Favorite Recipes & Meals Lately

Hey hey! Super excited for this post because one, I love sharing fun new recipes and delicious eats with y’all, but two, it’s selfishly so convenient for me to have these documented records of tried and true meals. I feel like every few months I go through a period of feeling totally uninspired in the kitchen and having absolutely no idea what to make, so this is for future me too. 🙂

Oh and thank you SO MUCH for all your sweet messages to me regarding my last post – you guys make my heart so full. I’m really really happy to be back.

So when I first moved to SF, I went through a period of total brain freeze in the kitchen. My mind would literally draw a blank when I would try to remember anything I’d ever cooked, and when I stared at random ingredients in the fridge, I couldn’t for the life of me think how to combine them into any semblance of a meal. It was really weird because it’s not like I wasn’t cooking while living with my mom, and for years prior.

But I think part of it was being in a new space, where I didn’t yet have access to all my pantry staples and spices and cookware, and also being aware that I’d be cooking for my boyfriend too who has slightly different eating habits and preferences than me or my mom. All of which translated to LOTS of easy (yet still delicious!) frozen meals – Trader Joe’s gnocchi and ravioli on repeat, Chinese potstickers with frozen veggies that I sautéed in black bean sauce and sriracha all served over furikake rice (honestly gourmet AF), and many cheese/charcuterie boards (thank goodness my bf shares my affinity for cheese plate dinners lol).

And then, one day, I began to feel that creative itch again, suddenly thinking of favorite recipes I hadn’t made in a while, or even coming up with my own ideas for meals that sounded good. In a way, it was kind of similar to my regaining the inspiration to write on here…

I’m hoping to make this a pretty regular series, since I am cooking a lot recently, and much of it is pretty new to me. Hopefully, this gives you some inspiration in the kitchen, too, and if you have any of your own quick, easy, and delicious recipe recommendations, definitely drop them in the comments. I can always use more ideas. 🙂

So without further ado, here are some tasty eats and recipes I’ve been loving lately.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I FINALLY made this recipe that’s probably been saved in my bookmarks for about 10 years. Not even kidding. This was also special because it was the first thing I baked here in SF – I don’t have any bakeware here other than a baking sheet, so I’m pretty limited to just cookies. And for a while there, I didn’t have any baking ingredients like flour, sugar, etc.

But one morning, I woke up with the STRONGEST craving for homemade cookies and that very day I ordered all the baking essentials I needed and selected this recipe. They were absolutely delicious – the brown butter really gives an added dimension to the flavor. The only thing is I definitely underbaked them because I’m still figuring out this oven, and I really didn’t want to overbake them. So mine didn’t have the crispy edges they’re supposed to, but they were super soft and gooey and delicious anyway.

Mushroom, Kale, Cauliflower Rice Stir Fry + Steamed Salmon

I doctored up this cauliflower rice recipe with some extra sauces and spices (black bean sauce, a homemade hot sauce, 21 seasoning salute, everything but the bagel). My boyfriend makes a delish steamed salmon – I think he just puts a spice rub on it and then cooks it in a shallow water bath on the stovetop for around 15 minutes on medium heat. Always delicious.

Maple Candied Pecans

Decided to make a batch of these at the same time as the brown butter cookies for easy snacking, and ugh they’re just so satisfying. Also love them in a fall kale salad.

Roasted delicata squash + goat cheese + chicken sausage + sautéed brussels sprouts with a splash of soy sauce and balsamic glaze

I adore delicata squash, so when I saw it in stores I immediately snagged a couple. Love the combo of it with goat cheese, and Brussels sprouts really went with the whole fall/winter veggie theme. The chicken sausages are from TJ’s, and are so easy and delicious when you need a protein option in a pinch.

Roasted crispy potatoes + pan-seared chicken thighs + roasted brussels sprouts + easy honey mustard sauce (just honey, dijon, garlic, salt, pepper)

Such an easy, delicious, and hearty meal.

Amazing farmer’s market acai bowls

Acai bowls really do hit different in California. My fave so far was this one I got at the Outer Sunset farmer’s market.

