Cardamom Mug Cake

I'm not sure how I'm jumping on board this trend train so late, but here I am! My husband is away, but my cravings are not, so mug cakes have answered my need for a dessert without a bunch of tempting leftovers! This recipe is for my favorite version (so far!), but it's beautifully flexible - you could easily sub in cinnamon for the cardamom and coconut milk for the milk to get a very different, delicious cake! If you're late to the mug cake phenomenon, definitely give it a try!

Ethiopian-style Spicy Split Peas

This is another beautiful dish from Ethiopia, and makes for a nice break from meat when you find yourself wanting one. My recipe is based on the one in the classic Exotic Ethiopian Cooking cookbook, but with modifications to better fit my tastes and preferences. (In particular, my recipe differs from the book's in the oil department - I just can't use two cups of olive oil in one dish no matter how delicious it might make it!) Modify it, make it as is - whatever you do, I hope this recipe brings a little of the warmth and beauty of Ethiopia into your life.

And since it's Ethiopian New Year's Eve as I write this, I wish everyone celebrating the New Year a happy and blessed 2017! May it be a bright and peaceful year for Ethiopia and the world.

Massaman Curry with Beef

This is another of Pailin's excellent recipes, which I'm posting here to record the modifications I made to fit the brand of curry paste available to me and my family's personal preferences. We absolutely love massaman curry, and this recipe in particular - I strongly recommend checking out Pailin's original recipe for a fuller version!

Banana Pecan Muffins

This is a great, versatile recipe largely based on Sally McKenny's lovely recipe. I've tweaked the spicing to better fit my personal preferences, and also made it easier to make vegan when needful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Easy Curry Laksa

Many of my early dates with my spouse involved Singaporean-style curry laksa, so this dish - although not quite the same - holds a special place in our hearts. I have combined Woks of Life's lovely laksa recipe with Marion's more Thai-oriented version as I like to multipurpose ingredients rather than having twenty jars of different curry pastes on hand. I've also done some simplifying to reflect the other ingredients we generally have on hand in our currently North American-based pantry. Laksa is an amazingly delicious dish, so whether you try my adaptation below or the original recipes, you must give one of them a try, you won't regret it!

Ukrainian-style Braised Beef and Potatoes

This braised beef and potato dish - жаркое (zharkoye) - is a beautifully hearty, delicious taste of Eastern Europe. My recipe is a blend of Tatyana's lovely recipe and Catalina's version. I hope it warms your stomach and heart the way it does mine!

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles

An easy, delicious meal for any hour of the day (or night!). There's a wonderful sesame paste noodle recipe as well, but for the time being here's my favorite peanut butter version. These noodles make veganism look easy (I never even realized they were till a few times into making them!), and work great any time of the year. In the winter I put the sauce straight on the steaming, drained noodles, and in summer I give the noodles a cold water rinse before mixing. Hot or cold, they're delicious!

Easy Sausage Shakshuka

Shakshuka has long been a personal favorite, but what follows is my updated, simplified recipe for a relatively quick breakfast during the week. Modify as needed, and enjoy!

Kielbasa Pasta

It's Bright Week, so of course cheesy sausage is what's on the menu! What follows is an adaptation of this recipe, mostly tweaks to fit my tastes and preferences. Smoked paprika is my seasoning of the season I think, so it of course makes an appearance! Enjoy!

Baked Salmon Sushi Cups

I'm not one to get sucked into trends until they're well and truly no longer trendy, so I'm guessing that means these salmon sushi cups are officially over now...that being said, holy cow are they good! I mostly followed this recipe, but - as always! - made some modifications to suit my family's tastes. However you make it, definitely give some version of this a try, 'cause it is both ridiculously easy and ridiculously good!