Mexican Tomato and Jalapeño Salsa

For the most part, I make all of my own sauces, salsas and chutneys. Preservative laden store-bought varieties usually pale in comparison to the ones made in our own kitchens with fresh ingredients. Most of the ones I make are relatively easy to prepare too, requiring little time or fuss. This fiery salsa is a fine example and can be made as spicy or as mild as you please, simply by adding more or fewer jalapeños and some spices.

Goat Cheese Biscuits

I'm certain one of the reasons I am not vegan is creamy goat cheese, and oh yes, paneer cheese too. I adore buttery biscuits with cheese in the mix. Surely an indulgence, once in a while comforting biscuits are in order. Darkness has engulfed the city I reside in, as usual. My oven shines despite it all.

Millet and Chickpea Flour Crêpes with Spinach

I've often noted that millet is an under-appreciated grain. And that's strange, because it has a unique and nutty texture that is a bit lighter than rice and a fine accompaniment to any meal requiring a grain side. In addition, it works well as part of a main entrée too.

Raw Pistachio Cashew Halva

After the indulgences of the holidays, many of us move away from decadent treats and desserts. But that doesn't mean a sweet tooth need be denied, especially when it's as easy and healthy as this homemade halva.

If you've ever had the opportunity to experience the unique texture of fudgy and grainy halva, chances are you won't forget it. In my case, halva can be pretty much irresistible on those occasions when I indulge the craving. A popular sweet in the Middle East, the primary components are tahini (sesame seed paste), nuts and sweetener, such as honey. Often it is flavored with chocolate and sometimes it is made with flour and simmered in a syrup. Halva is not particularly complicated to make at home, although many of the recipes I've come across contain more processed sugar than I care to consume and some require simmering time.

This raw version simplifies the whole process and contains only a modest amount of honey to satisfy the sweet tooth. Pistachios, cashews and whole sesame seeds shine here with nutty tahini, honey and vanilla. A portion of the sesame seeds may be ground if desired for a smoother version.

Drumstick Sambar with Seared Eggplant

When I first began cooking Indian food, most of my dishes were inspired from classic north Indian cuisine. As I became more comfortable with spicing and my curiosity expanded, southern Indian creations soon became a passion. Sambars are a signature part of south Indian eating, typically serving as the first course of the meal along with rice, followed up by a brothy rasam and other vegetables dishes, such as poriyals. These thick soup-like creations can be made with any number of vegetables and are typically served with rice and other accompaniments. But sambars are substantial enough to serve as the main course of a meal, especially when served with rice and some Indian flat breads.

Eggplant, Mushroom and Cheese Quiche

I'm rather off and on again when it comes to eating eggs, but when an egg dish is done well it can be a real treat. So when I saw an egg recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi's latest cookbook, Plenty More, I knew it was time to interrupt my latest break from eggs … especially when eggplants are involved.

Avocado Blackberry Smoothie

The holidays are often a time of indulgence. Larger meals and more sweets. Once the festivities are over, many of us turn to healthier and cleansing solutions for meals. Smoothies are always a good choice to start the day, especially when creamy avocado and berries take the shining role, as they do here along with banana, almond milk and hemp seeds. In addition, not only is this smoothie packed with nourishment, but it takes hardly anytime at all to whiz up. If you like your smoothies sweeter, simply add more honey.

10 Most Popular Recipes in 2014

Top 10 lists seem to be all the thing at the end of each year, so I thought it might be fun to see what the 10 most popular recipes I've put up this past year have been. Not as easy as I thought it would be, but after stumbling around in Google Analytics for a while — does anyone else find this tool as unintuitive as I do? — I finally figured it out.

It's easy for me to see firsthand which recipes my husband, friends and family enjoyed the most over the year, but it has been very interesting to find which recipes have resonated the most with my readers and followers. Some I could have predicted — my baked quinoa falafel bites were probably my own favorite recipe of the year, and my saag aloo (or potato and spinach curry) is definitely a new classic. The diversity of foods that you seem to have enjoyed this past year from my blog shows me that I should continue to be diverse in my own kitchen — an easy thing for me to aspire to since I always like to try my hand at all kinds of different ingredients, techniques and cuisines. So I hope that you will enjoy my recipes for this coming year as well.

My Legume Love Affair #79 - January 2015

I am happy once again to be hosting My Legume Love Affair, an event celebrating the ever popular legume that so shines in our meals. Thanks to dear Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook, who is the brainchild behind this event. She passed the baton to me and thanks to all of the other bloggers who keep the engine rolling with their creativity and support. Here we are into 2015 — legumes are never boring and provide happiness and essential protein in our diets.

To share in the legume love affair, all you have to do is:

Prepare a vegetarian dish centered on legumes. Link back to this announcement, my blog and also Susan's blog, as she was the original founder of the event. Share your creation using the linky tool at the end of this post by the end of the month. Use of the lovely logo, designed by Susan, is optional, but appreciated.

Because I own and maintain a vegetarian cooking site, only entries that are free of meat, fowl and seafood will be accepted. Please only one submission per month, per blogger. Recipes from your archives will be accepted if reposted and updated. You may submit your recipe to other events, but please check to see if those hosts have restrictions.

For your dish to be included in the roundup, it must contain more than just a few tablespoons of legumes. The slight exception to this are legumes such as fenugreek or tamarind that typically are used in smaller quantities. Fresh or dried beans, lentils, pulses, and the sometimes edible pods that contain these seeds, and derivative products such as tofu or besan, along with fenugreek, carob, and peanuts are all acceptable. The possibilities are endless. Please just ensure that your shining ingredient is in fact a member of the legume family. All types of cuisines and courses are welcome, so long as the mighty legume is the key ingredient.

Thanks for your inspiration and participation. I am looking for hosts for 2015. Send me an email at legume.lisa AT gmail DOT com or leave a comment on this post if you would like to host.