Frozen Limonana -a Deliciously Icy Cold Summer Drink

Make Way For Icy Cold Frozen Limonana!!!

All you need is a medium sized bunch of fresh mint, some lemons or limes, sweetener, and ice and you are all set to enjoy your ice cold juicy limonana which is fabulous on a hot summer day. 

Comfort Food: Bean and Lentil Recipes for Snowy Days

It's been cold ( but not snowy here) and I'm Looking back through my blog at some of my older bean and lentil recipes. It feels a little like I am flipping through an old photo album. I’ve been blogging for 16 years now and during that time my recipes have naturally evolved right along with the way I eat and cook.

Tangy Cabbage & Sauerkraut Soup | Easy Fall Recipe

🥣 Soup’s On: 

Bold and Tangy Cabbage & Sauerkraut Soup Recipe

What happened to summer? Was it just two weeks ago that it was 97 hot and humid degrees? Miraculously-it already feels like fall- cool, damp and just 56 degrees ! The temps have been dropping and sweater weather has returned. 

It's time think about soup recipes. When it's cool and damp, I want hearty homemade soup. When I think of hearty, I know I can always count on cabbage.

In My Kitchen - IMK Sept 2025

I'm happy to be joining the In My Kitchen (IMK) monthly roundup, kindly hosted by Sherry over at Sherry’s Pickings!

We had friends visiting from Florida who stayed with us for six days, which meant lots of meals, laughter, and impromptu get-togethers with mutual friends. It was busy—but in the best way!

Creamy Vegetable Kale Soup: Nourish and Rejuvenate

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of homemade soup to bring warmth and nourishment to your day, and this Creamy Vegetable Kale Soup is the perfect blend of hearty and healthy. Packed with creamy potatoes, sweet carrots, flavorful broth, and vibrant kale, this dish is both satisfying and nutrient-dense plant-based soup. 

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: A Go-To Healthy Meal With Black Beans and Broccoli

Quick, Easy, and Healthy: Stuffed Sweet Potato with Black Beans and Broccoli - my easy go-to meal. 

When it comes to finding a meal that’s not only quick and easy but also nutritious, delicious, and budget-friendly, it can sometimes feel like a challenge. However, one recipe that checks all these boxes and more is the stuffed sweet potato with beans and broccoli. It’s a versatile meal that’s packed with flavor and essential nutrients, making it a perfect choice for anyone who wants a wholesome dish without the hassle.

"Super Bowl-Ready "Cheesy" Bean Bake: Perfect with Corn Chips!"

Are you ready for this year's Super Bowl? 

You may still be looking for the perfect Super Bowl appetizer that’s both hearty and crowd-pleasing? Look no further! This Bean Bake is the ideal dish to enjoy with a big bowl of crispy corn chips. Packed with two types of canned beans, tomatoes and a blend of savory seasonings, and creamy (regular or plant-based )cheeses, it’s the kind of comfort food that’s sure to be a hit at your Super Bowl party. Blend with your choice of melted grated cheeses: grated cheddar, feta vegan cheeses.—and of course this dish meets gluten-free standards as well. 

Florida Visit

Celebrating Chanukah with my younger son, my daughter-in-law and 

my grandkids during their visit to our condo in Florida. 

IN MY KITCHEN - JANUARY

Sherry at Sherry's Picking hosts a monthly share called IN MY KITCHEN where anyone can participate.

This is what's IN MY KITCHEN right now for January. 

I have a few fresh herbs in my kitchen because I wanted to make a quinoa tabouleh salad for New Year's Eve for a dinner party. 

Cruising In The Caribbean

We just returned from our cruise in the Caribbean to Belize, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Key West. The weather was warm and lovely except in Belize. It was raining and windy in Belize and since we had not planned any excursions in advance, we did not get off the ship. It was sunny and beautiful in all of the other stops. 

Air-Fryer Latkes for Hanukkah

Potato Latkes -the traditional fried Chanukah indulgence has met it's match.  I don't eat fried food, but I still wanted latkes on Chanukah! 

If you read my previous blog post yesterday (link), you may remember that I searched the Internet for a oil-free vegan latke. I thought it was impossible to make a good vegan latke (oil-free) but they actually came out quite good! 

