Recipes for living well the Rio way
Nourishing Brazilian-inspired recipes rooted in the balance of a traditional prato feito and shaped by seasonal, California ingredients. These healthy, approachable recipes focus on beans & rice, protein, vegetables, and whole foods to make everyday cooking feel simple and satisfying. Inspired by the Rio way of living, this is a fresh, modern approach to eating well at home. Learn more about the Perfect Plate philosophy here .
Recipe Index
Brigadeirão (Brazilian Chocolate Fudge Flan Dessert)
The most important dessert of Brazil in flan mode.
Camarão à Paulista (Brazilian Garlic Lime Shrimp)
This is a recipe from Olivia Mesquita’s book Authentic Brazilian Home Cooking. It's kind of like Scampi, but you know, Sao Paulo style.
Truffled Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Shrimp
On the 29th of every month, there is an opportunity to will good fortune for the coming month, and all you have to do is eat gnocchi. Worth a try right?
Spaghettoni with Beet Pesto, Burrata & Calabrian Chili Oil
This dish is strikingly beautiful. And delicious. And so nourishing.
Easy Cashew Cream (Dairy-Free Brazilian Stroganoff Sauce)
A cream substitute to make a perfect dairy-free Strogonoff even traditionalists prefer. Cross my heart.
Brazilian Ground Beef Stir Fry (Carne Moída Recipe)
The “not-for-a-taco” Brazilian take on taco meat.
Cranberry Caipirinha Cocktail (Cachaça Winter Drink)
A holiday twist on a classic Brazilian drink, but let’s make it cozy!
Grilled Octopus & Lemony Risotto
I overcame my fear of cooking octopus in a special cooking class with Brazilian chef Juliana Gueiros.
Brazilian Kibe Casserole (Quibe de Bandeija)
Kibe, Quibe, or Kibbeh?
We have Syrian-Lebanese influence to thank for this dinner staple.
Brazilian Cheesy Chicken with Mascarpone (Frango com Quase Catupiry)
My mission is to replicate my childhood foods here in the US, and I think this one nailed it.
Pumpkin Marinara Sauce (Creamy Tomato Pumpkin Pasta Sauce)
It’s so good you will want to find creative ways to use it.
Welcome to my Kitchen
Brazilian-ish & California-esque.
Raised in Rio de Janeiro, I grew up in a family where food was a daily expression of care, connection, and joy, and where some of the best recipes lived only in memory. I’ve made it my personal mission to write, translate and adapt those Brazilian classics, and share them here.
My work is shaped by a decade in the Bay Area food and wine world, hands-on kitchen experience, training at Le Cordon Bleu in Rio, and studies in Nutrition Education at Bauman College.
Today, I create Brazilian-inspired recipes designed for modern American kitchens, using accessible ingredients and simple techniques that make nourishing, everyday cooking feel both intuitive and culturally meaningful.