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Fresh Tomatoes

There is nothing that defines summer more than the taste of a fresh, vine-ripened tomato. One juicy bite and you realize that the tomatoes you are buying in the grocery store are just crap. A fresh garden tomato is delicious simply sliced into thick slabs with nothing more than a pinch of salt (but even better with a drizzle of great olive oil). Tomatoes are also endlessly versatile and can be paired just about anything.

Keep scrolling for my best ways to use summer’s bounty of fresh tomatoes.

You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato

Who cares how you say it, it’s how you eat it that matters.

Let’s start simple. Like I said above, skip your normal dinner salad and just lay some thick slabs of fresh tomato on plate, sprinkle with kosher salt and drizzle with good olive oil. Yum.

Kick that idea up a notch by layering in fresh summer cucumbers and a crumble of goat cheese.

Put a fat slice of heirloom tomato on your trendy avocado toast (if you want to get serious about your toast, put a fried yard egg with a runny yolk on top of the avocado before the tomato).

Avocado Toast with Arugula and Heirloom Tomatoes

Everything Is Better With Bacon

As soon as the first perfectly ripe tomato comes off the vine, I pull out my farmer’s market bacon and my favorite pumpernickel or rye bread. Time for BATs! You’ve heard of BLTs but who needs lettuce when you can use avocado???

Bacon, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich on Pepperidge Farm Marbled Rye – (BAT)

Take Your Tomato Dancing – They Like to Salsa

There are always a few bruised or damaged tomatoes in the mix. The best way to use these up fast is homemade tomato salsa. It’s too easy to even build a formal recipe file for – dice up fresh tomatoes, white onion and a jalapeno (seeded if you don’t like the heat). Pinch of salt, squeeze of lime juice. Cilantro. Stir, done.

Lately I’ve been experimenting with bean burger recipes (still haven’t found “The One” so share if you have). Recently discovered that a bean or veggie burger makes the perfect 5-minute weeknight taco. Here’s the one I had for lunch today – white bean burger taco with avocado and fresh salsa, dollop of Daisy.

White Bean Burger Tacos with Fresh Salsa

Feeling Saucy

When I have an abundance of cherry tomatoes, I use them for my Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce. It’s an easy weeknight recipe that goes perfectly over fresh angel hair pasta. Top with fresh torn basil, crumbled goat cheese and a drizzle of quality olive oil.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce over Cheese Tortellini, Pesto Drizzle, Goat Cheese

Another favorite weeknight meal that will use up a handful of fresh cherry tomatoes is my Seared Halloumi Salad with Cumin-Lime Chickpeas, Mint and Pistachios. Never heard of halloumi? Click the link above to learn.

Seared Halloumi Salad with Cumin-Lime Chickpeas, Mint and Pistachio

Once Upon A Fresh Tomato Frittata

Whenever I use tomatoes in a frittata, I roasted them first. It helps dry out some of their juice. I like to grate some lemon zest over cut fresh tomatoes before roasting…gives a little zing.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Lemon Zest, Salt and Olive Oil

My signature frittata is Corn, Roasted Cherry Tomato & Zucchini Frittata with Fresh Herbs. It’s not your mother’s frittata! Elegant enough to entertain with.

Another frittata fav is the Cheddar Sausage, Roasted Tomato and Mustard Green Frittata. You can sub spinach if it isn’t mustard green season (or if you don’t live in mustard green territory). This picture always makes my mouth water.

A Toast To Fresh Tomatoes

Another way to use up the damaged or starting-to-rot tomatoes (or the salsa you made from your fresh tomatoes) is to make your own homemade Bloody Mary Mix. Start by pureeing a bunch of overripe tomatoes in your food processor. Add a shallot and a seeded jalapeno (unless you started with salsa that already had onions and jalapeno in it) plus the juice of a lime. Pinch or two of kosher salt. Process to your desired consistency. If you hate chunks, strain it through a colander lined with a coffee filter.

I like to make Bloody Mary’s in a mason jar. I use 2 shots of Tito’s per cup of tomato juice, add a few dashes of Pickapeppa Sauce (sub Worcestershire) and about tsp of horseradish. Shake well and pour over ice. Garnish with celery and pickled quail egg.

The Search Isn’t Over

Still haven’t seen a recipe that you like? Use the search tool below to find all recipes using tomatoes on Once Upon A Frittata. Don’t forget to subscribe so you are sure to get new recipes delivered to your email.

