Cooking dried beans in a small slow cooker is an easy, economical way to have fresh beans on hand without opening a can. I often make a full pound and freeze the extras for later, but sometimes I only need about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of cooked beans for a single meal. For those … Read more

Hello friends! Are you busy getting ready for Thanksgiving? I hope you’ll be a guest and enjoy someone else’s cooking — though I’ll be the one preparing dinner this year for a small gathering. Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving! Here are a few favorites from last week. First up: delicious Pumpkin … Read more

Chocolate-covered sea salt caramels made with just 5 ingredients! Date-based caramels finished with sea salt flakes — irresistibly good. *Please note* this post was originally published in 2018. The text has been updated but the recipe is the same. With a baby on the way, we recently moved the boys into one room. The first … Read more

Living gluten-free or vegan doesn’t mean you have to skip refreshing summer cocktails. Below are ten carefully selected recipes—from creamy and indulgent to bright and fruity—that are naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Each recipe is simple to make and perfect for sunny afternoons, backyard gatherings, or relaxed evenings. 1. Island Rum This easy, tropical sipper evokes … Read more

In May I ran my first-ever ¡Hola! Jalapeño Reader Survey (you can still take it if you haven’t — I’d love your feedback!). One of the top requests was more recipe roundups. I’m totally on board — I love a good list of recipes, especially when they celebrate summer fruit. For this roundup I asked … Read more

A simple guide to help you understand and cook with the best cooking fats and oils for your health! When shopping for cooking fats and oils, the choices can feel overwhelming. This guide will help you choose healthier options, understand how to use them, and identify ones to avoid. CHOOSING YOUR COOKING FAT Great Choose … Read more

I thought it would be fun to start a new weekly series called “Tidbits.” It will be a casual, eclectic collection where I share short thoughts, useful links, favorite discoveries, recipes I want to try, blogs and products I love, and dishes I’ve recently made that might not fit into a full post. I hope … Read more

These Cranberry BBQ Meatballs combine sweet, tart cranberries with smoky barbecue for an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer. They’re ideal for using leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving or for adding a festive touch to a paleo-friendly holiday spread. You can make them from frozen meatballs for a quick shortcut or prepare meatballs from scratch with simple ingredients. … Read more

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but I still want to share how I enjoyed the day. The morning was wonderfully satisfying. With camera, lights and action—my bedroom served as the set—and suddenly “Precious Inspires” was live on YouTube. My guest was my sister-from-another-mom, Yvonne Chi Leina. We had an engaging, inspiring conversation that touched … Read more