What we are dealing with here are deliciously decadent peppermint mochas made at home with about five simple ingredients in ten minutes or less. Featuring:

Milk
Unsweetened Chocolate
Homemade Mint Simple Syrup which will blow your mind with its ease of prep
Rich coffee or espresso
Whipped Cream + Candy Cane toppings bcz we’re divas
Simmer, shake, pour, top. That’s it.
In these days where we AREN’T driving to work or we want to stay home in our PJs instead of venturing out for the must-have coffee shop drink of the season, there is now a cozy 10-minute homemade alternative that can be prepped to our very own liking with no looks from the baristas.
This peppermint mocha should probably come with a warning: BEWARE. HABIT FORMING. NO TURNING BACK. But you knew that already, right? Ain’t nobody got time for warnings when there’s a peppermint mocha to be had.

Cozy up, grab a blanket and a book, and get your December on. Oooooh, it just gives me the happy chills!

ingredients
1x 400g can of butter beans, drained
3 cloves of roasted garlic
70g pine nuts
Juice of 1 lemon
25g basil
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Dash of water
100g frozen peas
2 large handfuls of spinach
Pinch of salt
method
Place the roasted garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, basil, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a dash of water into a powerful blender and blend until a slightly chunky pesto forms.
Place a pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once warm, add the butter beans and cook for 5 minutes until they crisp up around the edges.
At this point, add the peas, pesto and spinach and cook for 5-10 minutes until everything has warmed through and the spinach has wilted.
Serving ideas:
With salads
Piled on top of toasted sourdough
Stuffed into sweet potatoes
this recipe is such a simple and easy meal to make at home. the homemade pine nut pesto tastes delicious mixed through the butterbeans, with the peas bringing a slight sweetness and freshness to the whole dish. we love to enjoy this dish in a number of ways; with salads, piled on top of toasted sourdough and stuffed into sweet potatoes are just some of our favourite ways.

Alright! Today is your day to make simple homemade tomato soup. I can just feel it.

It’s smoky, a little bit sweet, and just as creamy or not-creamy as you want it to be. It’s simple – ready in just under an hour, with MOST of that time being the part where you just gaze lovingly at the pot of simmering tomatoes and let the smells of carrots and onions and garlic and bacon wrap you up in their loveliness.

Cheers to your relaxing, comforting, hug-in-a-bowl tomato soup day!
Why crush the tomatoes by hand?
The main goal here is to use higher quality tomatoes, and usually whole canned tomatoes are higher quality whereas pre-crushed tomatoes are made from bits and pieces of lower quality tomatoes. That being said, I’ve made this without hand-crushing the tomatoes (either using crushed canned tomatoes, or breaking apart the tomatoes in the pan with a spoon) and it’s still delicious.

How can I make this vegan?
Skip the bacon, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and skip the cream at the end (or throw a handful of cashews into the blender with the soup to make it creamy).

You might notice that there are a lot of spices in the ingredients list when I could have just specified taco seasoning instead. The reason is that taco seasoning is not only deeply unhealthy (it’s like 3 kinds of salt) but it’s also not that tasty compared to homemade. The taco seasoning you end up making here is good not just for chicken but beef or pork too, once you try it, you’ll never go back to store bought!

Chicken taco ingredients
Corn tortillas. If you want crispy crunchy tortillas, you’re going to want corn tortillas. Flour tortillas are great too, but they don’t fry up the same way in the air fryer. Usually we like street taco size small corn tortillas (about 4 inches) but we also use the slightly bigger corn tortillas too, the ones that are about 6 inches. We have a local tortilleria where we get tortillas, but you know, Mission street taco corn (or flour) tortillas work well too!

If you’re looking for a homemade snack, this is it! These chickpeas are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, with all the flavors of cacio e pepe, minus the pasta.

I absolutely love crispy roasted chickpeas. They’re so addictive, especially when they’re warm. They’re crispy and crunchy and creamy. When they cool down to room temp or at kept cold in the fridge, they are delightfully chewy and hearty and just so good.

I did a little side by side comparison of oven roasted and air fryer chickpeas and even though I thought that the oven roasted chickpeas would win, the air fryer chickpeas were my favorite, hands down. They shrink a little in the air fryer, loosing more moisture, making them a more crunchy snack. The ones in the oven end up being more creamy on the inside with lightly crispy edges. Both are good, it just depends on what you like and if you have an air fryer or not.

I snacked on a bunch of them while they were hot, then packed the rest up into little containers in the fridge so I can grab them as a quick snack during the week. I love them tossed on salad, pasta, or just as a snack.

