SIA Around the World

Who is a fan of rice pudding? Not me! Er, well, it’s not something I ever grew up with or have ever craved. But when impromptu girls nights happen and the theme is Indian, you whip up an Indian-style rice pudding. I present to you: kheer.

I think I’m pretty much obsessed with green pastas. It’s just the best way of eating pasta without feeling super guilty about it. I mean - who am I kidding - do I ever feel guilty after eating pasta? No. But with my veggie-packed dishes, you won’t ever regret having a few bowlfuls of this.

The food so cute they named it twice: couscous! I love cooking with couscous. It’s such a versatile ingredient that takes just mere minutes to prepare. Forming them into cakes was a complete cinch. Just a touch of lemon and some fresh parsley and you have a perfect appetizer - just don’t forget the aioli!

Who says lettuce is banned from pasta salads? Who says pasta salads are limited to drowning perfectly great pieces of pasta in a mayonnaise bath? Not that there is anything wrong with that but I’m generally not a huge fan. To lighten the load, I’ve swapped mayonnaise with pesto and beefed up the salad with crunchy iceberg lettuce and chunks of butternut squash. For additional crunch, add some toasted bread crumbs - perfect for a summer party!

Chilaquiles. Chee-lah-kee-less. Have you had it before? A Mexican breakfast staple that takes leftover stale tortillas and fries them up until crispy with salsa roja and topped with cheese, eggs and avocado. If that’s not the best breakfast ever, I don’t know what is. Plus, it takes like five minutes to make - done!

Paellaaaaaa! Who doesn't love paella?! First of all, carbs. Second of all, it’s delicious AF. And third of all, its presentation is so beautiful. If you want to impress a crowd, make paella. Don’t question it, just do it.

Is this still a recipe if it’s for instant noodles? Eh, it’s my blog and I say yes it is! There is something that is just so satisfying about instant noodles but at the end of the day, it isn’t so healthy. Ditch the MSG-laden packet and replace it with a few ingredients that may be lingering in your fridge and pantry. This is much more satisfying than ripping open a package, right?

#MasonJarMondays is back! I had a little obsession with packing all of my lunches, mainly salads, in mason jars a couple years ago. I’ve rediscovered it and want to ignite that again. Just how cute is my salad!? Speaking of salads, this grilled chicken couscous salad is the perfect summertime lunch. There is so much flavour that comes from the grill that you can really go easy on the seasoning here. So good.

I used to love making shortbread as a kid. So easy. Butter, sugar, flour - done! I mean, copious amounts of butter, can it really get any better than this? Well friends, it can. Queue in caramel. Queue in chocolate. AND Maltesers?! Yes…imagine it now. Or just make the damn thing! The recipe is so extremely easy that you’ll be indulging in this within a couple hours.

Leaving for long trips is always the ultimate Chopped challenge: how to use up all of the leftover ingredients in your fridge. So… wilting cilantro, sprouting garlic, and a cup of milk turned into this cilantro spaghetti Alfredo. Turned out to be surprisingly delicious and my neighbours could attest for that!

Never thought in a million years that I’d be traveling to Wellington but of course, life trajectories happen and have lead me to this beautiful city. Wellington was the highlight of this trip to the Pacific Islands and I am glad I made the trek out there. Wellington, although small, is completely doable in a day or two. Its best enjoyed starting off the day at one of the many artisanal coffee shops, people watching by the bays and ending with a cocktail or two. One of the most hipster cities I’ve seen as a whole and I loved it all. Read on to find out why!

I have a new blog, hooray! After a long year of thinking about making this blog, I've finally taken the leap and just did it. This blog is centred around my two of my biggest loves: travel + food.