Omnivore loving vegan, gluten-free & beverage recipes
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas are a great addition as a side to any meal, they are perfect on top of salads for added nutrition and are easy to make in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker for weekly meal planning.
This Sand Tart Cookie Recipe is our family recipe perfect for the Christmas & Holiday season making a big batch of cookies. These cookies are easy to customize to your tastes with various toppings and make a fun activity for everyone involved.
This sweet, Homemade Coffee Creamer recipe can be used in coffee or tea. It is made with 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and water or for a creamier option, you can use milk or half and half. It is infused with pure vanilla extract but can be customized with other extracts or even Baileys or rum for a boozy option. This creamer is so fast and easy to make for yourself or as an edible gift!
Maple Cinnamon Butter is a sweet and delicious butter recipe that is perfect for having on muffins, toast, popovers, bread, or just about anything you imagine. It only takes a few minutes and 4 simple ingredients to make this maple-cinnamon scented butter.
Welcome to Life’s Little Sweets — a place where food, community, and creativity come together. I started this blog in 2015 to share my favorite recipes and family stories, and it has grown into a space that celebrates seasonal cooking, local food pathways, and the simple joy of making and sharing good food.
I live and cook in Central New Jersey, near the Pennsylvania border, surrounded by local farms, CSAs, and a vibrant food community. Here, I explore the connection between food and place — how each season brings new ingredients, new inspiration, and new ways to nourish ourselves and our families.
My recipes are inspired by my European-American and Chinese-American heritage, my husband’s Southern French and German-American roots, and the places I’ve lived and loved — New England, New York City, France, and now New Jersey. You’ll find a mix of family favorites, plant-based recipes, comfort foods, and farm-fresh ideas that reflect both my personal story and the rhythm of the seasons.
Through Life’s Little Sweets, I hope to encourage readers to:
As I continue my work in architecture and sustainable design, this blog remains a creative space where those ideas intersect — where design thinking meets the kitchen table, and where food becomes a way to experience community, place, and time more deeply.
Thank you for visiting, cooking along, and sharing in this journey with me.
Best wishes,
Sara Maniez
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If you are interested in having me do sponsored posts, product reviews, recipe development, writing, and/or food photography, please contact me. Please keep in mind that companies/brands must be a good fit with my blog, and my opinions are 100% my own.
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