Sometimes you just want the hug of a soft taco – especially if you have some plush flour tortillas on hand. For soft chicken tacos, add 2 minutes of cook time to the chicken in the air fryer so the chicken is cooked through. Warm your tortillas up then top with the shredded chicken and hello super juicy soft chicken tacos!
Why air fryer tacos?
Did you know you can make your own crispy hard shell tacos at home? Just like homemade tortilla chips, homemade hard shell tacos are super easy, barely an inconvenience. All you need are corn tortillas. You could deep-fry or bake the tortillas for that crispy crunch you’re looking for, but really, the air-fryer is the answer. Less oil, less mess, more crunch. Everything you could want in a homemade hard shell taco.
Do I need an air fryer?
Technically you don’t need an air fryer because an air fryer is really just a very tiny convection oven that heats up super quickly. So if you have convection mode on your oven or don’t mind waiting for your oven to heat up, you can bake these tacos for that same crispy crunch. We love the current air fryer we have though because it has such a giant fry basket and cleanup is a lot easier than washing baking trays.

Is it just me or have peppermint mochas taken over December life?

There is just no fighting it – it’s early morning, it’s cold outside, the wool mittens have made their annual appearance, Christmas music is pumping. Like, AS IF there is any restraint when it comes to a Peppermint Mocha pit stop. As if.

The baristas always get a little annoyed with me because I’m one of those people who has a super particular order that takes at least 15 sentences to communicate (full fat, no whip, and half the amount of syrup and chocolate) (if you’re a barista, I’m so sorry for my ways), but nevertheless, the December morning peppermint mocha is always, always, always worth it.
I’ve developed something of a habit, which is great, but it also means that I now cannot start my day without a peppermint mocha. (Or Cashew Coffee. Or an Oatmilk Honey Latte. Just really any hot cozy drink.) I mean, like, even if it’s totally ridiculous and out of my way to find one, it must be done. This is my dilemma.

What we are dealing with here are deliciously decadent peppermint mochas made at home with about five simple ingredients in ten minutes or less. Featuring:

Milk
Unsweetened Chocolate
Homemade Mint Simple Syrup which will blow your mind with its ease of prep
Rich coffee or espresso
Whipped Cream + Candy Cane toppings bcz we’re divas
Simmer, shake, pour, top. That’s it.
In these days where we AREN’T driving to work or we want to stay home in our PJs instead of venturing out for the must-have coffee shop drink of the season, there is now a cozy 10-minute homemade alternative that can be prepped to our very own liking with no looks from the baristas.
This peppermint mocha should probably come with a warning: BEWARE. HABIT FORMING. NO TURNING BACK. But you knew that already, right? Ain’t nobody got time for warnings when there’s a peppermint mocha to be had.

Cozy up, grab a blanket and a book, and get your December on. Oooooh, it just gives me the happy chills!

Alright! Today is your day to make simple homemade tomato soup. I can just feeeeeeel it.

It’s smoky, a little bit sweet, and just as creamy or not-creamy as you want it to be. It’s simple – ready in just under an hour, with MOST of that time being the part where you just gaze lovingly at the pot of simmering tomatoes and let the smells of carrots and onions and garlic and bacon wrap you up in their loveliness.

Cheers to your relaxing, comforting, hug-in-a-bowl tomato soup day!
Why crush the tomatoes by hand?
The main goal here is to use higher quality tomatoes, and usually whole canned tomatoes are higher quality whereas pre-crushed tomatoes are made from bits and pieces of lower quality tomatoes. That being said, I’ve made this without hand-crushing the tomatoes (either using crushed canned tomatoes, or breaking apart the tomatoes in the pan with a spoon) and it’s still delicious.

How can I make this vegan?
Skip the bacon, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and skip the cream at the end (or throw a handful of cashews into the blender with the soup to make it creamy).

Home fresh veggies and aromatics like carrots, onion, and garlic.
Yummy herbs like thyme and bay leaf.
Lots of tomato goodness thanks to a delicious can of (HAND-CRUSHED) San Marzano.
Cream. Because, of course.
Ohhhmygosh, the smells that will happen. I am having a hard time imagining anything more comforting than being in my kitchen experiencing the simmer-smells of this simple homemade tomato soup in progress.
I am going to have to ask you —> please make some extremely cheesy Provolone toasts or grilled cheese or grilled sourdough bread or something, because what is tomato soup without the cheesy bread for dunking?

But with that being said, ultimately what is going to warm you to your toes and make you feel like a long nap on the couch is this simple homemade tomato soup. WITH BACON, remember. With bacon.

And if absolutely necessary to round things out a bit, here are a few green things to join the party as well:

Brussels and Kale Caesar with Cheesy Croutons (those croutons are basically a salad topper and soup dipper in one)
Toasted Bread and Parmesan Kale Salad (simple, zippy, cheesy, YUM)
Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad (MORE BACON!)