I baked them in the air-fryer which probably makes them somewhat crispier than making them in the regular oven, but not sure. 

These untraditional potato latkes tasted great with some organic applesauce that I picked up at Trader Joe's. (Yes, Laura- good one)

They were crispy, tasty, and very easy to make. 

I followed the recipe for Latkes on a blog called Plants Rule- but I took a major shortcut. 

My Grated Potato Shortcut

Instead of grating the potatoes, I bought a bag of grated hash brown potatoes that have nothing in them but grated potatoes. 

I simply allowed the grated potatoes to thaw and then followed the recipe. That was my shortcut, but you could grate your own potatoes if you prefer.

Also, I baked the latkes in my air-fryer until one side became crispy, and then I turned them over and baked them until the other side looked crispy. 

We enjoyed them topped with applesauce

I'm thinking about trying the latke recipe again with a mix of grated carrot, broccoli slaw, and potato. I'll let you know.

I'm letting you know:

This is an update using grated potatoes and grated broccoli and carrot slaw! 

Grated Potato, broccoli slaw, Carrot

Update: I tried making these latkes with a mixture of grated potato and broccoli slaw (which contained some grated carrot). It came out good but was slightly more difficult to handle than the mixture with strictly grated potato. I ended up adding a 1/4 cup of water to the vegetable and potato mixture to help it adhere better. 

I did prefer the all potato latkes. 

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Primavera

Looking for a delicious, light, and healthy pasta entree that is loaded with flavorful roasted summer vegetables, tasty olives, capers, and artichoke hearts? This easy vegan pasta primavera is it!!

The Plant-Based College Cookbook -Review and Recipe

I'm thrilled to have a copy of The Plant-Based College Cookbook in my cookbook collection! Although the book is intended for college students, I think that any vegetarian household would welcome these recipes.

Yda's Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan

Sweet red onion rings, slivers of colorful apple, peppery arugula, and shavings of Italian Parmesan cheese, burst with flavor when tossed in my homemade creamy lemon olive oil dressing.  This beautiful salad will delight your family and friends whether it's for a weeknight family dinner or upcoming holiday dinner.

I'm a lover of salads. In fact, we eat a salad everyday. However,  I do try to vary my greens and other ingredients to avoid boredom.

When I want to add some zing to my salads, I add a little arugula. This feathery simple green not only has a zesty taste, but it also provides powerful nutrients.

Roasted Strawberry Parfait

I love this rich strawberry decadent parfait. 

It's fast and easy to assemble, makes a lovely presentation, and tastes divine. In addition, it's relatively healthy and uses only real whole food, making it a healthy snack even for kids! 

Did I mention it's gluten free, egg free and I offer a vegan substitution?

Eat Pasta; Lose Weight

Book Review: The Mamma Mia! Diet

Can you eat pasta and lose weight?
Anything is possible and the authors say yes!

The Mamma Mia! Diet is a book and cookbook which explains how you can eat pasta, enjoy wine, and still lose weight. 

Wordless Wednesday- Professionally Carved Pumpkins

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday!

My neighbor is a professional pumpkin carver- 
His work is amazing! He does them all by hand!
Take a look at these amazing carved pumpkins!

Okroshka- A Cold Russian Yogurt Soup

Okroshka or Russian Kefir soup is as delicious as it is refreshing.

On hot humid days,  there is nothing like an icy cold bowl of soup.

I know, it's hard to warm up to cold soup- but I assure you this authentic Russian recipe for Okroshka will win you over. 

Disclaimer: This blog became strictly vegan (as opposed to vegetarian) in 2020. This recipe, published previous to that date, contains eggs and dairy. 

No Cooking Required if you cook a potato and egg in advance

Let's face it, who wants to cook when it's really hot and humid? This soup requires no cooking and is a nourishing thick soup that is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. This delightful soup is fast and easy to make and naturally gluten-free.

I wish I could say that I was introduced to this exotic soup on a trip to Russia, but that is not the case. My husband and I were traveling through the northern part of Miami in Florida about 20 minutes north of South Beach.

We enjoy ethnic restaurants and found an Uzbekistan restaurant called Chayanya Oasis located in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.

