Although my entire my family was born in California, we have British heritage and growing up we went to England fairly frequently. One of my favorite British traditions is afternoon tea time. This long standing tradition has also become an American favorite and is the perfect party theme for gatherings with family and friends.

In this guide I will give you brief background to British afternoon tea, provide over 50 easy tea party recipes, hosting tips and finally a helpful shopping guide to plan your own tea party soirée.t actually cross the pond I was inspired to re-create my own Downtown Abbey afternoon garden tea party.

Back a few years ago when avocado toast hit the foodie scene it changed the simple breakfast toast forever. Now enter hummus garden toast, the newest culinary showstopper to take over toast.

For me the name garden toast has a double meaning. It can refer to picking fresh herbs and veggies from your garden to use as ingredients. It can also mean using those fresh veggie ingredients to depict an artistic garden scene on your toast. Either way, garden toast is filled with fresh and nutritious whole foods that will fuel your soul and nourish your body.

This hummus toast recipe is simple to put together yet also so versatile. It can make for a healthy breakfast or even a quick lunch. You can always take it up a notch and make it fancier for a brunch or meal to share with friends or your significant other.

At its core all you need for garden hummus toast is a slice of bread, hummus and veggie toppings. These are things most vegans already have in their refrigerator on any given week.

This extra buttery pancake recipe has been a staple in my house for several years now. Pancake breakfast is a Saturday morning tradition for us with the kids - it’s one of the few meals that everyone in the house loves without question!

I have no idea where this recipe originally came from, it’s been scribbled down on a piece of binder paper in my kitchen drawer for years. I have finally taken the time to properly document this recipe so I can share it with friends and family.

The thing that makes this recipe unique is the mix of both melted butter and oil in the batter. When the melted butter hits the cold milk in the bowl it turns into little butter crystals. These intentionally stay “clumpy” in the batter until it’s poured on to the hot frying pan. Then the butter crystals melt while they’re grilling on the pan and the end result is very buttery pancakes with a perfect buttered glazed finish.

There are recipes that I make multiple times a month simply because they are both easy to make and oh so delicious. My keto ramen soup is one of them!

This ramen recipe is by no means authentic or culturally correct, it’s just a culinary jewel I whipped up in my kitchen while playing around with flavors. I like to make healthier versions of “junk food”, especially when I’m having cravings for savory and spicy things. This is such an easy replacement for high carb noodles and keeps your healthy eating on track.

You can easily whip this up in less than 20 minutes without cutting any corners or compromising taste. It just takes a little bit of food prep and then throw it all into a frying pan. Most of the ingredients are items you’ll already find in your pantry and fridge.

The tropical party theme is perfect for events and gatherings such as baby showers, gender reveal parties, bridal parties, birthdays, Galentine’s Day and more. For example if you’re hosting a home reception for an island destination wedding, a tropical themed grazing table can really help to cultivate those island vibes in your hometown.

Hosts putting on summer parties can also benefit from the colors and flavors of tropical-themed foods. On hot days the fresh fruit and lighter eats really compliment the summer vibes and atmosphere. The tropical theme can also lend itself to a Hawaiian Luau or even Caribbean inspired parties.

In my guide I will give tropical-themed food suggestions along with decor and hosting ideas. While there are many well-known foods and symbols associated with all those tropical vibes, I promise you’ll find some new and unexpected surprises in this blog post.