Meatless Monday grilled portobello mushrooms. It's a simple way to get a filling and tasty meatless meal on the table in a matter of minutes. Mushrooms are marinated in a pineapple juice marinade and served with a delicious spinach chimichurri sauce. MOOD MUSIC GRILLED PORTOBELLOS INGREDIENTS GRILLING PORTOBELLOS INSTRUCTIONS Prepare the mushrooms Remove the stems, …
Special Diets
Fire up your weekend grill or weeknight steak night — this spinach chimichurri sauce brings herby heat and cool green swagger to anything you put on the plate. Your flavor guy here with a sauce that sings straight from the garden to your taste buds. This spinach chimichurri is a remix on the classic—bold, herbaceous, …
These fiery Peruvian chicken kebabs (anticuchos) are an easy way to transform a simple, cheap cut of meat into something spectacular. Chunks of chicken, marinated in a hot and fruity yellow pepper sauce and quickly grilled on wooden skewers for a game day pleasing appetizer or quick, easy mid-week dinner entree with the family ready …
It's grilling season so I decided to update a family favorite hit - smoked cabbage wedges with an equally delicious pear-lime sauce.
For your next meatless meal try this sweet potato salad recipe or hockey pucks as my son calls the rounds. Cut them round, square, lengthwise or simply nice and fat. These oven-roasted steaks are enhanced by your choice of toppings. You can be as creative or plain as you want but this recipe strives for …
If you ever want to make a recipe "Southern" just fry it or smoke it. I doubled down in my Southernness for this smoked and fried eggplant recipe. The slow smoking of the eggplant infuses it deeply with smokey magic while leaving flesh moist. And because of the long cooking time in the smoker, the …
Delicious and simple Napa Cabbage Salad with Asian-Caribbean fusion dressing that takes all of about 5 minutes to have a sophisticated and brag-worthy dish on the table. This is a recipe that I adapted from a recipe from Marcus Samuelson's book exploring cuisine from across Africa. The dressing combines Scotch bonnet chilis with peanuts, ginger, …
What better way to showcase delicious mushrooms than in these simple, flavorful vegan stuffed portobello mushrooms. This is a great option for vegans as well as non-vegans who just want to lower their meat consumption. This time of year when family and dear friends are around making it a great time to catch-up over familiar …
Alright now, flavor seekers—this ain’t no boring, wimpy salad. This here Bitter Greens Salad with fresh, peppery mustard greens hits like Meshell N’degeocello’s “Bitter”—smooth, soulful, and unapologetically bold. These sharp greens get tamed in a large bowl with a tangy dijon mustard based citrus vinaigrette and fresh crisp apples for crunch, turning those bitter notes …
This cucumber sambal recipe will be a great condiment for your holiday celebration whether it's Christmas, Thanksgiving or Kwanzaa. It pairs well with your favorite grilled fish or chicken. I love the refreshing element the cucumber base provides to this relish as well as the mild heat from the serrano chiles. The recipe was taken …
Enjoy this delicious bowl of smoky butter beans, a perfect Fall side dish. Butter beans or Lima beans as they're known in certain parts are a staple crop in Africa and Peru (particularly in the city of Lima after which they're named. When cooked properly, they are smooth and delicious, yet they have a reputation …
I love whole roasted carrots this time of year, but I love coffee roasted carrots even more. They're great plain or paired with a sauce like the spicy gochujang tahini sauce in this recipe. These are amazing for not only the simplicity of their cooking and prep, but more for the complex depth of flavors …
This is not your average bowl of eggplant stew. It's delicious, made with just a few ingredients, and seasoned with a South African Braai spice rub. The spice rub is made homemade and adds amazing flavor to a very simple dish that you will enjoy No Doubt! FOR THE MOOD Eggplant Ingredients For the eggplant …
