A Zest for Life

Cool Beet Soup with Kefir and Pickled Beet Stems

Skillet Balsamic Chicken with Strawberries & Tarragon

An easy skillet dish – Tender Chicken, Crispy Skin with a Hearty yet Light Pan Sauce with Plenty of Strawberries and Garnished with Tarragon Leaves. Irresistible! Balsamic Vinegar’s home turf of Modena is a small city in northern Italy located in the Emilia-Romagna region, which is also the birthplace of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. See below for […]

Roasted Asparagus & Shaved Heirloom Carrot Salad with a Zesty Lemon Vinaigrette / Recipes for Memorial Day

Roasted Local Asparagus Tips & Spears Team with Shaved Multi-Colored Carrots, Lettuces & Sprouts for a Delicious Composed Salad. Add Za’atar coated Mini Goat Cheese Balls and toss all with a Lemony Vinaigrette for an unforgettable salad! SEE 22 Inspirational MEMORIAL DAY RECIPES Here!!! I made this salad last night at my Cooking Class at Leicht […]

My Favorite Shrimp Recipes & NEW: Homemade Panko Popcorn Spiced Shrimp (they’re baked!)

Shrimp is the most popular seafood! For good reason ~ they taste so good, are affordable and cook quickly, making meal preparation easy! Pictured: Homemade Panko Popcorn Spiced Shrimp. Crispy, Crunchy and Drenched in Homemade Panko Crumbs ~ these delicious shrimps are baked on a rack, not deep fried. All the buttery, garlicky and lemony […]

Homemade Panko Popcorn Spiced Shrimp in parchment lined white bowl

Homemade Panko Popcorn Spiced Shrimp – they’re baked!

Crispy, Crunchy and Drenched in Homemade Panko Crumbs ~ these delicious morsels are baked on a rack, not deep fried. I’m craving something crispy & sweet yet savory – these Popcorn Shrimp fit the bill! Plunge them into this luscious & piquant Lemony Aioli Dip. Up close – in a parchment lined bowl ready to […]

Karen’s Lemony, Garlicky Aioli Dip

A delicious homemade creamy dip with zesty lemon flavor and a good dose of garlic! Whisk by hand for a superior Aioli. A delicious homemade creamy dip with zesty lemon flavor and a good dose of garlic!

Modern Shrimp Louis: A Comeback for a Classic Dish

Mother’s Day Recipes

This Mother’s Day – Treat Mom to Some Healthy & Inspiring Home Cooking! If you have been making the same recipes for years… have I got some tempting ideas for you! Always healthy-forward, true ingredients & inventive. A super moist cake which rises high and dotted with seasonal rhubarb and warm spices. Easy to prepare! […]

Karen’s Rhubarb Snack Cake with Cardamom & Ginger

A super moist cake which rises high and dotted with seasonal rhubarb and warm spices. Whisk all in one bowl… irresistible! I have a special place in my heart for Rhubarb… ready to pick now through summer. My grandparents had plentiful rhubarb plants sprawling in their garden, and rhubarb pie was typically served after dinner. […]

Stewed Rhubarb Whipped Coconut Cream

The perfect little fruit- whipped cream great to adore Spring & Summer Desserts. Stewed Rhubarb is folded into Whipped Coconut Cream – dairy-free. Not too sweet – highlights rhubarb’s special tart special flavor. Easy to make – add chopped rhubarb to a pot with sugar and orange juice – bring to a boil, simmer just […]

Hibiscus Tea Poached Salmon with Tzatziki Sauce

NEW! Cooking Class in Greenwich CT

Please join me for an exciting Group Cooking Class! Teaching four Inspiring & Healthy Spring Recipes with many local ingredients. See my Contemporary Menu! Registration required, class size is limited. “I believe in delicious, homemade food to nourish us – and spend much of my day testing recipes and compile them for you. I’m obsessed […]

Karen’s Mexican Pulled Chicken Tinga – and how to make fabulous tacos!

Condiments for Flavor – The Little Things Makes the Dish!

Condiments! Yes, these powerhouse RECIPES will add flavor to a bland dish, or were created to enhance the flavor of food. And we all eat for flavor! Tinga Sauce: Originating in Puebla, Mexico, Chicken Tinga is an adaptable and authentic dish made with shredded chicken in a hearty, spicy red sauce. The dish likely originated […]

Karen’s Spring Vegetable Fried Rice

Tossed with my favorite in-season Spring Veggies for a wonderfully healthy dish that’s delicious and fun to make. My method teaches the art of stir-frying – perfectly crisped rice with tender-crisp vegetables and Asian aromatics. Spring Veggies: I’m using Fat Asparagus, Fresh Peas (from the pod), Onions, Scallions, Leeks, Multi-Colored Heirloom Carrots, and Fresh Chives An essence […]

Grilled Asparagus & Hearts of Palm in a quilted pattern with Chimichurri Sauce on a vintage white plate

25 Inventive Spring Recipes – to Get You Cooking!

I’m all about Cooking with the Seasons! Get ready to take on Spring with my FAVORITE RECIPES including lightened-up options, creative first courses, tempting main courses and must-make desserts that. Celebrate this season’s bounty with 25 well-tested recipes! Spring Grilled Asparagus Salad ~ Blood Orange Buttermilk Dressing Let’s start here – time to uncover the […]