Creating a breakfast masterpiece feels impossible on early morning school days. I’m usually so tired that I’m not sure if the stretchy workout pants I pulled on while half asleep are inside out. The truth is, it doesn’t matter because I’m not going to workout anyway. The stretchy workout pants are out of respect for my kids who begged me to stop wearing pajamas to school drop off.

You know those images of moms dressed in a nice outfit and serving the perfect breakfast to their children before school? That’s not me. Breakfast at my house is more like Survivor meets the Amazing Race. The kids are lucky to get a bite to eat between dragging themselves into the shower, searching for their socks, and stuffing last night’s homework into their backpacks. It’s not a pretty picture but that’s the real deal on mornings in my house.

Making mini frittatas came out of the guilt I felt watching my kids shovel dry cereal into their mouths day after day. Long gone were the September mornings of getting them off to a strong start with beautifully scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, and piping hot breakfast sausage. It dissolved into the kids choosing between the blue box, the yellow box, or the white box. I knew things had to change when my kids started asking questions like:

“Ugh. Cereal again?”

“Isn’t breakfast the most important meal of the day?”

Oh, and the dreaded, “Didn’t you go to culinary school?”

These lovely little frittatas will get you out of your weekday breakfast rut and totally change up your breakfast game. They are a killer make-ahead breakfast option that taste à la minute. These gorgeous Mini Frittatas are loaded with delicious chicken apple sausage, onion, spinach, and tomato. These mini frittatas will change how you and your kids feel about breakfast!

Enjoy!

-xo

Simple salads like this colorful Mexican Quinoa are my go-to meal when I want something fresh and light. I make a big batch and keeping it on hand all week. It’s the perfect snack, lunch, or even side salad for dinner. This salad is how I hit the reset button after Thanksgiving. It’s sort of my healthy pause before we head into the indulgence of the holidays!

This salad is loaded with black beans and vegetables like sweet corn, ripe tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers. The jalapeño, cilantro, and hit of lime brighten the flavor and give it a little zing.

Enjoy!
xo

I’m not going to let the back-to-school vibe in my house get in the way of my seasonal cooking. It may be all about the make-ahead breakfasts, packed lunches, and quick weeknight dinners, but fall cooking can wait. There is so much left of summer to taste!

Fish with Summer Vegetables is pretty much summer on a plate. Fresh zucchini, ripe tomatoes, and corn are the standout stars of this addictive but simple sauce. This colorful dish is totally delicious, healthy, and full of seasonal flavor. This dinner is on repeat around here all summer long.

I serve this with orzo or rice.

Enjoy!
xx

If you read my Pasta with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs post, you know all about my lifelong obsession with tomatoes. What I didn’t share with you is the first recipe I ever concocted as a little girl in Wisconsin. In the summer, I would take a slice of white bread (cough, Wonder Bread), slather it with mayonnaise, and layer thick, juicy tomato slices with a healthy sprinkle of salt. That delicious combination brings me back to those warm summer days in Kenosha.

I’m still obsessed with that simple sandwich, but now I use quality ingredients. Oh, and on the Wonder Bread, cut me a break, people. It was the early 80s, and I hadn’t yet moved to the gourmet ghetto in Berkeley, California.

Feeling out of place is a classic symptom of being 14, but once I moved to Berkeley, I knew I was out of place. I missed Wisconsin terribly, and I had trouble making friends. I dreaded Mr. Brush’s drama class because it fell just before lunch. The end of class meant I had to face the courtyard at lunch with nowhere to sit. It was awful.

When I learned you could go off campus for lunch, I felt saved. I walked with purpose up to Shattuck Avenue as if I had a pressing appointment. As it turns out, I did. Downtown Berkeley introduced me to new foods and taught me the importance of simple but good ingredients. When I recall tasting my first potsticker, lunching on fresh baguettes and special cheese, or even having frozen yogurt for the first time, I relive the moments in my life when I fell madly in love with food.

Lunch is still an important part of my day. I’m usually at home working but don’t want to give up the opportunity to indulge in something delicious. I keep simple, seasonal ingredients at home that create beautiful lunches. Just because I can’t go out to eat doesn’t mean I can’t have something wonderful. My Tomato Burrata Tartine is a great example of a perfect summer lunch. This tartine is insanely addictive, bursting with flavor, and will have you obsessively hunting down the very best tomatoes you can find.

Enjoy!