This gourmet cheese board

This was a virtual work bonding event where we were taught how to make a fancy and beautiful charcuterie board, and I’m quite proud of the results. We had it for a few meals/snacks in the next few days hehe.

Outerlands dinner

We went here for my boyfriend’s birthday dinner, and it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a very very long time. It’s a farm-to-table place, so all the dishes were so fresh and inventive and flavorful. I think farm-to-table is my favorite cuisine haha (is that even a cuisine?). We had their incredible homemade levain bread with butter (could have just eaten this for my meal and been ecstatic about it), roasted squash with goat cheese , cranberries, and walnuts, and then for entrees we got the mushroom risotto and tagliatelle bolognese.

Holy YUM – it was all unbelievable. I can’t wait to come back here next season when their menu totally changes, and I also really want to try their brunch. If you’re in SF, don’t miss this spot!

Incredible Kale Sausage Pasta

This meal came straight from my creative mind, and I am so proud of how it turned out. It was one of those times where you picture a certain meal, and you hope it turns out like you imagine it once you actually make it, and this time it DID. Recording the recipe here because I definitely will be adding this to my regular rotation and also want to share it with y’all.

Makes 2 servings:

Boil 2 servings of pasta in salted water, as normal. Meanwhile, heat a skillet and add a pat of butter and 2 chicken sausages (I used the pre-cooked garlic herb ones from TJ’s) until browned on all sides. Then take those the sausages off the pan, add a bit more butter, and sautéed some finely chopped shallot and garlic until fragrant and translucent. While that cooks, slice the sausages into little rounds. Add the rounds back into the skillet and let everything cook together for a few minutes. By this point, the pasta should be ready to go, so drain it and make sure to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water (you’ll need this for the sauce!).

Now add the pasta, kale, and any other veggies you desire into the skillet with the sausage rounds (I did kale and broccoli because that’s what I had on hand). Pour in some of your pasta water and cover, allowing everything to incorporate and steam. Then add some parmesan cheese to taste (I was quite generous, which I recommend :p), and mix everything together. It should create a creamy sauce with the pasta water – you can add more pasta water as needed to make it more creamy if it’s a bit too dry. Finally, add in some spices – I did 21 seasoning salute, Everything but the bagel seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Plate and enjoy!

Roasted japanese sweet potato + roasted broccoli + steamed salmon (with TJ’s teriyaki sauce for dipping)

Okay I have been SLEEPING on Japanese sweet potatoes, but they are so freakin’ good. If you haven’t had them, they look like normal potatoes when roasted but they have the creaminess of traditional sweet potato without as much sweetness. I love them roasted simply with olive oil and everything but the bagel seasoning (or just do salt, pepper, garlic powder).

Pineapple King buns

This place went viral a couple years back and is extremely popular here in SF. As you know, the level of hype is not always proportional with how great a spot is, so I was definitely skeptical. But holy moly, these buns were otherworldly. So they have tons of different flavor combos, and I definitely recommend sampling a bunch, but after trying about 8 different varieties they offer, I am fairly certain the best item on the menu (and one of the best foods I’ve ever eaten honestly) is their regular pineapple bun with butter. Just trust. If you’re able to get it hot, that’s the best way to eat it, but if not, they warm up great in the oven at home. So good.

Easy veggie pasta with tomato sauce and goat cheese

This has been one of my go-to easy dinner recipes for years now, and I love how quickly it comes together but how it tastes totally gourmet and satisfying. Simply boil your pasta as normal, and meanwhile in a pan sautée whatever veggies you like (I usually start with finely chopped garlic and onion, and then add in broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, etc.) Once cooked, add your pasta to the pan, followed by a generous amount of favorite marinara sauce (LOVE Rao’s but TJ’s has a good one too) and a few pieces of creamy goat cheese (I like herbed goat cheese for this, but you can do plain). Mix everything really well, until it creates a smooth creamy pink sauce. Add your spices of choice, and enjoy! So quick and simple and so delish.

And that’s all for me today. If I don’t do another of these recipe roundups next week, I’m thinking I might share some of my favorite books/movies/podcasts/miscellaneous things a la Joy Diaries, but we shall see which way the wind blows. 🙂 In any case, hope you have a lovely rest of your week and happy eating!