For the mint syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 bunch fresh mint leaves OR 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (or a combination of both)
for the mocha
3/4 cup milk
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate bar or baking bar (not cocoa powder)
1/2 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee
whipped cream
crushed candy canes
Bring the water to a low boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the mint or peppermint extract and steep for 10-15 minutes (heat off or on low) until the syrup has good flavor to it. Remove the mint leaves and store in the refrigerator for future peppermint mochas.
Heat the milk and unsweetened chocolate together until melted (could be in the microwave or on the stovetop).
Add the milk mixture to a glass jar. Put a cap on the jar and wrap with a towel (the metal lid will get hot). Shake until foamy.
Pour the milk mixture into a mug. Stir in the coffee and 2-3 tablespoons of mint syrup. Top with whipped cream and candy cane pieces.

Alright! Today is your day to make simple homemade tomato soup. I can just feeeeeeel it.

It’s smoky, a little bit sweet, and just as creamy or not-creamy as you want it to be. It’s simple – ready in just under an hour, with MOST of that time being the part where you just gaze lovingly at the pot of simmering tomatoes and let the smells of carrots and onions and garlic and bacon wrap you up in their loveliness.

Cheers to your relaxing, comforting, hug-in-a-bowl tomato soup day!
Why crush the tomatoes by hand?
The main goal here is to use higher quality tomatoes, and usually whole canned tomatoes are higher quality whereas pre-crushed tomatoes are made from bits and pieces of lower quality tomatoes. That being said, I’ve made this without hand-crushing the tomatoes (either using crushed canned tomatoes, or breaking apart the tomatoes in the pan with a spoon) and it’s still delicious.

How can I make this vegan?
Skip the bacon, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and skip the cream at the end (or throw a handful of cashews into the blender with the soup to make it creamy).

for the mint syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 bunch fresh mint leaves OR 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (or a combination of both)
for the mocha
3/4 cup milk
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate bar or baking bar (not cocoa powder)
1/2 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee
whipped cream
crushed candy canes
Bring the water to a low boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the mint or peppermint extract and steep for 10-15 minutes (heat off or on low) until the syrup has good flavor to it. Remove the mint leaves and store in the refrigerator for future peppermint mochas.
Heat the milk and unsweetened chocolate together until melted (could be in the microwave or on the stovetop).
Add the milk mixture to a glass jar. Put a cap on the jar and wrap with a towel (the metal lid will get hot). Shake until foamy.
Pour the milk mixture into a mug. Stir in the coffee and 2-3 tablespoons of mint syrup. Top with whipped cream and candy cane pieces.

Some fresh veggies and aromatics like carrots, onion, and garlic.
Yummy herbs like thyme and bay leaf.
Lots of tomato goodness thanks to a delicious can of (HAND-CRUSHED) San Marzano.
Cream. Because, of course.
Ohhhmygosh, the smells that will happen. I am having a hard time imagining anything more comforting than being in my kitchen experiencing the simmer-smells of this simple homemade tomato soup in progress.
I am going to have to ask you —> please make some extremely cheesy Provolone toasts or grilled cheese or grilled sourdough bread or something, because what is tomato soup without the cheesy bread for dunking?

But with that being said, ultimately what is going to warm you to your toes and make you feel like a long nap on the couch is this simple homemade tomato soup. WITH BACON, remember. With bacon.

And if absolutely necessary to round things out a bit, here are a few green things to join the party as well:

Brussels and Kale Caesar with Cheesy Croutons (those croutons are basically a salad topper and soup dipper in one)
Toasted Bread and Parmesan Kale Salad (simple, zippy, cheesy, YUM)
Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad (MORE BACON!)

Just carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, broth, and bacon are all you need for homemade tomato soup. It’s deliciously rich in flavor and comes together in just under an hour.
Hey friends! This recipe was originally published in 2015 (!!!), but we could all use a little more homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese in our lives, so we’re sharing it here again. Enjoy!

Hallooooo, fall!

And hallo, soup weather. Right? RIGHT? Although, let’s be honest – I would not be sad if I ended up eating this for 12 out of 12 months of the year. This homemade tomato soup could love me all year long.

I based this recipe off of the cream of tomato soup recipe in The New Classics cookbook by Saveur (affiliate link) and yes I’ve essentially read this cookbook cover to cover. Reading a cookbook like this cover to cover essentially means cooking it cover to cover, which is possibly the best thing that ever did happen to me.

