A simple but magical combination of sour cream, cream and lime, a homemade DIY version of Mexican crema, the sour cream-like sauce for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, eggs, even the tops of soups. In our kitchen, Lime Crema is a staple, like ketchup and mustard. We add a tiny dollop to everything, well, not everything, not to hot-fudge sundaes, say, but pret' near everything else.

Homemade bread with a kick, just a touch of salsa and spices. Makes great sandwiches, toast and fry bread. The reddish color is really pretty. And that little kick? Totally unexpected!

A simple sweet 'n' frothy mix of summer strawberries and milks, something creamier and more strawberry-y than a strawberry smoothie, something akin to a strawberry milkshake. Just five ingredients!

What a Match!
The day has finally arrived! Last night I "flipped the switch" and Kitchen Parade's Weight Watchers recipe page is now sorted by Freestyle points!

Another Concept Recipe, Make It Your Way
A healthy grain salad recipe that starts with red quinoa (don't worry, regular white quinoa works too, so would another grain), a few vegetables for crunch, a sprinkle of fresh herbs for brightness, a handful of feta cheese for creaminess, all tossed in an easy vinaigrette. This will be my go-to salad for the summer, protein-packed, fiber-good and eminently variable. But make it your way, it's a "concept recipe" — easily adapted to what you like, what's seasonal in your world, what you have on hand, what sounds good to you!

A simple three-ingredient substitute for Baker's Joy, the baking spray I've relied on for many, many years. If you've got cake plans for Easter, give this easy mix a try. Join me in ditching the Baker's Joy! ~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~


No Sugar. No Cornstarch. No Bittersweet Chocolate. No Baker's Joy. No ...In a rush of baking last week, my usually well-stocked pantry failed me. At every turn, some critical ingredient was in short supply ... or entirely o-u-t out.Some substitutes came easily. Brown Sugar. Potato Starch. Baking Chocolate.But a good substitute for Baker's Joy left me stymied. A double batch of Spiced Honey Cake batter was already mixed and I well remember that even with Baker's Joy, some times the sweet cake is finicky to release. I had little confidence that even an extra-good rub of butter and flour would be enough.

What a chili! It's full of protein and colorful vegetables and beans plus warm chili spices! It deserves fame among those who follow the Weight Watchers freestyle program: every single ingredient is "free" and so this is a zero-point chili! So good! ~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~


This recipe has just been updated! It's an example of a recipe which deserves a new look, thank you Weight Watchers Freestyle. Plus it's a (slightly? I hope?) humorous look at my long-time love affair with frozen vegetables.
Circa 2004: Frozen Vegetables Were a "New" DiscoveryIt’s silly, perhaps, but only recently did I discover frozen vegetables. For too long, unless a vegetable was fresh, it wasn’t worth serving.The transformation happened over a simple supper when a friend served steamed green beans topped with a little butter alongside chicken and rice. Simultaneously sweet and salty, the beans tasted so good – when I learned they were frozen, call me hooked!Now I regularly …

A New Master Recipe
The one salad dressing I make week-in and week-out, just one "recipe" but never the same twice. That's because it's a Master Recipe that invites creative adaptations to match your own family's taste and what's on hand. ~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~

On Valentine's Day, the "Veggie Evangelist" expresses her new love, a marriage of sweet potatoes and carrots. Plus news about Kitchen Parade on your phone! ~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~
~ Skip Straight to the News ~

The Recipe: Dagwood-style sandwich fixins with a Greek twist: rotisserie chicken, a cucumber and feta spread akin to tzatziki, roasted peppers, more feta, pickled onions, fresh greens, all piled between soft rolls. The Conversation: What to make when you've got more cucumbers than you know what to do with. ~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~