The first time I made this…

Honestly? I was intimidated. Pavlova always looked so fancy and delicate, like something only pastry chefs made. But I had a fridge full of egg whites, a basket of summer berries, and a craving for something sweet — without the heaviness of flour or butter.

So I tried i...

It was a hot summer Sunday, and we had friends coming over for a backyard dinner. I wanted to make pecan pie (my husband’s favorite!) — but the usual version? Way too heavy for summer, and loaded with corn syrup and sugar.

So I experimented with a lighter, cleaner take: a nutty almond flour crust, ...

The first time I made this…

It was right after a trip to the farmers market — I had a giant basket of fresh blueberries, and the kids were begging for pie. But honestly? I didn’t want the sugar crash or store-bought crust.

So I tried a version that used clean ingredients: less sugar, a homemade cr...

The first time I made this…

It was the beginning of strawberry season, and I’d just picked up a big basket from our local farm stand. 🍓
The kids were begging for shortcake (let’s be honest… me too), but I didn’t want the sugar bomb that usually comes with traditional recipes.

So I played around wi...

When I first tried this…

It was SO hot outside. I’m talking sweat-dripping, kids-fighting-over-the-hose, iced coffee-melting-in-10-minutes kind of day.
I had a giant watermelon on the counter, and no one wanted to eat it in chunks anymore. So I froze it on a whim — and blended it with a little lime...

It was one of those scorching hot afternoons when everyone in the house was cranky and sweaty — myself included.
I opened the freezer and realized we were out of store-bought popsicles. But honestly? I was tired of the ones filled with weird dyes and sugar anyway.

So I grabbed some frozen mango, to...

I made this on a total whim…

It was one of those hot and sticky afternoons when the kids were asking for dessert, and the last thing I wanted to do was touch the oven. I had some coconut whipped cream, a box of grain-free cookies, and berries on the edge of going bad — and boom 💥 the idea hit me.

The first time I made these…

I was deep in that post-lunch slump — you know, the kind where you’re craving something sweet but don’t want to undo all the good choices you’ve made all week.
I remembered the lemon bars my grandma used to make — so buttery and sweet, with that perfect zing of lemon.

There was a season when every craving led me to chocolate or store-bought snacks. I’d tell myself I "deserved it" after a long day, but the sugar crashes and bloating afterward told a different story.

This Berry Crisp was one of the first “sweet treats” I could feel good about. Made with real fruit...

What if dinner felt light, fresh, and actually exciting again?

A few summers ago, I had one of those nights. The fridge was half-empty, the kids were hungry, and I was staring at a box of pasta wondering how I could make something out of nothing.

Then I remembered a dish I once had on a trip to th...

I still remember the first time I made this peach cobbler. It was one of those chaotic Thursday nights — dishes in the sink, laundry halfway folded, and everyone asking, “Is there anything sweet?” (You know that moment, right?)

Instead of grabbing something processed from the pantry, I opened the f...

You know those recipes that just feel like sunshine?

That’s this cake.

I first made this Lemon Yogurt Cake on a rainy spring day when I desperately needed a mood boost — and wow, did it deliver. It’s moist, tender, and packed with lemony flavor thanks to real lemon juice, zest, and creamy yogurt (...