One of my favorite parts about writing A Spicy Perspective, is getting to share all the wonderful experiences and food-finds I come across. Especially those right here in my beautiful hometown Asheville, North Carolina. I recently had the privilege of participating in an Octoberfest Tasting Dinner at the Grand Bohemian Hotel’s Red Stag Grill. The Grand Bohemian is one of Asheville’s newest and most unique hotels, located in historic Biltmore Village, right across from the entrance to the Biltmore Estate....

Jump to:Recipe cardChocolate heart candy - Homemade gift for your loved ones Ingredients How to make Valentine’s Day chocolate at homeVariationsStorage instructionsMore Valentine’s Day recipesUser Reviews Recipe card Chocolate heart candy - Homemade gift for your loved ones Want to surprise your loved ones? Have chocolate chips ready in your pantry? Do you have an empty ice cube mold that is lying around? Then melt some quality chocolate chips of your favorite brand and surprise your loved ones....

Barley is a low-fat food and an excellent source of fiber. This soup is a complete meal, but you can also serve it as a starter for any meal or with some freshly baked bread. Unlike many other grains, barley has a chewy texture when cooked. My family loves to have this barley soup along with a garnish of roasted peanuts. If you are a weight watcher, then this is a must-try recipe....

Ever since I made this east African chapatti, I have been dying to make vegan samosas – African Style, if there is such a way of making it. I have no clue why I waited this long because I simply love these snack. Samosas are a deep fried pastry snack that originated from India and East Asia but have quickly become an African favorite especially in East (Kenya, Tanzania) and other South African Countries due to the influx of Indian immigrants to these parts of Africa....

White Chocolate Cheesecake on a plate with cream and chunks of white chocolate on top… this really is a showstopper of dessert, BUT it’s so easy to make. I promise you can do this, even if you’re a total baking beginner (or a no-bake beginner, because this beauty doesn’t even go in the oven.) I would like to confess that I never ever liked cheesecake until I came up with my version of a No Bake Cheesecake a few years ago....

The sight of yellow cake brings back memories of good times shared with my family and friends. No matter how special the occasion was, I could always count on getting a slice of yellow cake with chocolate frosting—the true definition of a celebration cake. This humble cake is an excellent example of how decadent simple desserts can be. Did you know it’s one of the most popular box-cake mixes of all time?...

Pineapple Cucumber Salad2. Tropical Fruit Salad3. Mango Avocado Shrimp Salad and Mango Dressing4. Watermelon Salad5. Strawberry Spinach Salad Vegetable Salad Ideas Cucumber Tomato Salad7. Tossed Salad8. Black-Eyed Pea Salad9. Greek Salad10. Kale Salad11. Three Bean Salad12. Chef Salad13. Ranch Potato Salad14. Carrot Raisin Salad15. Southern Potato Salad Seafood Salad Ideas Nicoise Salad17. Salmon Salad18. Tuna Macaroni Salad19. Shrimp Salad Chicken Salad Ideas Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad21. Macaroni Salad22. Cajun Chicken Avocado Salad23....

Recipe card Cilantro dip The best part about this cilantro dip is that whether you serve it as a dip, spread, or condiment, you will love the flavors. This dip is vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Adding nuts like almonds or cashews will only make your dip rich and creamy and gives a nice sweetness and thickness. What is not there to love about a recipe that is easy to make with simple ingredients in less than 5 minutes?...

Check out our apple cinnamon rolls, trending apple cheese danish, and old-fashioned breakfast pancakes. Apple cinnamon pancakes Imagine waking up in the morning to the warm, cozy, and comforting aroma of cinnamon in your kitchen. That’s the magic of apple cinnamon pancakes. Delicious and flavorful fall and holiday breakfast treat where apples’ sweet and tart flavors are combined with cinnamon’s aromatic essence. This apple pancake recipe is healthy, vegan, and dairy-free, made without eggs....

I’m a big fan of any casserole, so trust me when I say this baked chicken spaghetti recipe is on another level. Loads of cheese, shredded chicken, and spaghetti cooked in a silky-smooth sauce for a unique baked dish that is always a huge hit. It might seem like this recipe has a lot going on, but each ingredient adds flavor and texture without overpowering the dish. It’s that casserole magic, my friend....

