One year ago today I wrote the first blog post on this blog. To say it was a hasty decision would be an understatement. 2 days before I decided I was bored and tired of my old blog—that it just didn’t have the right direction or focus I wanted. In class I scribbled down on a piece of paper everything starting a new blog entails: A name, a design, a facebook page, business cards, even what I would change my twitter handle to. The next 48 hours I worked tirelessly making all of that a reality, buying the domain name and throwing together a header for a simple format, and starting writing.

After a year, not much has changed. And I’m glad about that. The header looks different, and my writing and photos(I hope) have both gotten better. But I still feel as passionate and determined on the focus of this blog as I did on day one. It’s made me try new things, as big as working at a restaurant for 3 months to little things like trying to make authentic macarons(which were a huge fail between you and me), and for all of that I am grateful.

I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate one year than looking back at what are my 10 favorite recipes, the ones that I still go to bed thinking about and end up making time and time again. I wouldn’t be surprised if in another year these are still favorites of mine. Maybe looking at these you’ll find a favorite, too.

Cheesy Rosemary Flatbread—For something that I made without cheese or gluten, these are incredibly tasty.

Microwave Fudge—What’s more dangerous than knowing you can make fudge in your own microwave?

Burnt Caramel Sweet Potato Mash—This one never really caught on, and I can’t imagine why. It takes mashed potatoes to a whole different level.

Almond Flour Brownies—The perfect gluten-free/grain-free brownie recipe in my mind. It’s the one I go to first above all.

Vegged-Out Quinoa—If you think you don’t like quinoa, this just might be the recipe to change your mind.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars—The name says it all with these. And just 4 ingredients, too!

Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Bean Salad—Bean salad is never the hit of a party, but I think this recipe is an exception.

Raw Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Cake—Easily my most popular recipe ever.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus—Another recipe whose popularity astounds me. One taste and you’ll understand why, though. It’s deceptively healthy for something so delicious.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Fudge Sauce—Technically only the sauce is my recipe, and the cake is Godiva’s. It was a good enough cake to make for my birthday last year and it will be good enough to make again this year.

I love honey. Like, I really love honey, a maybe-I’ll-stop-after-3-spoonful’s-straight-from-the-jar kind of love. It’s light sweetness is perfect for sweet and savory foods which make it a chef’s best friend. Here are a few of my favorite dishes with honey in them. Hopefully you’ll find something you like enough to make for your honey(aren’t I a hoot?).

Vegged-Out Quinoa

Roasted Squash With Caramelized Onions and Craisins

Hot Honey Asian Chicken Marinade

Honey Butter Blondies

Speaking of honey…

It’s the 2nd ingredient and only sweetener in Perfect Foods Bars, and there’s still 2 more days to enter the giveaway, so go do so if you haven’t!

Grasshopper Brownies

Rawxy’s Raw Turtle Brownies

Peppermint Patties

Mama Pea’s Magic Bars

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus

Anna’s Browned Butter Blondies

…But I don’t so who can I give my address to to send me these?

It’s the last day of 2010 and I for one am excited. A new year is the perfect time for new beginnings. And I get to see Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper joke around in Times Square tonight; what could be better?

Before the year is over, I wanted to look back at 10 recipes that shined through in 2010. Some of these I’ve made recently, but most of them I just remembered making this list and now want to go back and make again. Enjoy!

Microwave Vegan Chocolate Fudge. I think this is the most viewed recipe page, and an obvious candidate for this lift. I have some in my refrigerator right now. That won’t be true for long.

Chocolate Orange Brownies. I don’t know if this is the best brownie recipe out there, but it’s definitely one of the best flavor pairings there ever was. And it has fruit, so that means it’s healthy! Right?

Brown Sugar Garlic Tofu. This tofu is nothing but good. It’s definitely not the kind of dish for a first date; you’ll have garlic breath for weeks. But it’s worth it.

Vegan Tofu Burgers. In my frustrating search for a veggie burger without eggs or wheat, the clear winner at the end of the day was this homemade recipe. It’s just 6 simple ingredients and a great meal to keep around.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus. The new kid on the block, dessert hummus has stolen hearts with it’s sweet flavor and smooth texture. This combination of peanut butter and chocolate is a clear favorite.

The Best Quinoa Stuffing. It’s not called “The Best” for nothing. Even my 81-year old Italian great aunt liked it, and it’s hard to compete with her usual meal of Burger King and an orange shake.

Homemade Baked Beans. It’s true: Homemade just tastes better. These might take 10 hours to make but they’re completely worth it. The deep, rich molasses flavor just gets better and better.

Vegan Truffles. These are a bit much, but they are the ultimate chocolate lover’s experience. Even if you use the cheaper method, the chocolate still tastes rich and decadent and pure. Bookmark it for Valentine’s Day.

Hazelnut Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt. I couldn’t make this list without adding an ice cream since 2010 was when I first discovered the beauty of homemade ice cream. This is rich and satisfying and tastes just like the real dessert!.

My 10th spot is an honorable mention to chocolate midnight cake from Sweet Utopia. I feel like I’ve made this 2010 times; it’s so good and my go-to chocolate cake, vegan or not.

And that’s the list! Hope you see something you like. Have a fun and safe New Years