Deniz Vergara
Location
Paterson, NJ, USA
School
Rutgers College, Rutgers University Graduate School Of Education, The Natural Gourmet Institute
Expertise
Recipe Development, Healthy Flavorful Recipes, Family-friendly Meals
- In 2017, Deniz began teaching at a local culinary school as a chef instructor. During this time, she opened up five pop-up restaurants with her students where she led the menu and recipe development as well as ran the kitchen during the restaurants.
- She has developed her own cooking curriculum for children and creates all the recipes she uses in her classes.
- She has developed over 100 recipes for The Family Freezer, which receives over 150k visitors monthly.
Experience
In 2020, Deniz, a professionally trained chef and culinary chef instructor, started her food blog, Gourmet Mami, showcasing her strong background in recipe development, helping busy moms prepare healthy and simple recipes that taste great. A mom of two herself, Deniz knows that time is valuable, so she shows regular home cooks how to prepare inspiring, creative meals that are easy to make.
Education
Deniz received her master's in education at Rutgers University prior to attending culinary school at the Natural Gourmet Institute.
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Stories By Deniz Vergara
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This simple dump cake recipe highlights the beauty of olive oil alongside plentiful lemon, and a crunchy sugar topping garnishes the quickly prepared cake.
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Perfect for an evening dessert or a snack with tea, this moist and tender loaf cake is easy to make and has all the maple and apple pie spiced goodness of fall.
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Inspired by the viral salad attributed to Jennifer Aniston, this springtime lentil salad includes herbs and vegetables reminiscent of Middle Eastern tabbouleh.
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A crisp and tangy cucumber-lime salsa adds a light and refreshing twist to this simple baked salmon dish that's ready in under 30 minutes.
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With its warm spices and cool, rice-milk base, horchata is a perfect drink for all seasons. And, making it at home is simpler than you might think.
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Find a new use for overripe bananas with these banana nut oatmeal cookies, which boast a toothsome texture thanks to the chopped pecans in dough.
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For all the crispy goodness of fried chicken, minus the meat, opt for fried oyster mushrooms with perfectly spicy breading and a creamy dipping sauce.
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With a bright, citrusy flavor and a creamy mash of its titular ingredients, this smashed chickpea avocado toast is a filling and delicious dish.
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A host of aromatic spices including cumin and smoked paprika put roasted cauliflower in a starring role for this vegetarian shawarma-style wrap.
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Crispy on the outside and cakey on the inside, these air fryer apple fritters with maple and cinnamon taste like fall donuts without the mess of deep frying.
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Though commonly paired with beef steaks, herby chimichurri sauce also works well with the more budget-friendly pork steaks used in this recipe.
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These easy handheld tarts consist of a puff pastry shell stuffed with spinach and three kinds of cheese. They’re the perfect appetizer to impress your guests.
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Take the spotlight away from sweet treats on Valentine's Day with these Cuban sandwich–inspired pastry hearts that are full of visual appeal and savory flavors.
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This dish incorporates an ultra-creamy custard with fall-spiced apples, making it a great dessert to serve guests at your next autumn-season dinner party.
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These Tandoori chicken wings will soon become one of your favorite ways to prepare chicken wings, with flavors in the spice rub being bold and savory.
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The classic brownie gets an easy twist thanks to the microwave and a hint of extra decadence from almond butter.
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Tangy, smoky, and perfectly spiced, Cuban-style fricase de pollo is the easy braised chicken dish you'll want to master next.
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This recipe amplifies the already-warming qualities of chicken noodle soup with a spicy, fragrant broth that coats the shredded chicken for ultimate comfort.
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After soaking in an herbaceous marinade, these bone-in lamb chops come together in a matter of minutes for a meat main that's packed with Mediterranean flavors.
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While most angel chicken recipes are made with canned soup mix and seasoning packets, this from-scratch version is elevated and still very easy.
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This easy, cheesy pizza-pasta mashup recipe is perfect for families on a busy weeknight or the solo diner craving pure comfort.
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With just a small handful of ingredients and requiring barely more than 30 minutes to prepare, these air fryer chimichangas offer up a winning weeknight dish.
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Craving crab cakes? Make this affordable, weeknight-friendly version using canned tuna, fresh herbs, and a delicious sriracha mayo sauce instead.
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A twist on 007's favorite cocktail, this vodka martini delivers plenty of spicy, briny flavors.
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Sometimes, you just crave chicken tenders. Jazz up your usual recipe with a crispy fried onion coating for extra crunch and savory flavor.
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When treated like a gratin, baked tomatoes and zucchini take on a crispy, cheesy topping that will have you reaching for seconds.
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The ultimate food mashup for all ages, these quesadilla burgers are filled with melty cheese and all your favorite burger toppings.