THE BLOG
Browse by Category
Baked Goods & Desserts | Breakfast | Culture & History
Drinks | Main Dishes | Wine
Pizzasnurrer (Pizza Rolls)
I just returned from Norway earlier this week, and as always, I love studying the evolving food habits of Norwegians today. Because of the long, cold winters and all-around cooler weather all around, it’s no surprise that heartier foods and comfort foods are extremely...
Tofu Souvlaki with Vegan Tzatziki
Lately, I’ve enjoyed cooking with tofu. This fermented soybean product is a very versatile product filled with protein, iron and calcium, and many other proven nutritional features and health benefits…The good news is that tofu makes for a brilliant food on the grill and can be seasoned, marinated, and prepared in so many ways, depending on what you feel like cooking and eating.
World’s Best Chocolate Cake
When you hear the term “World’s Best Cake” about Norwegian cakes, one often thinks of Kvæfjordkake…When experimenting with chocolate cakes, I mostly tried out sheet cakes, as that is what is commonly seen in Norway. While they can have amazing flavors and textures, I wanted something that would be a bit more photogenic and fancier to present. After many trials I landed on what I now so confidently have named “The World’s Best Chocolate Cake” and I’m so eager for you to try it out to see if you agree with me!
Best Ever Vegan Vanilla Custard
There have been a few recipes I’ve struggled with as a vegan chef, and vanilla custard has definitely been one of them. Either the texture came out too gelatinous (it’s supposed to be thick and creamy, not jiggly!) or too runny, or the color was off. I see no point in making something if it doesn’t both taste and look good, so the experimentation continued…
Cheesy Garlic Bread—the Ultimate Comfort Food
With everyone baking sourdough bread these days, I figured I would try my hand at something a little bit different. I often get the question “What do you miss most since going vegan?” and I can honestly say I have gained so much more than I’ve “lost” (no, I don’t miss eating dead animals) but one thing I do remember fondly is a slice of cheesy pizza. Nowadays, we’re so lucky that we have several amazing vegan cheeses out there and I’m using one of them in today’s recipe; an ooey-gooey cheesy garlic bread that is to die for! And I don’t say this lightly.
A Flavorful Falafel Plate with Tahini Sauce and Tzatziki
Falafel is one of those universal foods everybody eats and loves. Nobody even gives a thought to the fact that it’s vegan (ooh the charged ‘v’ word…) It’s simply delicious. Versatile. Simple. It’s food. For some reason it’s the one vegan food non-vegans will accept and eat without judgment or wonder where they will get their protein… and falafel is a common item on many restaurant menus across the world.
A Flavorful Vegetable Pot Pie
Today’s recipe is for those times when you feel like a hearty dish that looks impressive but that you really have to put minimal effort into. If you have some leftover vegetables like carrots, onions, celery, broccoli and/or mushrooms that you are needing to get rid of but have no idea what to do with – read on.
A Chocolate Chip Cookie Worth the Calories
At the risk of sounding like I’m bragging, I’ve made a lot of cookies in my life, and this recipe I’m sharing with you today is my absolute favorite and one I think could win over a lot of fans. Personally I’m not a huge cookie fan, but my husband is. He particularly loves these and begs me to bake them at least every other week (maybe a little more often now during these quarantine times)…Everyone has their favorite recipe, but I encourage you to try this one out too and let me know what you think.
Spanish Albondigas with a Spicy & Smoked Tomato Sauce
Coming from a chef background, I typically love to make everything from scratch and as a vegan, I’m a fan of whole, plant-based foods when cooking. On the other hand, I’m a vegan married to a non-vegan, who is also a chef and happens to be a meat-lover. While you may think that may pose challenges…I am here to tell you as long as you get a little creative and resourceful and stay dedicated to your desire to eat more plant-based foods, your significant other, children, friends and family will make big strides towards eating more plants too! (it’s contagious 🙂
Broccoli-Cheddar Soup In Quarantine
One of my favorite comfort meals is a creamy soup paired with a grilled cheese sandwich. In the summer I love a good tomato soup made from fresh tomatoes I’ve grown in my garden, but in the winter there’s nothing quite like a broccoli-cheddar soup. The green color makes me happy too, which I find particularly welcome on a cold and grey day.
