For the past three weeks I’ve had to cut out all processed sugar and wheat from my diet. This past week I also nixed meat and dairy, and I have another week to go as a vegan while I finish up a two week cleanse. I honestly I haven’t felt much like sharing with you the kale salads I’m throwing together every day for lunch, though I can’t complain about the food.

Hi. I started a new job, which I love. I moved for the second time in three months to a gorgeous new apartment, which I also love. I traveled to Houston, then home, then Atlanta and back home over two weeks, arriving back just in time to complete said move. I have had little desire [...]

Mexican Layer Casserole is comfort food to me. It’s flavorful and filling and comes together quickly, even though the ingredient list looks long. The chiles in adobo sauce, with their spicy smokiness, really punch up the flavor in the casserole.

My boyfriend loves his poultry, so I indulge him with dishes like this Mediterranean Chicken. The briny olives here add a nice kick to the mellow sweetness of the roasted fennel. Cherry tomatoes seem like such an indulgence this time of year, but they get roasted in this dish, which brings out their flavor, so I succumbed.

Let me be clear: I LOATHE SUGAR IN CORNBREAD. This cornbread is just how I like it. Crispy on the outside with a moist crumb inside, and enough sweetness from the corn so that extra sugar is unnecessary. With a little pat of butter melting on top, this bread is irresistible.

my new favorite winter dish is this super quick chili recipe I tweaked from Real Simple. I added some ground meat to it, but you could just omit that part if you want to keep it vegetarian. I love the addition of bulgur because it adds a little more heft to the dish. It sticks nicely to the ribs.

I won’t skip breakfast no matter how tired or rushed I am. Lately, however, I have been relying on packaged breakfast bars more than I should. Noticing the trend, my boyfriend suggested we make our own granola bars. The idea appeals to my inner hippie, because what could be more “granola” than making your own granola?

This casserole is a stick-to-your-ribs, it’s-in-the-single-digits kind of dish. You could skip the cheese if you wanted and make it vegan. I indulged and justified it because I’m doing a lot more walking these days

I am finally a resident of Chicago, and an apartment with a full-size refrigerator, oven and range. After three and a half years of cooking in a hallway I have ATTACKED every appliance in my new kitchen in a cooking fury.

I’m busy, I’m packing, blah, blah, blah. You get it by now. In spite of everything going on in my life, I must take time to feed myself nourishing meals. Maybe I’m high maintenance or a bit snobby. I’m OK with that, because I get to eat lovely dishes like this hearty concoction of winter veggies.