This gingery curried carrot soup with cauliflower is one of my favourites - perfect for sipping out of an oversized mug or eating from a deep bowl while curled up on the couch. (The curry flavour is mild - add more or omit it for more sensitive palates.)

I love a good, simple curry. This one is about as easy (and cheap!) as it gets, which is a blessing on hot summer nights. We love it with a cool cucumber and yogurt salad on the side, spicy mango chutney, some warm naan, and a bit of rice. Who needs to go out for Indian food when you can just make it at home?

Jake and I love pitas stuffed with spiced meat. This recipe was adapted from Food Network magazine's March 2010 issue, and instead of buying tortillas I made my own! It's a lot easier than you think, and the results are totally worth it.

Stumped for dinner one evening, I sent a plea out to Twitter for dinner inspiration. Katie responded with this recipe and I was intrigued. Spicy and delicious, these patties are great cold for a snack, hot with a salad and some mango chutney, or tucked into a lunch box. Add more chili flakes if you like spicy, but for kids I’d leave them out.

Some time ago I found a portion of a lamb leg on sale at the grocer, and since lamb is so expensive around here I couldn’t help but pounce on the opportunity. That is, until I got home and thought, “now what?” I consulted Twitter, asked friends, tweeted Jamie Oliver, and finally settled on this recipe. Am I ever glad I did. Meltingly tender, spicy deliciousness filled the staff room the other day as I finished some for lunch, and every person who entered eyed my plate hopefully. 

Creamy and mild, you will never miss the meat when you serve this delicious vegetarian curry over basmati rice. Lentils make the sauce filling and rich, yet you barely notice they are there. We had this with steamed rice, fresh naan, and mango chutney. It made fantastic leftovers and has been deemed a favorite by my teenager!

Prawns are definitely one of my family’s favorite things to eat, but for the longest time I’ve been in a rut when it comes to cooking them. Sure, I can saute them up with garlic butter and serve with lemon wedges, but what else? There has to be something more exciting! When this recipe arrived in a Canadian Living magazine, I couldn’t resist making it almost immediately.