by Aimee My simple method shows how to make easy poached chicken for meal prep. The post includes tips for keeping it moist and recipe ideas for shredded chicken. This won’t be the most alluring recipe I’ve posted here, but it just might be in the top ten most practical! Our family tends to go pretty full tilt over the summer. I take a break from work and we get busy making memories. When you live in an ocean province, it’s practically mandatory to pack a picnic and head for the beach as often as possible. During the day, I try to limit my time in the kitchen so I can be the lifeguard on duty ..read more

by Aimee A reliable recipe for classic homemade lemon blueberry muffins, with do-ahead options, plus tips + tricks for success. Blueberry muffins are a classic bake, timeless and nostalgic. One bite brings us back to childhood and a slow Sunday morning around the brunch table or an after-school snack. Today’s recipe is one worth passing down to the next generation. It delivers on every aspect that’s required to claim the best blueberry muffins: tender crumb, balanced sweetness/tang, lofty tall tops, and heaps of fruit. I’ve also included tried and tested tips for you, the home baker, to achiev ..read more

by Aimee A practical and thorough list of essential kitchen tools for baking at home. As a lifelong baker, I couldn’t get by without my battered cookie sheets and trusty 8-inch round cake pans. When I think of all the birthday cakes and lunchbox cookies they have turned out over the years, I get a little emotional. My teens are already thinking ahead to when they have their own apartments, and are asking about stocking it with essential kitchen tools for baking. So I wrote this post for them, as well as all of you. Casual bakers, who take on the occasional showstopper dessert, here’s my profes ..read more

by Aimee A family favourite, this gluten-free vegan soup is simple to prepare and uses everyday pantry ingredients. Ahhh, the comfort of homestyle cream of tomato soup. It’s a classic, loved by all, whether you pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich or not. Today I’m sharing a delicious soup for all seasons; a recipe you’ll be making for years to come. Why? Well for one thing, it comes together with minimal effort using simple pantry ingredients. The blender does most the work to create this luscious soup. Another bonus? My homestyle cream of tomato soup is gluten-free and vegan so everyone ca ..read more

by Aimee A five-ingredient appetizer that’s perfect for easy entertaining, crispy phyllo-wrapped baked feta is a recipe for all seasons! March can be a challenging month to find inspiration in the kitchen. As much as I love my local farmers, I’m a tad tired of the root vegetables I’ve been cooking all winter. Yet the bounty of spring produce is still weeks, if not months, away. Enter feta cheese. It’s an ingredient I can always get excited about, whether it’s simply crumbled onto a side salad or the star of the show, like in today’s recipe. Crispy phyllo-wrapped baked feta with a floral lavend ..read more

by Aimee Sugaring Off: it’s the sweetest season here in Eastern Canada. The warm spring air draws the sap up the trunks of the tall maples where it is collected and boiled down for pure maple syrup. March is entirely bearable because it gives us this liquid gold. One taste is worth all the slushy snow and frozen mud, but we go far beyond a mere taste! Maple syrup is the sweetest way to eat local in spring, and I feature it in both sweet and savoury dishes. Today’s post is a round-up of some of our favourite maple recipes for brunch, dinner and dessert. Our family has a long history of collect ..read more

by Aimee Today I’m sharing a handful of cherished Ukrainian recipes that anyone can prepare at home. It’s a humble cuisine that is steeped in tradition, rooted in love and shared with pride. Over the past year, we have borne witness to the pain and suffering of the Ukrainian men, women and children as they have endured a senseless war. I couldn’t let this day pass – one year since the invasion – without acknowledging that I indeed #StandwithUkraine. As a borscht-cooking, varenyky-pinching member of the Ukrainian diaspora, I’m honoured to share the food of my mother’s heritage with you. These r ..read more

by Aimee Hello readers! Thank you all so much for the warm response to my last, deeply personal post ‘New Year, New Journey‘. It was very moving to hear your stories; and I thank you for sharing. I really appreciate all the advice, and feel your support. It’s taken some time to adjust to our Food Adventure (as we are calling it instead of elimination diet) but we are taking it one day at a time. At first, eating gluten-free and dairy-free is all consuming…you can’t let up for one minute or there’s a kiddo slipping whole grain tortilla chips into the grocery cart. After a few weeks, however, a ..read more

by Aimee Hello 2023! Dear Readers, I’ve never been great at following food trends or blogging for the masses. I write what is close to my heart. I might craft a post about Paska bread prompted by the war on Ukraine, or develop a recipe inspired by my latest muse, like a simple spinach salad discovered on a trip to Greece. I write from life experiences and I always have. This new year my food journey is taking a slight detour. In brief, our daughter Clara’s naturopath has recommended she try an elimination diet for a few months. Please know that the following opinions are merely my own, and I a ..read more

by Aimee Menu suggestions and recipe links for all of your holiday meals from brunch to cocktails to dinner. The countdown to Christmas and the end of the year is truly on. I’m jotting down menu ideas and making grocery lists. Careful planning is how I stay organized for the next few weeks. That planning, combined with meal prep and some batch cooking is also how I ensure that I am relaxed with my feet up on Christmas day. Truly! I thought I’d share a few menu suggestions in case you needed inspiration. Even if you find one dish that will round out your menu, then I have been successful. Simpl ..read more