SHAKSHUKA – An Exciting Alternative Breakfast for Egg Lovers
The food that a large number of people have the most difficulty giving up when going vegan, is not read meat—but in fact, eggs. Shakshuka is a one-skillet recipe traditionally made with eggs baked in a tomato and red pepper sauce that is spiced with cumin, paprika, and cayenne. I’ve replaced the egg with both tofu and sliced sweet potato before with great luck, but this time I used Just Eggs and was incredibly happy with the result.
Corn & Zucchini Fritters
Both corn and zucchini are the quintessential summer foods. They are plentiful this time of year, both at farmer’s markets and in grocery stores and if you are a member of a weekly CSA, I’m sure you have received plenty of summer squash thus far. So what to do with them, week after week? My mission is to always experiment with different recipes, discovering the versatility of these gorgeous vegetables.
Tofu Souvlaki with Vegan Tzatziki
Lately, I’ve enjoyed cooking with tofu. This fermented soybean product is a very versatile product filled with protein, iron and calcium, and many other proven nutritional features and health benefits…The good news is that tofu makes for a brilliant food on the grill and can be seasoned, marinated, and prepared in so many ways, depending on what you feel like cooking and eating.
World’s Best Chocolate Cake
When you hear the term “World’s Best Cake” about Norwegian cakes, one often thinks of Kvæfjordkake…When experimenting with chocolate cakes, I mostly tried out sheet cakes, as that is what is commonly seen in Norway. While they can have amazing flavors and textures, I wanted something that would be a bit more photogenic and fancier to present. After many trials I landed on what I now so confidently have named “The World’s Best Chocolate Cake” and I’m so eager for you to try it out to see if you agree with me!
Best Ever Vegan Vanilla Custard
There have been a few recipes I’ve struggled with as a vegan chef, and vanilla custard has definitely been one of them. Either the texture came out too gelatinous (it’s supposed to be thick and creamy, not jiggly!) or too runny, or the color was off. I see no point in making something if it doesn’t both taste and look good, so the experimentation continued…
Cheesy Garlic Bread—the Ultimate Comfort Food
With everyone baking sourdough bread these days, I figured I would try my hand at something a little bit different. I often get the question “What do you miss most since going vegan?” and I can honestly say I have gained so much more than I’ve “lost” (no, I don’t miss eating dead animals) but one thing I do remember fondly is a slice of cheesy pizza. Nowadays, we’re so lucky that we have several amazing vegan cheeses out there and I’m using one of them in today’s recipe; an ooey-gooey cheesy garlic bread that is to die for! And I don’t say this lightly.
A Flavorful Falafel Plate with Tahini Sauce and Tzatziki
Falafel is one of those universal foods everybody eats and loves. Nobody even gives a thought to the fact that it’s vegan (ooh the charged ‘v’ word…) It’s simply delicious. Versatile. Simple. It’s food. For some reason it’s the one vegan food non-vegans will accept and eat without judgment or wonder where they will get their protein… and falafel is a common item on many restaurant menus across the world.
A Flavorful Vegetable Pot Pie
Today’s recipe is for those times when you feel like a hearty dish that looks impressive but that you really have to put minimal effort into. If you have some leftover vegetables like carrots, onions, celery, broccoli and/or mushrooms that you are needing to get rid of but have no idea what to do with – read on.
A Chocolate Chip Cookie Worth the Calories
At the risk of sounding like I’m bragging, I’ve made a lot of cookies in my life, and this recipe I’m sharing with you today is my absolute favorite and one I think could win over a lot of fans. Personally I’m not a huge cookie fan, but my husband is. He particularly loves these and begs me to bake them at least every other week (maybe a little more often now during these quarantine times)…Everyone has their favorite recipe, but I encourage you to try this one out too and let me know what you think.
Spanish Albondigas with a Spicy & Smoked Tomato Sauce
Coming from a chef background, I typically love to make everything from scratch and as a vegan, I’m a fan of whole, plant-based foods when cooking. On the other hand, I’m a vegan married to a non-vegan, who is also a chef and happens to be a meat-lover. While you may think that may pose challenges…I am here to tell you as long as you get a little creative and resourceful and stay dedicated to your desire to eat more plant-based foods, your significant other, children, friends and family will make big strides towards eating more plants too! (it’s contagious 🙂
Broccoli-Cheddar Soup In Quarantine
One of my favorite comfort meals is a creamy soup paired with a grilled cheese sandwich. In the summer I love a good tomato soup made from fresh tomatoes I’ve grown in my garden, but in the winter there’s nothing quite like a broccoli-cheddar soup. The green color makes me happy too, which I find particularly welcome on a cold and grey day.
