Happy Blogiversary!  It’s hard to believe this little blog is 4 years old!  When I started this blog I had no idea if I’d enjoy it or how long I would keep it going.  So it’s quite astounding to me that I now have 445 recipes on here!  While there have definitely been times when I wonder why I bother posting at all, and other times where I’m excited to improve my pictures, recipes, and blogging frequency, I’m proud of how far I’ve come.  I’m sure the ups and downs will continue, but I look forward to expanding into more Life in Balance posts, and continuing to provide interesting and delicious recipes.  If you have any questions or comments I hope you’ll let me know!

If you haven’t been following me for the past 4 years, or are looking for a few highlights, here are 10 recipes to inspire you.  You can also check out my recaps from my first year, and second year (I wasn’t together enough last year to do a recap…), and my seasonal recaps too.

What would a celebration be without something sweet?

These Blueberry Scones are just sweet enough, making them perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for a morning or afternoon snack.

If you’re looking to impress then Rhubarb Upside Down Cake is sure to do the trick.  Highlighting the tartness of rhubarb in a sticky caramelized layer with a buttery cake on bottom (on top?), this cake is a show stopper.

Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Cake is for when you have a real sweet tooth.  Feel virtuous if you want because of the oatmeal, but really it’s there to make this cake super moist.

Now when you need a showstopper nothing wows and impresses quite like a cheesecake.  But not just any cheesecake will do, Pumpkin Cheesecake with Ginger Cookie Crust is just what you need.

If you’re looking for a more wholesome treat, this Spiced Pear Baked Oatmeal definitely says celebratory breakfast.  Full of pears, oats and pecans, this is a breakfast you’ll feel great digging into.

And since we can’t live by sweets alone, try out these delightful savory items.

If you don’t find salads exciting, I challenge you to not get excited about this one.  Black Rice Not-Tabbouleh Salad is full of fresh ingredients and nutty, exotic black rice.

Another salad you won’t soon forget, Apple Lentil Celery Salad.  This recipe uses toasted cumin seeds in the dressing creating a smokey, slightly sweet vinaigrette for creamy lentils and crunch apples and celery.

Need something to make a drab meal exciting?  Scallion sauce is the answer.  This sauce is fantastic.  It’d pair well with meat, poultry, fish, tofu…you name and this will make dinner interesting.

A slow cooker meal is just what you need when you’re too busy celebrating to cook.  This Slow Cooker Mojo Pork makes a large serving of pork, so it’s perfect for a crowd or great frozen for easy meals later.  Turn this into tacos, burrito bowls, salad topping, sandwiches…the possibilities are as great as your imagination.

If you want a meal to impress, this easy chicken dish is just what you need.  Cilantro Lime Chicken packs a ton of flavor without taking much time.  It’s perfect for grilling or cooking stove top when the weather’s not cooperating.