The Best Baked Hash Browns Recipe Hash browns are one of my favorite go-to breakfast items for last-minute, wonderfully-lazy weekend breakfast plans. In fact, you will almost never find my freezer without at least one family-sized bag of shredded potatoes for those spontaneous golden crispy hash brown moments. For years I made hash browns in a large cast-iron skillet, standing over the range with my flat spatula in hand. However, after I discovered I preferred making bacon in the oven, I decided to give cheesy, buttery oven hash browns a try....

Why We Love This Kale Chips Recipe Remember when kale chips were all over the internet a couple of years ago? It seemed like everyone was making them. Even people that generally don’t cook. Well, I wasn’t making them… Because at that time, I didn’t like them. I preferred a nice shaved kale salad or a green smoothie. But to me, kale chips recipes seemed bland and boring. Then one day I saw them at a farmer’s market....

Oven Fried Plantains Are you as obsessed with plantains as we are? We recently made Magic Plantain Tortillas and Paleo Chinese Dumplings with a green plantain (underripe plantain) dough as the base. This is a fool-proof (and delicious) method for creating starchy, carb-like foods for paleo and grain-free diets. However, today I want to show you the absolute best way to prepare ripe sweet plantains. Which, in my humble opinion, is simply to bake them to perfection....

It isn’t the holidays yet, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t serve something elegant and delicious as this beef tenderloin roast. This roast meat is a showstopper dish that will impress your guests and family. Sure they’d think that you’ve spent hours perfecting this dish. But in reality, it’s one of those few dishes that don’t require your undivided attention. This beef recipe here my friends is foolproof! It’s as easy as searing the meat and then transferring it to the oven to fully cook....

Recipe card Best veggie burger These black bean burgers are simple to make. They can be grilled or baked. Use them as a patty for burger buns or even as a side with your salad. Try this simple vegetarian burger recipe at home, and I bet you will never go back to the frozen section to buy those burger patties again. You will also be so proud of yourself for creating the best meatless burger ever....

Whether you prefer it heavier on the sweet, the tang, or the heat, there is a recipe out there that is perfect for you. And BBQ sauce is so versatile. You don’t have to save it just for family grilling. It makes an exquisite marinade, basting sauce, dipping sauce, or even a little extra spice in a stew, meatloaf, or casserole. How to Make BBQ Sauce Making your own BBQ sauce can be as simple as mixing your favorite ingredients in a bowl and slathering it on your choice of meat or vegetables on the grill....

Indian sweets and desserts Indian sweets, also known as mithai or Indian treats, are diverse, with a wide range of delicacies that have different textures and flavors prepared using flour, milk, desi ghee, sugar, nuts, and cardamom or saffron. India is a land of festivals, and the best part about these festivals is that they are celebrated in the community by sharing and eating sweets or mithai and lots of them 🙂 The variety of sweets prepared in India is countless, and each sweet recipe has several regional variations to it....

I have used homemade eggless vegan mayonnaise to make this recipe. The boiled potatoes are combined with fresh & crisp cucumber, onion making it even more flavorful & the dressing is super simple: mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, lemon juice, and pepper powder to taste. If you love to prepare salads for your meals, then do check out my favorite salad recipes here and customize it to your liking - tropical fruit salad with savory coconut dressing, quick and simple apple salad, Vegetable salad with Thai-style dressing, easy arugula and white beans salad, etc....

Why you’ll love this recipe? Love artichokes? Check out my steamed artichokes with garlic butter dip or stuffed artichokes recipe. Ingredients Spinach artichoke dip is an easy hot dip recipe made of cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, cheese, herb, and seasonings.Artichokes: I have used canned artichoke hearts. You can even use marinated artichokes if desired.Spinach: Thaw spinach and squeeze it dry. I have used frozen spinach. But you can even use fresh spinach....

If you’ve ever had mushy, bland cabbage as a kid and thought you “hated cabbage,” I feel you. The good news is that you can take cabbage from bland to banging with a little creativity, thoughtfully selected seasonings, and an easy cooking technique. 💥 This recipe takes a little more time than it would take to just saute some cabbage, but trust me, it pays off in flavor. The second step of the two-step process is totally hands-off, so you can still file this under easy recipes....