My name is Karina. Welcome to Cafe Delites, my beloved space for the last 10 years where my passion for food has flourished and connected millions!
Dedicated to creating a vibrant, engaging platform where delicious, healthy-ish recipes meet authentic storytelling, uniting me with you. Celebrate the sensual pleasures of food and modern flavours with me while honouring traditional home cooking.
My passion for food is enriched in both the kitchen and life. Enjoying food is all about finding the right balance and falling in love with it all over again! As you skim through my recipes you’ll find plenty of decadent and easy-to-make recipes using simple ingredients you may find in your kitchen.
I provide some low-fat, low-carb recipes as well as some cheat foods – because I’m a big believer in indulgence without regret.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD
After years of feeling lost in the crazy world of crash diets, I’ve finally found myself in a healthy relationship with food. This means eating without any resentment or deprivation.
If you’re looking to work on your relationship with food, you’re in the right place! From a fresh Grilled Chicken Cobb Caesar Salad one day, to a Nutella Stuffed Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie the next, we are all about finding balance in your diet.
Updating my recipes regularly, here you will find endless inspiration for weekly meals, dinner party dishes, and breakfasts including our world-famous Best Fluffy Pancakes and of course, delectable desserts like our Brownies.
WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?
What started as a food diary on the Cafe Delites Instagram in 2014, quickly developed into a full-blown love affair both in the kitchen and behind the lens. Fast forward two years and Cafe Delites has become a foodie favourite across the globe.
Check out some of my published recipes that have been featured by other publications from around the world, on my media page.
This is my new path. After surviving cancer (Stage 4B Hodgkins Lymphoma) and a lot of life’s other great difficulties including childhood molestation and abuse; I am here, I am alive and although my life is far from perfect, I am eternally grateful to have been given a ‘second chance.’ Read more about my cancer journey (yes, I wrote a book too!).
Welcome to my blog!
Karina X
Ben says
Karina,
My wife and I switched roles last year. She now works full time and I am responsible for meals and other household duties. I had trouble boiling water when we first made the switch, but after 12 months (and dozens of your recipes) I have become a pretty good chef. Thank you for such amazing food combinations and for making it so easy. We had your Japanese Chicken Yakitori last night and it was a huge hit!
BRAD W. says
I did the modified stove top version and it was delicious!!.I cooked only 2 shanks since we were only two people. I added additional carrots, used 14 oz roasted garlic tomatoes that I used my immersion blender on and mixed with the tomato paste. I put thyme, rosemary and parsley & 3 whole bay leaves in for spices. My secret ingredient is a teaspoon of white pepper. This adds a little zip to the gravy. Cornstarch helps with thickening. Served on garlic mash potatoes. Overall one of our favorites and our guests love this also. It’s a big dish so best be hungry or share it. You can see my post on instagram (chef.Wunderbar). Shanks a lot! 😂
Daniel L. "Doc" Cox says
I just want you to know my family loved the Crispy Garlic Parmesan Salmon, even my seven-year-old pickiest eater granddaughter. I love to cook when my body lets me and hate to cook when it is on an off day. Now my cooking has become limited by my daughter and son-in-law’s digestive issues and my daughter’s cardiac concerns, as well as returning to my low-cal lifestyle when we find out if the masses on my pancreas and kidney are malignant or not. I’m also a 100% disabled Vietnam-Era veteran. When I am on my game, I am a modernist cook, who also has an extensive recipe and cookbook collection of non-modernist recipes. Unfortunately, molecular gastronomy and most of my recipes take more time to prepare than I can spend in the kitchen. The Crispy Garlic Parmesan Salmon was exceptional. It was moist, and the topping was out of this world. I can see also see using it on chicken tenders or pork chops in the future. It is my new go-to salmon recipe. Previously, that was an avocado mayo and pico de Gallo topped baked salmon, but that is now for only special occasions because neither of them should eat tomatoes. I will be looking through your archives for other recipes they can have. I need to get flavor back in what I eat, even if I have to limit ingredients for their sake.
Thank you again for a great tasting salmon, pork, and chicken recipe.
Jade says
Hi,
I have been following your recipes for a few years and I honestly can’t thank you enough.. They are so delicious and easy to follow and I love the fact that your in Aus (it makes finding ingredients so much easier)..
I just wanted to say that it is truly sad that there are other food bloggers who have copied your recipes and are publishing them as their own on Instagram.. One has even started her own blog now with dozens of your recipes on there (with small alterations)!!
Keep up the amazing work and again thank you for inspiring all of us in the kitchen.. xo
Moomoo says
I have just found you today, I looked up moist chicken recipes I have now printed off 6 of them and cooked 1 for this evening, which we thoroughly enjoyed, and as you said super quick it was your quick backed chicken we both loved it and even better we have enough for another meal.
Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful skills.
Wanda Young says
Have friend that follows you..Have enjoyed flavors, but am on CKD DIET….there are a lot of us out here with CKD, love good food but so few good , and safe, CKD RECIPES. One kidney, no bladder. Know your some of the cancer journey, everyone different , but the same.
Rebecca morillon says
Girl 😯, you are amazing. I love your recipes, I have made a few of them now and I’ve got to say You Are AMAZING!! Love it…. 5 star for sure!
Kristi says
Girlllllll this garlic naan is LIFE! My first time trying to make and it came out perfect. I love garlic so I put xtra in the dough. You are amazing. NOT just as a cook but as a person.
John says
-Funny- I was randomly looking for a recipe, came across yours. My daughter’s name is also Karina
Cal says
Thank you for the Cajun Butter Steak Bites recipe – it was amazing!!!
Irene Kranich says
You are beautiful. Your food is beautiful and your spirit is alive and wonderful.
~ Ms. Renny Kranich
Cathy says
Hi Karina.
I just wanted to tell you how much I love your blog. You were my “go-to” page for recipe ideas years ago and all of them were a hit every time.
Then the pandemic hit and I went through some cray. Thank God my husband took over and helped cook because I was a mess. What crazy times we went through and are still going through.
Anyhow, I am back to cooking again and remembered how much I loved your page. So, I wanted you to know how appreciative I am for a place to go to for healthy, delicious meals for my family so everything at home is calm and happy even when the world outside of my home is not.
xx
Cathy