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Basil & Cashew Pesto

The south Louisiana summer heat is starting to set in. This is the time of year when my garden quickly gets out of control and I lose the motivation to keep up with it. As with most herbs, basil does better when you trim it frequently. Letting the leaves get to mature can result in a bitter basil so don’t be afraid to cut it way back….and start stocking up on jars of fresh basil pesto!

Breaking From Tradition

A traditional basil pesto recipe calls for lots of garlic, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. I have never been a fan of pine nuts. They taste soapy to me and they are ridiculously expensive. By using cashews, you get the richness you need with the bonus of not needing to add parmesan cheese!

Lots of Lemon

Make sure you have plenty of lemons before you start your pesto….it makes all the difference. One of my favorite kitchen tools is my lime juicer – made for limes, not lemons. I usually just cut my lemons into pieces that will fit it. A friend recently gifted me this super little gadget – a combo lime/lemon juicer. Love it!! It gets the most juice out of every lemon – you just can’t do that with your hands.

The Process

To make pesto, I like to throw the garlic into the processor first and pulse it a few times to break it up. Next I add my cashews and pulse again, same reason. Add the basil – more than you think you’ll need – and squeeze the juice of 2 small lemons in before you start processing.

Processing cashews makes them rich and creamy – it’s what many vegans use in place of cheese. I also recommend using a high quality extra virgin olive oil when making basil pesto. That combined with fresh lemon juice will bring the most flavor out of your basil.

Using Pesto

Pesto can be used in so many ways. I always have a jar in the fridge ready to go.

Mix pesto with high quality olive oil and use as a drizzle over fresh sliced tomatoes
Stir into broth based soups
Use as a pasta sauce

One of my favorite things to do with pesto is to stir it into warm quinoa and serve with sauteed kale, a soft boiled egg, avocado and crumbled goat cheese. That recipe is on my Something Borrowed page (Savory Quinoa Breakfast Bowl).

Also check out my “Recipes Using Pesto” collection.

Jenny’s Basil & Cashew Pesto

My own basil pesto recipe using cashews instead of cheese.

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Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup raw cashews, unsalted
3 or 4 cup fresh basil pulled off tough stems
2 lemons, juiced
1/4 cup good olive oil
salt

Instructions

Pulse the garlic clove in a large food processor just to break it up. Add the cashews and pulse 2-3 times. Add basil and juice of two lemons. Turn on the processor and drizzle in 1/4 of olive oil while running. Stop processor and use a spatula to scrape down the sides, then process again. Drizzle additional oil as needed but only until you have a thick paste. Season to taste with salt.
Divide the pesto into 2 small mason jars and drizzle olive oil on top. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze.

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Roasted Carrot & Farro Salad with Tarragon

This is my new favorite spring dinner dish. If you aren’t familiar with farro, time to try it. Roasted Carrot & Farro Salad with Tarragon is a perfect light vegetarian weeknight meal but elegant enough for your next dinner party.

The stars of this vegetarian dish are not the players you’d expect. For me, it was the sweetness of the roasted shallots, the crunch of the pistachios and the nutty parmesan cheese that made me want to make it again the next night. Which I did 😊.

Fabulous Farro

Never heard of farro? Most people haven’t. I discovered it years ago when I found a recipe that called for “kamut”. Definitely hadn’t heard of that and have yet to find it in a store anywhere. A quick Google search told me I could substitute farro, which is similar to brown rice but healthier and with a heartier texture.

Farro was easy enough to find believe it or not. It’s near rice and other dry drains in your grocery store. I use Roland brand.

One of the best things about farro is that it is easier to cook than rice, and more forgiving. It’s also easy to remember the water/grain ratio. 2:1. That means measure your grains and add double the amount of water. Easy. You also don’t have to wait for the water to boil. Rinse the farro, add water, put it over medium-high heat, lower to simmer when it bubbles, cook uncovered for about 15 minutes until al dente and drain any leftover water.

Better at room temp

Another great thing about cooking with farro is that it usually gets served at room temperature. Especially if you are adding a vinaigrette. That means you don’t have to be a professional chef who can time all your other ingredients perfectly. The farro can sit aside for 15-20 minutes no problem.

Mix It Up

You can add pretty much any ingredients to farro with a vinaigrette and it will work. For this recipe, I roasted baby carrots, shallots and baby summer squash. Tossed the farro with a tarragon vinaigrette, the roasted veggies, a handful of fresh baby arugula and some chopped pistachios. The icing on the cake is to grate some fresh parmesan over the dish and toss with the hot veggies just before serving. DEELISH.

