Happy New Year, friends! I’m back in town after a vacation home to Florida, and life is good. After taking some time to unplug from technology to reconnect with family, friends, and the good stuff in life, we are back in business and ready to rock.
New Years is one of my very favorite holidays. The sentimental reflection paired with the coming year’s new potential just puts things in perspective and speaks to my spirit. New Years also marks the anniversary of this blog’s humble beginnings! I couldn’t help but put together a little retrospective of the most popular recipes of flavorRD’s first year. Read on for the countdown!
14. Spicy Artichoke Pasta: Weeknight dinner in a hurry! The pantry staples that make up the backbone of this dish make it a go-to in my house.
13. Sweet Chili Tofu Salad: Lunchbox nirvana. I can’t get enough of these sweet and spicy baked tofu cubes, inspired by the stuff they serve at the Whole Foods salad bar.
12. Instant Pot Tamale Party: Tamales are a big project, but pressure-cooking makes the endeavor dinner party friendly. It was a big hit with my guests!
11. Dark Chocolate Cake with Berries and Coconut Cream: flavorRD’s most popular dessert by a landslide. Can’t say that I’m surprised, as she is quite the looker.
10. Vegan Caribbean Coconut Curry: Loads of veggies, beans & greens, a touch of the tropics, and stick-to-your-ribs satisfaction. A steamy bowl of this is perfect for chilly winter nights.
9. Banana Jam: This unexpected tropical delight is a simple way to make use of browning bananas – a great back-pocket recipe if you have resolutions to waste less food.
8. Polenta-Crusted Asparagus and Feta Quiche: Not only a rut-busting dinner, but also a perfect choice for a gluten-free brunch.
7. Mom’s Chicken Cacciatore: It warms my heart that this home recipe has had such a popular reception. Definitely a favorite comfort food in my family!
6. Morning Glory Muffins:Β One of the fun perks of blogging is being able to look back and reminisce about the life I’ve been living, through the lens of food. These muffins, for example, remind me of the exciting first days at my current dream job… and since the recipe is documented, it’s easy to get back in the kitchen and relive those moments!
5. Steel-Cut Oat Pancakes: This recipe dates back to the early days when I was struggling to wrap my head around proper lighting for food photography. Thankfully, people seem to be able to look past the blinding sun for the most crazy-delicious whole-grain pancakes that make use of leftover cooked steel-cut oats.
4. Fresh Vietnamese Noodle Bowls: I wish I could grab those chopsticks and dig in right now. Fun Fact: after many frustrating rejections, this image was my first ever acceptance to Foodgawker!
3.Β Savory Stuffed Acorn Squash: Sweet and creamy squash stuffed to the brim with flavorful whole foods.
2. Instant Pot (or not!) Chicken Tortilla Soup: One of my all-time favorite dinners, optimized to take advantage of my newest favorite appliance. Whether you prefer to pressure-cook or not, it’s a must-try.
And finally, the number one recipe of flavorRD’s first year…
1. Steel-Cut Muesli, California-Style. This humble jar of chilled overnight oats came out on top! Hearty, wholesome, drop-dead simple and studded with the agricultural gems of the state I call home. I couldn’t imagine a more fitting recipe to illustrate the way we approach food around here!
I feel so much gratitude for all I was able to learn in this first year of blogging, and I just can’t wait to see how things continue to evolve. Good things are ahead… thank you for being here!