by on February 26, 2020   •   5 Comments Dinner

Classic Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

A simple, classic beef stew with root vegetables, full of flavour and served up family style.

This dish really needs very little introduction. It’s a big pot of comforting beef stew, featuring a good balance of meat and vegetables.

Two cookbooks and a decade of recipe writing, I’ve never shared a beef stew recipe. Why now? Because my children are asking for my method and I’m finally putting it down in writing.

Stew should be simple, and this one is just that, with a whole lot of well-rounded flavour.

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by on February 19, 2020   •   17 Comments Cooking School

10 Kitchen Rules to Cook By

Even after years of practice, it still can be challenging to get a home-cooked meal on the table.

Today’s post reviews a list of reminders for achieving this goal, day after day. Most well-established kitchen habits or ‘rules’ have stood the test of time, but others have shifted with the changing years.

For example, a few mantras, such as ‘clean-as-you-go’, have been replaced by zero-waste efforts and eco-conscious movements. Mindful eating is more important than ever.

We’ve also realized that sitting down for dinner is about being present, rather than perfect. And I think we’ve given ourselves permission to simplify it all.

With that in mind, here are ten kitchen rules to cook by for the modern home chef.

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by on February 12, 2020   •   1,421 Comments Entertaining

Giveaway: Le Creuset Minimalist Dinnerware Set

Win a set of timeless stoneware dinnerware that will last for a lifetime of gathering and entertaining.

In the world we know today, true hospitality requires one to be a rebel.

The act of opening yourself up to give or receive a meal is a radical one. It flies in the face of a culture fixated on speed and self-reliance.

In celebration of the ten-year blogiversary of Simple Bites, today’s giveaway is for a 48-Piece Minimalist Dinnerware Set from my friends at Le Creuset!

This contemporary yet classic collection will help you set a beautiful table when hosting friends and family.

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by on February 10, 2020   •   4 Comments Bakeshop

Chocolate Beet Snack Cake Recipe

Naturally-sweetened and inherently moist, this chocolate beet snack cake features winter beets – peels and all, in a comforting treat.

The winter months don’t have to feel limiting when you’re a seasonal eater. It’s the perfect time to take shelter in the kitchen and pack the oven full of roast vegetables and baked goods.

It seems like my stove is always blistering hot, ready to receive a steady rotation of breakfast muffins and sheet pan suppers.

For years now this Chocolate Beet Snack Cake has been a family favourite, as much for its deep flavour as the sentiment of home it evokes. I know you’re going to love it, too.

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by on February 5, 2020   •   27 Comments My Culinary Journey

Simple Bites turns Ten!

This week we celebrate the 10 year blogiversary of Simple Bites.

Remarkably, I’ve been a content creator, publishing on this platform, for an entire decade. Far more wonderful is that YOU are still here, ten years later.

For your readership, I am forever grateful. Your encouragement has inspired me and your feedback has propelled me, post after post, recipe by recipe.

This small community has meant so much and continues to be a central part of my life. How could it not? It’s been an incredible journey…

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