Shall I? Or Shallot?

If you aren’t using shallots in your daily cooking, this is a great recipe to help you fall in love with them like I have.

Shallots are snobby red onions. I used to have a real aversion to red onions, probably due to having them raw on a burger or salad at some point and realizing that they tend to linger on me. Shallots brought the flavor of red onion back to my kitchen. They are milder than normal red onions and make everything taste more refined.

I used 2 whole shallots in this farro salad recipe. Peel them and cut them into large chunks for roasting. Their sweetness was a key flavor in this dish.

Get your tarragon on

I posted recently about tarragon, a very under-used herb. Check out my Fresh Herbs: Tarragon post to read more.

A quick whisk of white wine vinegar, olive oil and lemon zest with chopped tarragon makes the dressing for this farro salad. If you can’t get tarragon or don’t like the flavor, I’d substitute fresh thyme or possibly basil.

Squash squash baby

I’m ridiculously overjoyed that I’m having a good squash year in my garden. I think I produced 1 pathetic summer squash over the past 3 growing seasons. It must be the mild spring and plentiful rain that did the trick this year. I prefer my summer squash petite, and it makes the plant produce more when you cut them off as babies.

The original dish that this idea came from used baby carrots, green beans and asparagus. I’m a fan of just using up what you have in the fridge (or in the garden!) which is how the squash got in.

Every now and then I still come across people who don’t like arugula. Arugula is definitely optional here but it did make for a nice layer of freshness. You could put a little chopped kale if you prefer. The greens make the dish look even more appealing.

Farro Followers

For those who already know and love farro, try my Lemony-Dill Salmon Farro Salad or my Prosciutto and Golden Beet Farro with Honey-Dill Ricotta. You can also see the Warm Shrimp and Kamut Salad recipe that led me to discover farro on my Something Borrowed page. I still make it with farro.

Roasted Carrot & Farro Salad with Tarragon

My new favorite spring dinner party dish. Simple, healthy, elegant roasted baby carrots and summer squash on a warm farro salad with tarragon vinaigrette. The roasted shallots, pistachios and parmesan are the stars.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: arugula, carrots, farro, pistachios, shallots, summer squash, tarragon

Servings:

Calories: 820kcal

Ingredients

1 cup farro
2 cups water
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for roasting
handful chopped tarragon
salt and pepper
2-3 large shallots, peeled and quartered
1 bunch baby carrots
3 baby summer squash, halved lengthwise
1 handful arugula
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1 tbsp fresh grated parmesan

Instructions

Place farro and water in medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until al dente. Drain any excess water, transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the quartered shallots in a baking dish with the baby carrots and halved summer squash. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Shimmy the dish to ensure the veggies are coating in oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes until al dente. (If your squash looks done before carrots are tender, remove those and set aside)
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir in tarragon, set aside.
Once farro has cooled, add vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Add carrots, shallots, squash, arugula and pistachios. Toss again. Grate parmesan over the top, season to taste, toss one more time and serve.

Notes

Be sure to let the farro cool to room temperature or the vinaigrette will absorb too quickly and it hides the flavor.

This is a great recipe for a dinner party since the farro is served at room temperature. I serve it with seared sockeye salmon and chilled Chardonnay or Viognier.

Nutrition

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Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Ricotta Meatballs with Fresh Herbs

Frittata Fans were pretty excited when I posted Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs in Turmeric Sauce. The vegetarian cauliflower meatball recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser. It has all the warm, comfort food components that you need for a chilly winter night.

Now that warmer weather is here, I wanted to try a spring version. The cauliflower meatballs get a makeover with ricotta, lemon zest and copious amounts of fresh herbs. The sauce is brightened up with Greek yogurt and yellow bell peppers.

Made it for my test-kitchen friends last night and the plates were clean!

‘Fraid of Feta?

Personally, I love feta cheese. I get it in big chunks at Greek Fest every spring and freeze it. I decided to put chunks of feta into the cauliflower meatballs for a little surprise salty bite. Some of you are not fans of feta. No problem, just leave that out of the recipe.

Fresh Herbs Are Your Friends

This recipe was deliberately made to utilize huge amounts of fresh herbs. If you are growing herbs like dill or cilantro at home, then you know that they do far better when you clip them regularly. This cauliflower meatball recipe is a great way to use big bunches all at once.