These poached vegetables represent simplicity in prep and cooking, but AMAZING complexty of flavor! In a unique and loose reinterpretation of a "garden vegetable soup," leeks, fennel, and new potatoes are poached in a smokey ginger lemongrass broth. This is a one-pot dish in which chopping the vegetables is all the work required and cooking …
Last of the squash blossoms, just in time to make vegan squash blossom tacos! In Texas it's never easy to discern when Fall Season actually starts. The months and days change, but the temperatures not so much. So you have to take the good with the bad. The good and some times the great is …
Asian daikon salad, a most beautiful and tasty thing! One ingredient side salad with a simple but delicious vinaigrette. MOOD MUSIC WHAT IS DAIKON? Typically daikon is white and actually look like a thicker white carrot. They are common to Asian cuisine, particularly Chinese and Japanese. Not only are these daikon beautiful in color, they …
Indulge in the rich flavors of creamy vegetarian red beans and rice, a delightful and satisfying twist on the classic dish. Velvety textures, aromatic spices, and a medley of vegetables create a comforting meat-free option. This is soul food, vegetarian style! Related Bean Recipe Posts: Creamy vegetarian red beans and rice offer a delectable twist …
Tailgate with this grilled Corn on the Cob recipe, featuring simply seasoned fresh corn topped with a vegan crema. MOOD MUSIC One of my favorite tailgating songs is "Eye of the Tiger" from the Rocky IV soundtrack, partly because my fondest college football memories are from my days as a player were our intense workout …
Crispy oven potatoes kissed with chili lime heat and soul Potatoes have always been the soundtrack of comfort food - steady, soulful, and always right on time. These roasted mini potatoes come out of the oven with crispy golden edges, fluffy centers, and that slow-building roasted flavor that hits like the bassline on a classic …
Weeknight soul meets global flavor—this soba noodles bowl brings sweet potatoes, collard greens, and good vibes to your table for lunch, dinner, or that midweek reset meal. Your flavor DJ here, spinning a little flavor harmony straight outta the kitchen. This soba noodles bowl hits like a groove—earthy buckwheat noodles twirlin’ with sweet roasted potatoes …
Creamy mashed root vegetables made Caribbean style for an alternative side dish in place of plain, boring mashed potatoes! Boniato root, popular throughout the Caribbean, is paired with turmeric and spices for a colorful and tasty mash. This mashed boniato recipe is comfort food with a passport. Rooted in Caribbean kitchens and built on the naturally …
Nothing like some raw collard greens chiffonade to get me off that slide! Simply prepared, a tasty way to get collard greens in your life any day of the week. We eat collard greens in one form or another at least once a week in our household. This collard greens recipe made chiffonade style is …
Hot vinegar pepper sauce is a sharp, fiery Southern table condiment made by steeping fresh peppers in tangy vinegar until the flavors mellow, deepen, and light up every bite of greens, beans, fried fish, or barbecue. This version layers in tequila for subtle earthy sweetness and smoky complexity that rounds out the heat while giving …
Avocados are deserving of "top billin" status and these hummus stuffed avocados elevate them to main dish status. This recipe was inspired partly by my avocado ice cream dish. Avocados are halved and stuffed with hummus and a delicious pumpkin seed pesto. MOOD MUSIC WHAT'S NEEDED TO MAKE STUFFED AVOCADOS For the avocados For the …
Bring the groove to your table with this smoked beet salad, a show-stopping side dish perfect for dinner parties, holiday spreads, or a soulful weeknight salad upgrade. Listen up, flavor chasers—this smoked beets salad ain’t your everyday garden mix. We’re talking earthy beets kissed with smoke, layered with creamy tang and fresh crunch, hitting your …
Miso Glazed Sunchokes Recipe - Simple, quick and tasty! Add pan-roasted Jerusalem artichokes a.k.a. Sunchokes to your root vegetable rotation. The miso sauce adds another level of flavor complexity and simply elevates the dish beyond the mundane and basic. "Glazed with miso sauce" just screams "special occasion" but it's a great weeknight monotony breaker as …
