Hey, I’m Karina!
Food and I have had a long love story. For years I chased the โhow to get skinnyโ dream and got lost in crash diets. But now Iโve found balance and a happy relationship with food. Here youโll find everything from low carb recipes that make you feel good to indulgent desserts for your next cheat day. Plus, plenty of easy dinners that take the stress out of cooking.
My Relationship with Food
Food is meant to be enjoyed. Some nights itโs a crisp salad, other nights itโs a gooey cookie. In between, I love sharing quick weeknight dinners and easy family meals that prove cooking isnโt just about eating, itโs about gathering, laughing, and making memories with the people you love.
Life as a Cancer Survivor
Iโm a cancer survivor, and that journey (read more about my cancer journey here) lit a new fire in me to celebrate life with gratitude, comfort, and plenty of good food. Every recipe is about gratitude, comfort, and connection. Life is too short not to enjoy good food.
From Diary to Weekly Meal Ideas
What began in 2014 as an Instagram food diary has grown into a community of millions. Now Cafe Delites is where youโll find weekly meal ideas, family favorites, and inspiration for every craving.
Let’s Cook Together
Cooking should be fun, simple, and maybe even a little sexy. I share low carb recipes when you want to feel light, easy family meals when you need everyone at the table, and something wickedly delicious for your next cheat day.
Welcome to my blog!
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!
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. Itโs a big dish so best be hungry or share it. You can see my post on instagram (chef.Wunderbar). Shanks a lot! ๐
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.
Hi,
I have been following your recipes for a few years and I honestly canโt 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
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.
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.
Girl ๐ฏ, 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!
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.
-Funny- I was randomly looking for a recipe, came across yours. My daughter’s name is also Karina
Thank you for the Cajun Butter Steak Bites recipe – it was amazing!!!
You are beautiful. Your food is beautiful and your spirit is alive and wonderful.
~ Ms. Renny Kranich
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