Shepherd's Pie Stuffed Baked Potatoes
For almost a decade I bartended and ran a bar here in NYC.
It was a pub: casual, relaxed and the kind of place that welcomed you as much on a Saturday night as it did on a Tuesday afternoon.
Chili Stuffed Portabellas
Game day in our house is always a good day. I’m usually pretty into football, but when the game loses its energy with endless penalties or Eli has thrown his 5th interception, that’s the perfect time to whip up some game day food.
Though I love my Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls or Mozzarella Sticks, when we are talking game day dinner, we are talking chili!
Spicy Asian Noodle Soup Bowls with Pickled Cucumbers
NYC really does have it all: there are over 300 restaurants that will deliver food directly to my apartment, I can enjoy a glass of Sancerre al fresco 50 stories up, and most importantly, I can get bone broth in a coffee cup from a to-go window in the East Village.
It’s a place called Brodo and they make long cooked, rich and comforting broth with fun additions like roasted garlic and turmeric.
Breakfast Nachos with Eggs, Cheese + Beef
First, in my book Meat On The Side, I put cabbage on your nachos.
Now, I’m putting eggs on them, you got a problem with that?
Cauliflower Parm
You know the commercial where Payton Manning sings “Chicken Parm you taste so good” in the Nation Wide advertisement?
Well that’s my husband, well the loving chicken parm part, not the being a professional athlete part.
Quinoa-Stuffed Endive with Roasted Grapes + Feta
Let’s face it, quinoa has taken over the grain industry (even though it’s actually a seed). It’s well deserved rise to fame, who wouldn’t want loads of protein and fiber in their starchy side dish, and I do mean LOADS.
It’s true it really good for you, and since it’s been trending on twitter since 2011 you can now find it almost anywhere (P.S. Amaranth (link to popped amaranth recipe) is trending next, time to buy stock).
Spaghetti Squash Tacos with Sweet + Spicy Pepper Salsa
I'm pretty obsessed with spaghetti squash, not as obsessed as I am with cheese, or positioning the fan in my bedroom just right so it cools just my feet while I sleep, but pretty darn close.
It's so sweet, the texture is awesome and it can be morphed into so many things.
A Tour of Nikki's Terrace Garden
I’ve lived in NYC for 14 years and had always been chasing the dream of having outdoor space when 2 years ago we were lucky enough to move into an apartment with a terrace!!
Creamed Corn + Blueberry Pasta
Summer is my season; I am perpetually cold unless it’s 90 degrees outside and I’m pretty sure that I am a better swimmer than I am a walker sometimes. One of my greatest joys in life is my terrace garden with all my plants and my bird friend Harold.
Although I don’t like to admit it either, we have to face it, summer is coming to an end (can’t type… crying too much).
Chili Spiced Cucumbers
I’m obsessed with parties, and any party of mine is bound to have an endless array of appetizers. In order to get the variety I want and not lose my mind making my 10th labor-intensive app, I always like to include some appetizers of the “silly easy” variety.
And these cucumbers are just that, they get a bath of lime juice, a sprinkle of chili powder and sugar, and a hit of salt, resulting in a crisp, tangy, spicy, salty treat that takes minutes to make.
Pear + Cucumber Salad with Tuna Croutons
It’s a Wednesday night, I’ve invited my husband to the terrace for a summer meal and a chance to actually look each other in the eye and talk after an already busy week.
The weekend was filled with indulgences like Jalapeno Poppers, berry pies and clams doused in oil and bread crumbs.
How to Brown Butter
Browning your butter just makes it special. Think about a pine tree, it’s just a tree until you put some tinsel on it and suddenly it’s the most special tree of them all, a Christmas tree!! (It’s 90 degrees outside and apparently I’ve got Christmas on the mind).
Butter is the same way, its fine as is, but when you brown it, it becomes nutty, rich and something you will use in EVERYTHING.
So take a couple minutes and brown your butter before using it in sauces, casseroles or in my Brown Butter Nutella Cookies. It’s simple, easy and this video shows you exactly how it’s done…
Parmesan Zucchini Crisps
If you're a gardener then you have definitely had one of those moments where you look around your garden and think “What the heck am I going to do with all these zucchinis.”
For my new book Meat on The Side I tackled this question with tons of zucchini recipes including egg sandwiches with squash and crostini's where the zucchini replaced the bread.
How to Char Tortillas
My favorite way to warm up tortillas is by charring them; they look awesome, have an added smoky flavor and it gives them a touch of texture.
Watch my video to learn 3 different techniques on how to char your tortillas at home, no matter what stove/oven you are working with.
Carrot Dog
Recently (thanks to my new show Junk Food Flip) I have been thinking a lot about how to flip classic dishes, especially the meat heavy dishes.
As you know by now (because I've mentioned it about a million times) I like to cook in a way I call Meat On The Side; the idea is that veggies are the star of the plate, not the meat.
Caesar Salad Pasta
One of my all time favorite things is a Caesar salad, and considering my obsession with pasta, I thought…
Why not combine the two?? This dish takes all the components of a Caesar salad, from the dressing to the lettuce, and transforms them into a creamy sauce.
Pimento Cheese Grilled Corn
A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending Damaris Philips wedding in Kentucky. It was a day filled with vintage everything, homemade food, love, laughter and some serious dancing.
Damaris made all the food for her wedding (way to show me up Damaris ;) and it was as delicious as you might expect.
4th of July Recipe Round Up
The 4th of July is just around the corner and that means fun, frolicking, and most importantly FOOD. Most years I find myself making sweet treats for my niece Lucy, as her birthday falls on the 4th. We all like to gather in Fire Island to celebrate as we sing happy birthday and watch the fire works.
To say Lucy loves dessert is an understatement, so I always try my best to put a smile on her sweet little sugar addicted face and make her some incredible treats. No matter what you are making this July 4th it should be easy, should make people smile and if it happens to also be red white and blue than even better. So here are some of my favorite July 4th recipes that will make your weekend that much more sweet.
Red, White + Blue Sangria by Crista at Peace.Love.Quinoa
Let’s start this 4th of July with fizzy and refreshing white wine sangria's! In this recipe she finishes her sangria off with sparkling water; I think I'm going to skip that part and finish it with some bubbly champagne! The best part about sangria is you can use whatever wine, fruit and juice you like.
Breakfast Bowls with Wheat Berries + Kale
Sometimes after too many nights out, and too many pizzas in, you just need to eat something really healthy. Something to make you feel good about yourself again (because that half a pizza, mozzarella sticks and brownie the size of your face, are still making your stomach turn).
You’re in luck because I have just the dish for you! And guess what? In addition to being healthy, it also tastes so so SO good!!!
Pickled Strawberry + Giant Corn Salad
>
Read More 
The word “balance” is thrown out a lot in our lives.
You’re supposed to have a balance between work and play; we all need physical balance, especially when in a crow pose in yoga class or trying to balance our love of chocolate with our love of fitting into our jeans is always a challenge. When it comes to our food, that little word is thrown around like peanuts at a baseball game.