These thin rounds of baked seasoned sweet potatoes are an appealing attractive fall appetizer or hors d'oeuvres, with their rich orange color and topped with a a dollop of soft unripened goat cheese mixed with spicy harissa. The heat from the harissa is tempered by the fresh creaminess of the goat cheese to make a perfect pairing with the sweet potatoes. If you're like me and enjoy "little bites" that can be prepared with little fuss, you'll appreciate these just on their own.

Read this recipe »

This easy, earthy, creamy and spicy curry dish is one that is reminiscent of dal makhani, a classic Punjabi preparation featuring whole urad beans — also known as black gram or black lentils — and red kidney beans cooked in an aromatically spiced tomato gravy and finished with plenty of cream. Unlike traditional versions of dal makhani, urad beans are the star by themselves in this dish, complemented with a finish of coconut cream and fresh lime juice, and garnished with crispy fried shallots, coconut flakes and fresh cilantro.

Read this recipe »

I don't make mashed potatoes nearly as often as my husband and friends might like, but now that cooler weather temperatures have descended, I don't mind indulging in starches once in a while myself. Ordinary mashed potatoes whipped with cream and butter may be fine, but I like to dress up almost any kind of food that I cook, and even classics are typically tweaked to suit my fancy. These mashed potatoes — not whipped or mashed too finely, mind you — are blended with fresh ginger, plenty of chilies, and an assortment of Indian spices, and then pan-fried until golden and served with fresh chopped mint. They didn't last long at all when I served them up to guests.

Read this recipe »

Announcement - The 30-Minute Vegetarian Cookbook

Over the 12 years since I started Lisa's Kitchen, I've had countless people asking me when I was going to write a cookbook. I've always deferred an answer, but now I can tell everyone who's asked that I have not only written a cookbook but that it's available for preorder now on Amazon.

I'm excited to announce "The 30-Minute Vegetarian Cookbook," not only because it's my first cookbook, but also because it's a handy compilation of easy vegetarian recipes distilled from my 12 years of experience as a vegetarian food blogger. Subtitled "100 Healthy, Delicious Meals for Busy People," I've designed this book to make everyday vegetarian an easy, rewarding and nourishing experience, from breakfast through to meals and desserts, with snacks and treats in between. I've also included plenty of information and tips to make simple vegetarian cooking as unintimidating as possible.

In advance of the book's release on November 12, I'll be sharing excerpts and photos over the coming weeks to give you a taste of what's inside. Check out my Facebook page for more of these sneak peeks. I'll be looking forward to seeing your comments there.

For those of you who prefer their books on Kindle, the Kindle release will be available on Oct. 29. For those of you living outside of the U.S., the book will also be available on Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.com.au.