Eric Arroyo

These spicy vegan pickles from the fridge are crunchy, tangy, and full of flavor. It's great as a snack, on sandwiches, or as a tangy side dish.

Ingredients: 4 cups thinly sliced cucumbers. 1 cup thinly sliced red onion. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 cup apple cider vinegar. 1 cup water. 2 tablespoons sugar. 1 tablespoon salt. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Instructions: In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, onion, and garlic. In a saucepan, mix vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture in the bowl. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

This spicy and cool shrimp ceviche is great for a light and healthy meal. This recipe works for people on the keto diet, as well as those following the Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets.

Ingredients: 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined. 1 cup lime juice. 1/2 cup diced cucumber. 1/2 cup diced tomato. 1/4 cup diced red onion. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped. 1 avocado, diced. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: In a large bowl, combine shrimp and lime juice. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until shrimp turns pink and opaque. Remove shrimp from lime juice and chop into bite-sized pieces. In the same bowl, mix together shrimp, cucumber, tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and avocado. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Red beans and rice with ham is a traditional Southern dish that is a filling and tasty comfort food. This dish, which goes well with smoked ham, red beans, and aromatic spices, is flavorful and filling and is ideal for family get-togethers or dinners.

Ingredients: 1 lb red beans, soaked overnight. 1 lb smoked ham, diced. 1 onion, chopped. 2 celery stalks, chopped. 1 bell pepper, chopped. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 2 bay leaves. 1 tsp thyme. 1 tsp oregano. 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. Salt and pepper to taste. 4 cups chicken broth. 4 cups water. 4 cups cooked rice, for serving. Green onions, chopped, for garnish.

Instructions: In a large pot, combine soaked red beans, diced ham, chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Add bay leaves, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour in chicken broth and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Serve the red beans and ham over cooked rice. Garnish with chopped green onions before serving.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 180 minutes

These Halloween Cake Pops are a spooky and delicious treat for your Halloween celebrations. With colorful candy melts and festive sprinkles, they're perfect for parties and gatherings.

Ingredients: 1 box of chocolate cake mix. 1 cup of chocolate frosting. 1 package of candy melts assorted colors. Halloween-themed sprinkles. 10 lollipop sticks.

Instructions: Bake the chocolate cake according to the package instructions and let it cool completely. Crumble the cooled cake into fine crumbs in a large bowl. Add chocolate frosting to the cake crumbs and mix until well combined. Form the mixture into small cake balls and place them on a lined baking sheet. Melt the candy melts in separate bowls according to the package instructions. Insert a lollipop stick into each cake ball, then dip each cake pop into the melted candy melts, coating them evenly. Decorate the cake pops with Halloween-themed sprinkles while the candy coating is still wet. Place the decorated cake pops back on the baking sheet to set. Repeat for the remaining cake pops with different colored candy melts and sprinkles. Allow the cake pops to fully set before serving. Enjoy your tempting Halloween treats!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Indulge in the holiday spirit with these delightful Chocolate Frosted Christmas Cookies. Rich and chocolatey cookies topped with a peppermint frosting and festive sprinkles.

Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened. 1 cup granulated sugar. 1 cup brown sugar, packed. 2 large eggs. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. 1 teaspoon baking soda. 1/2 teaspoon salt. 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. 1 cup powdered sugar. 2 tablespoons milk. 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. Assorted holiday sprinkles.

Instructions: Set the oven to 350F 175C and heat it up. Melt the butter and mix it with the white sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Adding the eggs one at a time and mixing them in is the next step. Mix the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and flour together in a different bowl using a whisk. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix them together until they are well mixed. Add the semisweet chocolate chips and mix them in. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto baking sheets that have not been greased. After the oven is hot, bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are set. After taking the cookies out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before moving them to wire racks to cool all the way. To make the frosting, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and peppermint extract in a small bowl with a whisk. After the cookies are completely cool, frost them with the peppermint frosting and then sprinkle different holiday colors on top. Before you serve or store the cookies, let the frosting set.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Indulge in guilt-free chocolatey goodness with these flourless blender muffins. They're not only easy to make but also gluten-free and packed with wholesome ingredients.

Ingredients: 1 ripe banana. 2 large eggs. 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup. 1/2 cup almond butter. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 1/2 tsp baking soda. 1/4 tsp salt. 1/4 cup chocolate chips optional.

Instructions: Turn the oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 175 degrees Celsius and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Blend together the ripe banana, eggs, baking soda, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, almond butter, honey or maple syrup, and salt in a blender. Blend the mixture until it's well combined and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips into the batter if you want your muffins to have more chocolate flavor. Divide the batter equally among the muffin tins, filling each to about 3/4 of the way. When a toothpick is inserted into the center of a muffin, it should come out clean after 18 to 20 minutes of baking in a preheated oven. After taking the muffins out of the oven, let them cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy your incredibly nutritious and delectable chocolate flourless blender muffins once they've cooled!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

A hearty and flavorful beef ragout served over creamy mashed cauliflower, this dish is a comforting and satisfying meal perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients: 1 lb beef stew meat. 2 tbsp olive oil. 1 onion, diced. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 carrot, diced. 1 celery stalk, diced. 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes. 1 cup beef broth. 1 tsp dried thyme. Salt and pepper to taste. 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets. 2 tbsp butter. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Chopped fresh parsley for garnish.

Instructions: Warm up the olive oil in a big pot over medium-high heat. Put in the beef stew meat and brown it all over. Put in the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic. Cook the vegetables until they get soft. Tomato chunks, beef broth, thyme, salt, and pepper should all be added now. Bring to a low boil. Once the beef is soft, cover and cook for an hour to an hour and a half. In the meantime, steam the cauliflower for about 10 minutes, or until it is very soft. Put the cauliflower in a food processor and add the Parmesan cheese and butter. Blend or process until smooth and creamy. Put the beef ragout on top of the mashed cauliflower and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 90 minutes

Charlesmopolitan Shrimp on a Salt Block will take your BBQ to a whole new level. Juicy shrimp meet the rich flavors of a heated Himalayan salt block in this dish. With this recipe, you can make a dish that is the perfect mix of smokiness and spice.

Ingredients: 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined. 1 Himalayan salt block. 2 tbsp olive oil. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 tsp smoked paprika. 1 tsp cayenne pepper. 1 lemon, sliced for garnish. Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish.

Instructions: Put the block of Himalayan salt on a cold grill and slowly heat it up to medium-high. Put minced garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and olive oil in a bowl. Combine well. Make sure the shrimp are evenly covered in the marinade that you have already made. When the salt block is hot, carefully place the shrimp that have been marinated on it. Cook for two to three minutes on each side, or until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Take the shrimp out of the salt block and add lemon slices and fresh parsley on top. Serve right away and enjoy the unique flavors that the salt block adds!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes