dinner

rice noodles with crispy tofu and kale (gf + df)

This is a meal you’ll want to make over and over again. It consists of crispy pan-fried tofu, sautéed kale, lots of ginger, and slippery rice noodles that cook in minutes.

dinner

skillet chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce (df)

One of my favorite things to make when I want something filling, cozy, and satisfying. And it’s ONE PAN! Sop up the sauce with some crusty bread, pasta, or keep it light with a green salad.

dinner

simple butternut squash soup with garlic-thyme croutons (gf + df)

Squash soup for squash soup lovers! I’ve made various iterations of butternut squash soup in the last few years. Sometimes mixed with root vegetables or cut with a generous squeeze of orange juice at the end. In this recipe, the initial sautéing of the celery and onion give the soup depth, and the spices and herbs: turmeric, paprika,

dinner

sheet pan chicken with cauliflower + herby yogurt (gf + df)

This Mediterranean inspired recipe is meant to be a hearty, balanced, and delicious weeknight meal that comes together in under an hour.

dinner

some notes on making a mezze spread

This past weekend I set out to make a mezze based meal. It was inspired by the recipes and stories in Yasmin Khan’s thoughtful cookbook “Zaitoun” and Tara Wigley and Sami Tamimi’s “Falastin.”

dinner

kale + basil pesto with toasted pine nuts and fusilli (gf + v)

I remember the first time I had pesto. It was a warm summer evening in Toronto’s Little Italy; we were at Vivoli, sitting street-side on the patio. I’d never tasted anything like it.

dinner

asparagus and shallot pasta (gf + v)

This is a very Sana type meal. I love things that come together in 30 mins, with fresh vegetables, pasta (of course!), and straight out of the pan

dinner

pantry chana masala – chickpeas cooked with tomatoes and spices (gf, v) + a cooking project

My mother says teaching me to cook Pakistani food is like speaking to a toddler: “Is that a bird, Mama?” “Yes it’s a bird.” “A bird Mama!” “Yes that’s a bird.” “It’s a bird?” “Yes, sweetie, a bird.” In similar fashion, our conversations go something like this:

dinner

za’atar roasted potatoes

i d e a – I got very excited about these za’atar roasted potatoes. The trick was to be pretty heavy handed with the spice, just like the manaqish (a middle-eastern flatbread) bubbling with cheese and a layer of za’atar we used to get in Kuwait – glorious.