Velvety pear cream sauce meets golden pan seared scallops in a dish that’s equal parts elegance and flavor—perfect for date nights, dinner parties, or when you want to treat yourself to a restaurant-worthy meal at home. Scallops sizzlin’ like sweet sax notes on a warm night—tender, caramelized sea scallops kissed by the heat, then draped …
This turnip greens and quinoa tabbouleh salad is the result of my commitment to get greens into my diet on a daily basis. It's been my routine for years now and this recipe reflects a creative, tasty way to get them in. Turnip greens, mustard, collards, kale, etc. it don't matter. It's just greens by …
This recipe for simple roasted leeks has an intensely deep flavor that makes this weeknight side feel gourmet. I'm a huge fan of roasting vegetables due to their simplicity and the intense flavor that roasting brings out. Roasted leeks are true to this form and are perfectly scented with fresh herbs in this recipe. MOOD …
Delicious vegan taco recipe perfect for meatless tacos Tuesday. I could eat these roasted vegetable tacos every day! So simple to make and very filling, and a great excuse to put a cool, tasty salsa on top. My favorite tacos are traditional carne asada with cilantro, onions, and lime juice. These vegetable tacos are meatless …
An omelette recipe made with loads of vegetables for an easy delicious breakfast. MOOD MUSIC Open-faced omelettes were a big part of my breakfast mornings as a kid. We always had plenty of eggs thanks to my great Uncle Bubba's farm. In my later years, I discovered Norma's Cafe in my beloved Oak Cliff neighborhood …
My daughter teases that a root vegetable salad is "old peoples' salad! But she never passes on fixing a large plate of this simple and delicious salad that brings together farm-fresh ingredients. When you grow-up with your grandparents and spend a fair amount of time with your grandmother and her crew of girlfriends and sisters, …
Slow and soulful—this smothered okra turns humble ingredients into comfort food magic, perfect for Sunday suppers, weeknight soul food dinners, or family gatherings. You flavor DJ here, bringing a little low-and-slow love from the stovetop to your soul. This smothered okra ain’t just a side dish—it’s a full-on groove of flavor, where tender okra meets …
During the forever long Texas heat we keep fresh melons on hand daily. We rotate different varietals from the standards like watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe to unique varietals like Crenshaw and Canary. We eat it plain, roasted like my previous recipe post or seasoned. I used yellow Crenshaw melons for this recipe as its one …
This Peruvian Lima bean recipe (ensalada de pallares) is a highly underrated bean salad. It's got flavor and texture. Growing up in Texas I've had my share of blackeyed pea salads aka "Texas Caviar" and this Lima bean salad is very similar in taste profile and technique. Lima or butter beans are common to soul …
Smoked Lamb Ribs Tender, smoky, and perfectly seasoned with a dope lamb rub—succulent lamb ribs that will give your pork ribs a run. Smoked lamb ribs are where pit-master patience meets soul-deep flavor. Rich, slightly gamey lamb gets treated low and slow with a spice rub that leans warm, sweet, and smoky—turning an underrated cut …
Give leftover beet greens a fresh spin with this vibrant salsa verde—zesty, earthy, and the perfect greens salsa for fish, meats, or veggies. This beet greens salsa verde is a quick, no-cook recipe that transforms tender greens into a bold, flavor-packed sauce. Blended with garlic, citrus, herbs, and olive oil, it comes together in just …
Ground lamb is perfect for a stuffed eggplant recipe. Slightly gamey lamb is mellowed some by the rich silky eggplant. Smoked paprika and fresh herbs add ample flavor for a rather simple dish. MOOD MUSIC This stuffed eggplant recipe was born out of those conversations with some of my forward-thinking foodie friends about expanding the …
Date night done right—this sous vide flat iron steak brings big flavor, perfect doneness, and a smooth basil tomatillo groove for your weekend dinner or special occasion meal. Your favorite flavorphile here, laying down a little sizzle for your soul. This ain’t just steak—it’s a sous vide flat iron steak cooked slow and low till …