A Life in Food by real-life Chef Cheryl Bennett
Miso eggplant is a delicious grilled side dish. The flavors in the sauce are an obvious match made in heaven and the Japanese eggplant makes a perfect canvas to soak them up.
This side is perfect for entertaining, as it is easy to make a big platter in no time. It is a simple dish, but has amazing flavor.
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…Vegetarian recipes don’t have to be bland and boring. Veggie cakes are neither and they are a reader favorite! Whether you want to lean in to a vegetarian diet, or you are trying to eat a little less meat, you’ll find recipes here that are hearty and delicious.
Many of the recipes here are vegan or vegan-adaptable and all of them are simple, easy meals that are perfect for weeknight cooking.
If you are new to vegetarian cooking, this is the perfect time to give it a try. Produce will be at its peak and that is the best time to try something new. Stock up and try a few new vegetarian recipes for dinner.
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…This Bourbon Blueberry BBQ sauce will soon be your go-to for ribs. The sweet jamminess of the blueberries, the smokiness of the bourbon and the heat from the peppers come together to make this bbq sauce out of this world. Blueberries and bourbon, like my blueberry bourbon jam recipe, are a match made in heaven.
Bourbon BBQ sauce with the sweetness of blueberries pairs well with any kind of pork, especially ribs. It also goes really well with chicken thighs.
…Mint lemonade has always been one of my summertime thirst-quenching beverages. Adding a sprig of lemon thyme to the mix really kicks up that herbaceous taste. This lemon thyme mint lemonade is great for sipping during the heat of summer while you are outside enjoying the sunshine.
For a sweet, tart and fruity lemonade, try my strawberry lemonade.
Well, the rain finally ceased only to bring unseasonably hot weather for a few days. Everyone looked like they were wilting, including the little pots of herbs I keep on the windowsill.
Herbs are one of my favorite things to add to nearly anything. They add a freshness and pop a flavor to so many recipes.
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…Blueberry Mini Pies are the epitome of summer. Ripe, juicy blueberries fill delicious buttery dough for the perfect hand-held pie. Mini blueberry pies are perfect for lunch bags, afternoon treats, beach day picnics, and they are small enough for little hands. Mini blueberry pies or mini cherry pies are also great for all of the red, white and blue holidays.
One of my favorite things about these pies is that they are hand held. No need for utensils, plates or clean-up, which in my opinion is one of the best things about these hand pies.
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Easy corn fritters from scratch are the perfect way to use sweet, summer corn.
These sweet and savory fritters are a great snack. You can use frozen or canned corn in place of fresh if it isn’t available to make corn nugget recipes. The batter is made with pantry staples like flour, cornmeal and baking powder.
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It’s winter and that means comfort food. But, we’re also trying to eat a little healthier. We’re making an effort to eat more vegetables because we want to get more bang for our buck in the nutrition department. This winter vegetable soup is nearly fat free, it’s low in calories and contains a ton of vitamins, minerals and fiber. 
Speaking of healthy comfort food, this vegan vegetable soup would be perfect for cold winter evenings. It doesn’t hurt that the broth is the color of sunshine; which is what we need on chilly, gray days.
This post is sponsored by Idaho® Potatoes. As always, all opinions are my own.
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A quick and easy falafel recipe from scratch that is perfect for beginners. Made from dried chickpeas, not canned, these falafel have great flavor and texture. They are baked in the oven, to make them a bit healthier too. Add a few falafel patties to this Mediterranean chicken meal prep bowl for an extra boost of protein.
Making falafel from scratch isn’t difficult. A little planning ahead and you’ll have your favorite Middle Eastern street food snack in no time.
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This hearty, vegan winter vegetable soup is loaded with root vegetables. The golden, turmeric broth turns this soup the color of sunshine. Perfect for when you’re under the weather.
A handful of root vegetables, which are in season during the winter months, combined with a bright yellow-hued broth make this earthy soup a perfect weeknight dinner.
This recipe is a big batch soup, it makes enough to feed 8 people, but you can easily halve it.
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Gingerbread is one of the classic flavors of the holiday season. An old fashioned gingerbread loaf is a perfect dessert to have on hand when friends and family come to visit. For me, anything gingerbread is welcome and this classic gingerbread cake is something I bake every year and it goes perfectly with a strong cup of tea.
I made a maple bourbon glaze to coat the gingerbread, which really complements the spices used. You can swap bourbon for a splash of milk to keep the glaze kid-friendly, if you’ll be serving it to the whole family.
The combination of spices that make up gingerbread are the flavors of Christmas. There is something about the blend of cloves, ginger, cinnamon and molasses that fills the house with a warm cozy feeling like nothing else can. These gingerbread biscotti are quickly becoming a new favorite in our house for that reason and also because they are delicious dipped into strong coffee.
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