Why We Love Italian Pickled Vegetables As far as pickled veggies go, nothing beats a good Giardiniera. You might be asking yourself: Um, ok but what is Giardiniera? Originally created as an Italian pickled vegetables dish, Giardiniera is any combination of fresh veggies and flavorful brine. It is typically very tangy, terrifically sour and salty, with a bit of crunch, and lots of bold spices. Your favorite muffuletta sandwiches – a scrumptious Italian/New Orleans hybrid of deli meats and cheese on thick bread – are more than likely made with a nice helping of minced Giardiniera....

There’s something about hot peppers that I find so exciting. You all know I’m a fan of super spicy food, and jalapeños are right on that list. Stuffed jalapeño poppers are more than just spicy heat; they’re creamy and inviting. And they’re called poppers because all you have to do is pop them in your mouth. So here’s my recipe for jalapeño poppers. I’m sure you’ll make these often. Oh yeah!...

What is a Jibarito (Plantain and Steak Sandwich)? A jibarito is a steak sandwich with two fried plantains, or tostones, in the place of bread buns to keep everything together. It’s a Puerto Rican dish that is also super popular in Chicago, and there are tons of variations on how to make it. It’s gluten-free, but you can easily change it to a vegetarian or even vegan dish too. Recipe Ingredients Plantains – Large, green plantains work best for this recipe....

About Bitter Gourd Chips A few months back, I found a bag of karela chips on the supermarket snacks shelf. I quite liked it. Later, I discovered that bitter gourd chips are the new rage among vegan and healthy food lovers, probably because they are one of the most delicious ways to eat bitter gourd. In India, thinly sliced, deep-fried bitter gourd is a popular snack or a side dish. Our grandmothers have been making pickles, sabzi, and chips using bitter gourd for decades....

Why We Love This Grilled Lemon Pepper Cod Recipe I don’t think there is a more perfect dish for a light summer dinner, than grilled fish. Simple to prepare and cook in just minutes, a good piece of fish is a terrifically healthy and hearty lean protein to have in your weekly menu rotation. Serve quick grilled fish for a last-minute busy weeknight meal, or as an impressive yet super easy dinner party star....

Why We Love These Low Carb Tortillas Tacos are the perfect food, in my humble opinion. Carbs, hot seasoned meat, cool veggie garnishes, sauce, and of course cheese and/or sour cream… What’s not to love? Yet what if you can’t have grains in your diet, or are sticking with a low-carb meal plan? Are tacos off limits??? (God forbid.) Although we do not follow a strict keto or low carb diet, we have plenty of friends that do, so it’s always nice to know how to accommodate them when they come over....

The Indian Makhani Sauce Over the years, the famous Indian makhani gravy has become the favourite of food lovers all over the World. The word ‘Makhani’ defines – rich, smooth, creamy, orange colour Indian sauce with a slightly sweet taste. No rush to the nearby Indian restaurant for your favourite murgh makhani. Try this homemade makhani sauce recipe to believe what I am talking about. The good news is that you can store makhani curry paste in the freezer and use it to make paneer butter masala, butter chicken, and many more Indian curries....

Homemade Fruit Jam Making fresh fruit jam at home is a straightforward and therapeutic process. For people like me who love, love, love fruit jams, there is nothing better than the homemade sweet goodness with the fruit’s natural taste. Among all the fruit jam flavours – strawberry jam and mango jam is my all-time favourite. As I said, I love homemade fruit jams for many reasons besides the finger-licking good taste and texture....

This Mango Vermicelli Kheer is a quick and easy, rich and classic, fuss-free recipe, a delicious twist to traditional kheer, a popular Indian sweet prepared using milk, vermicelli, sugar and flavored with cardamom powder, and saffron. If you are looking for the easiest dessert or sweet recipe for any special occasion, get-together, or to surprise your loved ones on a romantic date, then this recipe is what you should try....

This is the 11th weekly meal plan I will be sharing on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and so many of you asked for all of the info in one place, so here it is. Watch out for the videos of each recipe coming each night this week, so you can cook along! For reference, I shopped for this Meal Plan in July 2022 at Aldi and it cost £30.32....

