Dressing or dip, this versatile Herby Ranch Dip is creamy and delicious, easy to make, and uses ingredients you have on hand. This herby ranch dip is where delicious meets practical! It was developed with my usual zero waste cooking habits at the forefront of my mind, but with the need for a tasty summertime dip that goes with everything. Inspired by the first fresh chives sprouting in my herb garden, this herby ranch dip is designed to help you waste less food, such as wilted herbs and dairy dregs, and at the same, time, eat more vegetables. It’s going to become your go-to dip recipe for spri ..read more

An easy, overnight dinner roll that’s brushed with pesto and served as a side dish for soups and pastas. There’s always a place on the table for a soft, squishy pull-apart dinner roll, and these simple pesto buns are one of our favourites. They are a variation on a traditional Pampushky – a Ukrainian roll made with an overnight sponge and brushed with a garlic-parsley oil. Our version coats the crusty buns with a zesty pesto olive oil, making them the perfect accompaniment to soups and pasta dishes. Read on for the recipe! Pampushky A beloved staple in Ukrainian cuisine, pampushky are fat buns ..read more

Happy Spring! We’ve made it through the darkest months of the year; we deserve to celebrate with something sweet. From decadent chocolate bakes to light and fruit-forward cakes, here’s all the inspiration for springtime dessert recipes you need for the next few months. Stock up on lemons and eggs (mini eggs, too), source a few bundles of local rhubarb, and you’re all set to play in the kitchen! Fruit Dessert Recipes This is my favourite category of springtime dessert recipes. I adore how rhubarb bursts on the scene with its bold, tangy flavour. It really wakes up the palate after a long winter ..read more

A sprinkle-filled, rolled shortbread cookie that melts in your mouth. Great fun for kids’ parties or springtime holidays. Every year at Easter, the kids and I make a variation of shortbread cut-out cookies, using our bunny and chick cookie cutters. Some years they are dipped in chocolate or layered with jam; other years we play with sprinkles. They always bring so much joy, both as a kitchen project, and shared with friends for a springtime tea party. I simply had to serve up the easy recipe for you to try. A classic shortbread cookie never goes out of style, so keep this recipe in your back p ..read more

A rustic, comforting fish chowder that comes together easily and is ready in under an hour. My new favourite chowder is fragrant and brothy, filled with chunks of haddock and tender white potatoes. A maritimer should always have a handy chowder recipe at the ready, however I’ve found that most are overly thick and cloying. This white fish and leek chowder is rustic and wholesome, mostly because it features affordable fish instead of a pot full of seafood. However, if you’re looking for a shellfish extravaganza, try my Simple Cioppino or head straight for an East Coast Seafood Boil. This simple ..read more

A decadent and foolproof one-bowl cake that’s perfect for celebrations, or an everyday bake when a craving for chocolate arises. I hesitated to bring one more chocolate cake to the blog, but this towering, velvety chocolate truffle layer cake is the last recipe you will ever need. Three layers of a delicate sour cream chocolate cake sandwiched together with a whipped, intense chocolate frosting make for a memorable dessert and the grande finale to any gathering. Loved by all, it is our go-to cake for a birthday celebration. It’s my Galentine’s pot-luck cake, sliced up and shared with girlfrien ..read more

Ten recipes for cooking and baking with the versatile winter beet. Inspiration for every meal of the day, plus dessert. Beets are coming home with me at every farmers market these days. Not merely because there’s less selection for locally grown vegetables in February, but beets are a winter staple in the Simple Bites kitchen. With my Ukrainian heritage, I come by my love of beets honestly; it’s just in our DNA. However, it was my years as a fine dining chef that opened my eyes to the versatility of this humble root vegetable. I had one mentor who’s favourite vegetable was The Beet and we feat ..read more

Batch cooking helps these Chicken Meatball Rice Bowls come together quickly. It’s a well-balanced weeknight dinner that the whole family loves. We eat a lot of big nourishing power bowls in January. It just works well to have pre-cooked food stashed in the fridge and freezer, and family members can build their own dinners. These versatile chicken meatballs can be prepped in big batches and frozen, ready for when you need a fast meal. They are light and full of flavour, thanks to fresh ginger, green onions and a splash of sesame oil. The Versatile Chicken Meatball In January, we eat from the pa ..read more

“Some say that home cooking is doomed, but I am convinced that the golden age of home cooking is yet to come…In this world of screens and anxiety, to talk about cooking feels like something that is real and honest and good.” Bee Wilson, The Secrets of Cooking Five years ago I wrote How (and why) to Start a Cookbook Club. It was a response to the questions I was frequently asked about my newly organized group here in Halifax, a sort of dinner-club-slash-book-club. I’m thrilled to say that we are still going strong, with many of our original members, and several delightful new additions. We’ve ..read more

Among the seemingly infinite wisdom of Bee Wilson’s new book, The Secrets of Cooking, a simple life hack for the best omelet recipe jumped out at me. Friends, better and easier omelets are just a step away, thanks to one ingredient. As food writers collectively predict their culinary trends for the new year, I’m, yet again, serving up a classic dish: the omelet. Sure, I’m curious about hot new flavours and fads, but there are some foods that deliver nostalgia, comfort and nourishment, and that is appealing to me. Paired with a slice of cinnamon swirl spelt toast, and a light green salad, there ..read more