Roasted Pepper & Mushroom Paprikash – a vegetarian take on a traditional Hungarian stew

West African Peanut Soup: combining peanut butter and tomato paste with aromatics and curry powder yields a strangely irresistible soup

Fesenjan is a simple and intensely flavored Persian chicken stew, thick with tart-sweet pomegranate molasses and rich toasted walnuts.

Rich and hearty Turkish red lentil soup, spiced with paprika and cumin, and with a freshness from mint and sumac. (gluten-free and vegan)

The nutty caramel notes of brown butter take these blondies (with walnuts and cocoa nibs) over the top!

An easy black bean soup to help get you through the week – with a little extra smoky spiciness from chipotle peppers.

The (surprisingly simple) cookie recipe I make whenever I want to impress someone – Salted Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Shrimp and sausage jambalaya – my first tentative connection to New Orleans until I can get there myself.

Quick and simple blackened catfish – only four ingredients (and that’s including vegetable oil and salt!)

Cajun spice mix with smoked paprika (my favorite!), basil, oregano, cayenne, and more… the perfect combination for gumbos and jambalayas.

These easy roasted leeks with herbs de provence make a great side dish!

My new favorite way to eat pulled pork – on top of crisp lettuce with almonds, cucumber, bacon, and cheddar

Inspired by breakfast flavors, this salad is tasty at any time of day – it’s hard to resist the warm bacon vinaigrette!

The perfect bowl of oatmeal- steel cut oats with a touch of milk, topped with brown sugar, cinnamon, and banana slices.