Contrary to popular belief, almonds –not peanuts – are the most popular nut in world. Almonds are also extremely good for you. They are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, fiber, and most of the vitamins, as well as being the biggest barriers against cardiovascular disease and diabetes. I like to use that fact to justify eating more than one piece of this tart in one sitting. In this almond paste tart, plums and almonds work together in harmony, bringing sweetness and tartness in every bite. Partially prebaking the tart crust allows the tart to stay soft when being served, while the crust itself will be golden brown and baked to perfection.

This orange polenta cake uses blood oranges for both taste and color and it's a delicate cake that has an interesting crunch and tanginess in every bite.

Mango chicken puffs are easy puff pastry appetizers ready in under 30 minutes. Imagine creamy mango chicken filling sandwiched between puff pastry!

These simple gluten-free sesame ciabatta buns can be used in many ways. However, they make for a fabulous burger bun, a sandwich bread or use them for dipping into exotic curry dishes. The texture is soft inside with a crispy sesame crust. I love using ciabatta buns for burgers because they are sturdy so you can pile on various toppings and they will not fall apart