The food is a fusion of Russian and Middle Eastern cultures and is served on beautiful dinnerware in a truly authentic atmosphere. We ate there on a Saturday night when there was live music and dancing to boot.

Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, or what is often referred to as "Little Moscow," boasts a flourishing Russian community; some of the Russian community are residents, some are snowbirds, and others are vacationers.

You would assume that Spanish would be the primary language anywhere near Miami but not in Sunny Isles. It seems like the primary language is Russian and there are many Russian food markets, Russian restaurants, Russian pharmacies, and other Russian owned businesses.

Russian Samovar Tea Set 

 Chayhana Oasis is run by Russian immigrants.   
We enjoyed this soup and the entire evening which was a delightful experience as we indulged in interesting food, drank, danced to lively Russian and American music, and had a heck of a time!

Our waiter spoke English well, gave us great service, and had an awareness of which foods were gluten-free- which was helpful to me. Okroshka was one of the gluten-free items on the menu.

Although I usually shy away from carbs like potatoes, the small amount of potatoes in this recipe are cooked in advance and cooled immediately, making the potatoes what they call "resistant starch" which is supposed to be digested differently than when potatoes are hot.

Resistant starch is not absorbed as glucose but instead can actually break down into short-chain fatty acids aided by the bacteria in our intestines- thus supposedly helping with weight loss.

I tried to duplicate the recipe that we ate in the restaurant at home, and I'm sharing my recipe.

Feel free to increase or decrease the herbs and vegetables to your liking.

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 10 minutes ( if eggs and potatoes are cooked the night before)
Cook Time: none

Ingredients:

2 medium cooked potatoes,  cubed very small
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped very fine
3 Persian cucumbers, peeled and diced very small
3 radishes, chopped very fine
1/4 cup chive  thinly chopped chives
1/4 cup finely diced dill
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
4 cups of plain whole milk yogurt or plain Kefir ( ok use 1% if you insist)
1 cup cold water ( add ice if don't have time to chill)
1/4- 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice ( to your taste)
Himalayan salt and cracked pepper to taste.

Directions:

Pour the kefir ( or yogurt) in a large bowl. Mix in the finely chopped eggs, finely cubed potatoes, the cucumbers,  radishes, chives, dill,  and parsley.  Add 1/2 cup of water and and 1/4 cup of lemon juice and mix. Chill in the refrigerator until very cold. Reserve the remaining liquid until serving and add the remaining liquid only if needed. Season and serve.

My Notes: 
1. My sister in law Joyci uses her Nutribullet to chop herbs ( parsley, dill, radishes, chives);
2. This needs be chilled for at least 6 hours to be really cold

I've linked this post to Souper Sunday
Kahakai Kitchen hosts Souper Sunday each week which is a blog carnival 
where you can link soup, salad, or sandwiches.

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Baked Ziti The Way Grandma Made It

Old Fashioned baked ziti is a comfort food that brings back great memories of family get togethers! Although there are as many baked ziti recipes as there are grandmas, this recipe is the one I always use. It is easy, requiring only 5 basic ingredients and it's a real crowd pleaser. In addition, it freezes beautifully (before or after baking) , and is absolutely lip smacking either way!

Do you need to be Italian to love baked ziti? 

No, it seems like everyone loves it, so it's a perfect recipe to make for company. I always make it when my daughter- in -law, Jackie, visits because she is a pasta lover. Of course once it's made, everyone else enjoys it too!

The recipe is so simple and basic, I never thought of posting it before. However, when I looked through my cookbooks, I couldn't find a recipe for baked ziti. So, I decided to make it easy on myself and record my recipe right on my blog. Of course I found hundreds online, but they were not as simple as grandma's recipe.

So, if you like baked ziti, or are looking for a dish to make for a crowd- this is it! Now you know where to find the recipe (and so do I).

 I used gluten free penne which is available at Trader Joe's for $1.99 a bag or available now in most supermarkets!

I don't make recipes with this much cheese and eggs very often and truthfully, I didn't really eat it!!  My husband and kids loved it and so did my other company. So, If you eat and like cheese and eggs- Enjoy! It's so easy to make.. and lends itself so well to gluten free eating too.

ricotta cheese mixture

I combine the ricotta cheese mixture, some sauce and  the cooked penne noodles before layering it 

I divided the baked ziti into two deep baking dishes. 

Start to layer the sauce, pasta, cheese mixture, repeat in each baking dish

Author: Judee Algazi @ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10minutes
Cook Time : 20 minutes for the noodles
Bake Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients: 

1 pound box of gluten free penne 

1 15 ounce jar of your favorite marinara sauce ( I use BJ's brand bc no added sugar) 

1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley

15 ounce container of ricotta cheese

2 eggs, beaten (might be able to omit

1 bag of Italian shredded cheese combination
1/2 cup of shredded or freshly grated parmesan cheese 

Directions

Boil the penne according to the instructions, drain, rinse and set aside

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, parsley, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of sauce and 1/2 bag of the cheese and 1/4 cup of parmesan.

Mix with the cooked penne.

Pour 1/4 cup each of sauce over the bottom of 2 deep baking dishes. Add a layer of noodle mixture, some sauce, noodle mixture, some sauce and the additional cheese. 

Bake for 55 minutes

My notes: 

1. You could probably leave out the eggs in this recipe and it would still be good.
2. This is a crowd pleaser
3. If you prefer not to use any grain, you could spiralize zucchini in place of the pasta and bake-

Shared on Beth Fish Reads

Eggnog Baked Doughnuts ( Gluten Free )

Doughnuts made with eggnog?  Perfect for Christmas morning AND Yes, they are fabulous and very easy to make.

Do you like eggnog? You will LOVE these healthy baked doughnuts ( I used So Delicious brand non dairy eggnog that is on the shelves for the holiday season ) but use any eggnog you like.

If you want to use the vegan Nog, it comes in a carton and is located on the shelf, not the refrigerator case.

Eggnog doughnuts with chocolate chips added and a glass of eggnog 

I recently bought a doughnut baking pan which makes baking doughnuts so easy. All I did is fill the batter in the pan, popped it in the oven, and they came out as beautiful doughnuts. My grandkids went gaga over them so I know they are good!

I bought my doughnut pan at AC Moore  or you can purchase online at
Wilton Nonstick 6-Cavity Donut Pan 

The batter in the doughnut baking pan


Let's get one thing straight- These are not that sweet donuts!!
And they taste best once they are completely cooled. 
You will probably want an icing.

1-2-3 and you have doughnuts!!!! Personally it was my first attempt at baking doughnuts using a  pan, and I couldn't believe how easy it was!

Author: Judee Algazi
Inspired by a recipe on: Grass Fed Girl
Prep Time: 5-8 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 doughnuts

Ingredients:
1 cup of almond flour ( ground almonds) Trader Joe's sells bags of it
1/4 cup of coconut flour
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup of eggnog ( I used a vegan eggnog by Delicious Coconut Brand )
1/4 cup of olive oil or coconut oil
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup maple syrup
optional: chocolate chips if you are not going to ice the donuts ( ok , add chocolate chips even it you are going to ice the doughnuts)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the dry ingredients ( almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt) and set aside
In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients together and add to the dry. Mix well with a spoon.
Spoon into the doughnut pan. Bake for 20 minutes



Very Easy 5 minute Chocolate Icing

Chocolate Icing #1:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips ( I used dairy free)

Directions 
Using a saucepan and a low flame, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together stirring frequently ( about 3  minutes) Remove from heat.  Spoon over donuts. This makes a smooth shiny icing. Set aside to dry for about 1 hour ( or icing will be sticky)

Chocolate Icing # 2:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar crystals
1/4 cup cocoa

Directions Icing #2:
Using a saucepan and a low flame melt coconut oil, coconut sugar crystals ( Trader Joe or Health food store) in a pan stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. Stir in cocoa and shut off heat. Use immediately. This makes a grittier consistency but very tasty.

This recipe will be shared on Beth Fish Reads- Weekend Cooking where anyone can share a food related post ( appears on Saturday)  

This post will be shared on  

My blog Carnival list 

I am an affiliate for Amazon and I do receive a very small compensation if you purchase on Amazon through my blog. Purchasing through my blog adds nothing to your cost. I appreciate the support that helps to cover the expenses of publishing this blog.

  Wilton Nonstick 6-Cavity Donut Pan
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