and finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes, deseeded, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1-2 serrano peppers, finely chopped (how many you use depends on your spice level)
Salt to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, pour 1/2 c lemon juice over shrimp and let rest for at least 15-20 minutes.

In another bowl, combine cucumber, onion, tomatoes, peppers, parsley and 1/2 c lemon juice and mix well.  Add veggie mix to shrimp then salt to taste.  Mix well.  Cover and let marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour so the flavors really sink in.  Serve with chips and Enjoy!