Can I blow your mind for a second? This homemade tomato soup starts with bacon. B-a-c-o-n. Tomato soup // bacon // it just works. These are the delicious ways in which Saveur inspires.

What we are dealing with here are deliciously decadent peppermint mochas made at home with about five simple ingredients in ten minutes or less. Featuring:

Milk
Unsweetened Chocolate
Homemade Mint Simple Syrup which will blow your mind with its ease of prep
Rich coffee or espresso
Whipped Cream + Candy Cane toppings bcz we’re divas
Simmer, shake, pour, top. That’s it.
In these days where we AREN’T driving to work or we want to stay home in our PJs instead of venturing out for the must-have coffee shop drink of the season, there is now a cozy 10-minute homemade alternative that can be prepped to our very own liking with no looks from the baristas.
This peppermint mocha should probably come with a warning: BEWARE. HABIT FORMING. NO TURNING BACK. But you knew that already, right? Ain’t nobody got time for warnings when there’s a peppermint mocha to be had.

Cozy up, grab a blanket and a book, and get your December on. Oooooh, it just gives me the happy chills!

Is it just me or have peppermint mochas taken over December life?

There is just no fighting it – it’s early morning, it’s cold outside, the wool mittens have made their annual appearance, Christmas music is pumping. Like, AS IF there is any restraint when it comes to a Peppermint Mocha pit stop. As if.

The baristas always get a little annoyed with me because I’m one of those people who has a super particular order that takes at least 15 sentences to communicate (full fat, no whip, and half the amount of syrup and chocolate) (if you’re a barista, I’m so sorry for my ways), but nevertheless, the December morning peppermint mocha is always, always, always worth it.
I’ve developed something of a habit, which is great, but it also means that I now cannot start my day without a peppermint mocha. (Or Cashew Coffee. Or an Oatmilk Honey Latte. Just really any hot cozy drink.) I mean, like, even if it’s totally ridiculous and out of my way to find one, it must be done. This is my dilemma.

Sometimes you just want the hug of a soft taco – especially if you have some plush flour tortillas on hand. For soft chicken tacos, add 2 minutes of cook time to the chicken in the air fryer so the chicken is cooked through. Warm your tortillas up then top with the shredded chicken and hello super juicy soft chicken tacos!
Why air fryer tacos?
Did you know you can make your own crispy hard shell tacos at home? Just like homemade tortilla chips, homemade hard shell tacos are super easy, barely an inconvenience. All you need are corn tortillas. You could deep-fry or bake the tortillas for that crispy crunch you’re looking for, but really, the air-fryer is the answer. Less oil, less mess, more crunch. Everything you could want in a homemade hard shell taco.
Do I need an air fryer?
Technically you don’t need an air fryer because an air fryer is really just a very tiny convection oven that heats up super quickly. So if you have convection mode on your oven or don’t mind waiting for your oven to heat up, you can bake these tacos for that same crispy crunch. We love the current air fryer we have though because it has such a giant fry basket and cleanup is a lot easier than washing baking trays.

If you’re looking for a homemade snack, this is it! These chickpeas are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, with all the flavors of cacio e pepe, minus the pasta.

I absolutely love crispy roasted chickpeas. They’re so addictive, especially when they’re warm. They’re crispy and crunchy and creamy. When they cool down to room temp or at kept cold in the fridge, they are delightfully chewy and hearty and just so good.

I did a little side by side comparison of oven roasted and air fryer chickpeas and even though I thought that the oven roasted chickpeas would win, the air fryer chickpeas were my favorite, hands down. They shrink a little in the air fryer, loosing more moisture, making them a more crunchy snack. The ones in the oven end up being more creamy on the inside with lightly crispy edges. Both are good, it just depends on what you like and if you have an air fryer or not.

I snacked on a bunch of them while they were hot, then packed the rest up into little containers in the fridge so I can grab them as a quick snack during the week. I love them tossed on salad, pasta, or just as a snack.

You might notice that there are a lot of spices in the ingredients list when I could have just specified taco seasoning instead. The reason is that taco seasoning is not only deeply unhealthy (it’s like 3 kinds of salt) but it’s also not that tasty compared to homemade. The taco seasoning you end up making here is good not just for chicken but beef or pork too, once you try it, you’ll never go back to store bought!

Chicken taco ingredients
Corn tortillas. If you want crispy crunchy tortillas, you’re going to want corn tortillas. Flour tortillas are great too, but they don’t fry up the same way in the air fryer. Usually we like street taco size small corn tortillas (about 4 inches) but we also use the slightly bigger corn tortillas too, the ones that are about 6 inches. We have a local tortilleria where we get tortillas, but you know, Mission street taco corn (or flour) tortillas work well too!