Why We Love This Mexican Cookies Recipe These glorious Mexican Cookies are similar to Mexican Polvorones de Canele or Galletas de Canela, and New Mexican Biscochitos. However, they are less crumbly than the Mexican shortbread cookie version, and less work than the traditional New Mexican rollout cookies. The simple Mexican Cinnamon Cookies – AKA biscochitos – are kind of like Snickerdoodles or an American sugar cookie, but they have less tang and more cinnamon spice flavor due to the fact that the cinnamon is in both the dough and the sugar coating....

Our Mini Spinach Ricotta Calzone Recipe is a cozy party snack for the holidays and upcoming game days. This simple yet show-stopping Mini Spinach Ricotta Calzone Recipe is a wonderful snack to make this week when family members start showing up on your doorstep for holiday or weekend events. Easy Calzone Recipe This Mini Spinach Ricotta Calzone Recipe is quick to put together, and fun to make if you’ve got little helpers lingering around the kitchen....

Why We Love This Miso Hummus Recipe This is not the first hummus recipe on A Spicy Perspective. You see, I sort have a thing for homemade hummus… I love snacking on hummus with veggies and chips. I love spreading hummus on toast or on sandwiches. And I love adding a scoop of hearty hummus to a boring green salad to liven things up a bit. (Plus, making your own hummus recipe is more budget-friendly and allows you to have full control over quality, texture and taste....

When I really want to prepare something quick and healthy I either prepare dal or use canned beans like black beans, kidney beans or chickpeas to prepare coconut based konkani curries. I always love to make healthy variations in dal as my family loves it and today I have mixed 3 different types of dals or lentils and added vegetables that were available in my pantry to make it even more healthier....

Why We Love This Nacho Dog Recipe Crunch, mmm. CRUNCH… Mmmmm! That’s the sounds you will make when you bite into my nacho dog recipe. Nachos + Dogs = Palate Euphoria. For both kids and adults alike, these summertime nacho dogs are a bound to be a hit! You can make your nacho cheese dog exactly how you like it, piling it high with all your favorite toppings! From salsa to guac or extra crunchy tortilla chips, this nacho dog recipe has the perfect combination of flavors and textures....

This Oven Fried Chicken recipe makes a good excuse to use my new @CafeAppliances oven more too often. It preheats well which has so far always yielded a spot on baked dishes and treats. From this healthy-ish and filling Stuffed Green Bell Peppers to this party appetizer Baked Chicken Tenders, they were all a hit during our New Year’s celebration. One of my sisters came over here to spend New Year’s Eve the “Los Angeles way” as they’d say....

Eating a healthy breakfast on busy weekdays is a big challenge. But ever since I landed up in the flavorsome world of overnight oatmeal, my fridge is always stocked up with this healthy breakfast choice. Usually, I prepare four jars of overnight oats or a large batch of granola bars on Sunday night. No cooking or fuzzing in the morning. Just grab your power-packed healthy breakfast and rush. Oats are one of the healthiest grains....

About Som Tam Thai Som Tam Thai is one of Thailand’s most famous green papaya salads. In the native language, the shredded unripe papaya salad is called Som Tam. Traditionally this salad is entirely made in a giant mortar and pestle, from making dressing to gently crushing the papaya; all is done in a mortar. Even though som tam originates in Central Thailand, these days, you can find it everywhere across the country as street food....

Fresh Peaches Let’s talk about how this fabulous Peach Salad came to be… After moving to the South, I discovered there is an abundance of roadside produce sellers. Some with little wooden shacks, others selling out of the back end of pickup trucks. I would be driving down the road and suddenly see the most glorious melons or deep purple heirloom tomatoes piled high in a gravel turn-off. Several years ago, while driving down a country road I noticed a little old man with picnic baskets full of fresh peaches cascading out of the back of his truck....

It’s Apple Pie Season Every fall, we set a few Saturdays aside for apple picking. We drive out to the apple orchards with a large blanket and a picnic lunch. We spend a relaxed afternoon laughing, hunting for the perfect apple tree, and smiling more than usual. We pretend to pay close attention to the types of apple trees from which we’re picking, then nonchalantly place the apple in the basket without any further attempt to keep tabs of the varieties....