If you are not growing herbs, it might be hard to find them in bunches. Cilantro is readily available in stores. You’ll want a good sized bunch for this recipe. If you don’t have access to dill and mint, use fresh parsley and basil. Any combo of 2 or more herbs will work great.

Either way, don’t skimp on the herbs. Embrace them. You can’t over do it.

Time Saver Tip: You can bake the cauliflower meatballs in advance and refrigerate until ready to use. Let them come to room temp before adding to sauce. They are delicate and will fall apart if you cook them too long.

Also thrilled to share that I did freeze a batch of these in a ziploc bag. Let them cool completely before transferring to the freezer container. Thaw in fridge the day you plan to use. It worked!!! Just as delicious as the first time. If the meatballs are made in advance, this is a 30 minute weeknight dinner!!

Let me give credit one more time to May I Have That Recipe for the original idea that inspired my two adaptations! You can link to that original from my Something Borrowed page, or click here.

Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Ricotta Meatballs with Fresh Herbs

A spring version of my Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Meatball recipe using ricotta, lemon zest and fresh herbs in a tangy coconut yogurt sauce.

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Prep Time: 50

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1 30

Course: Main Course

Keyword: cauliflower, herbs, quinoa, ricotta

Servings:

Calories: 599kcal

Ingredients

Quinoa Meatballs

2 eggs
2 cups riced cauliflower
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup fresh herbs like cilantro, mint and dill, chopped
2 lemons
1/2 cup ricotta
1/2 cup feta, crumbled into chunks (optional)
salt and pepper

Coconut Yogurt Sauce

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch ginger root, grated (2 heaping tablespoons)
salt and pepper
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups light coconut milk, preferably from carton
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 small plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 large bell pepper, sliced
1 cups fresh herbs, chopped like cilantro, mint, dill
2 cups cooked brown or basmati rice

Instructions

Prepare the Meatballs

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the 2 eggs well. Zest both lemons. Add the riced cauliflower, cooked quinoa, zest and juice from one of the lemon, plus all remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl. Save the other lemon for the sauce. Mix well, pack down into the bottom of the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Use a large spoon and your hands to form meatballs. I like them to be about 3", bigger than a golfball but smaller than a tennis ball. Be delicate but make sure they are well formed. Place on a non-stick baking sheet. You should have 12-15 meatballs. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Coconut Yogurt Sauce

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and saute another minute. Season well with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetable stock first to deglaze and scrape up any spices. Once combined, add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add heavy cream and continue to simmer about 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken slightly. Reduce heat to medium. Add juice of the remaining lemon. Whisk in the yogurt until thoroughly incorporated.
Carefully add the meatballs to the sauce. Shimmy the pan around so they get fully coated. Simmer for 5 minutes on med heat. Add sliced bell pepper to the sauce. Season again with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the meatballs and sauce over cooked brown or basmati rice. Sprinkle with a generous handful of chopped cilantro, mint and dill and a splash of lime juice. Each serving has about 1/2 cup rice and 3-4 meatballs.

Notes

This is my summer version of a phenomenal recipe originally created by “May I Have That Recipe’s” blog.

The winter version is Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs in Coconut Turmeric Sauce.

This version uses the same basic baked meatball, but it’s freshened up with ricotta and lemon. The sauce is a tangy coconut lemon cream that uses Greek yogurt.

Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs. That is a key part of making this a summery fresh dish!

Nutrition

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Fresh Herbs: Tarragon

If there is one thing that I think is completely under-used in cooking, it’s fresh herbs. Tarragon may be at the top of the under-used fresh herb list.

Tarragon is a savory herb. It smells a little “licoricey”. It’s on the stronger side, like sage or rosemary. A little can go a long way. It is also hardy like rosemary and can tolerate both heat and cold. This is an outdoor herb because it wants to grow big and bushy. Not ideal for the windowsill pot.

Even You Can Grow It

I like tarragon because unlike the more delicate herbs, you can actually have no gardening skills and still grow it. Below is a picture of my tarragon plant which is in its 4th year. We had a super cold winter for south Louisiana and I thought it had died. I cut it down to nothing and in about one month, this is what I have:

Get A Taste For Tarragon

An easy way to ease into using fresh tarragon is in chicken salad. I buy roasted chicken salad from my local store, but sometimes they go a little crazy on the mayo and it needs something to tone that down. Mix 2 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon with a pint of chicken salad – voila! It really freshens things up. Slap that on toasted rye bread with cucumbers and sprouts. Yum!

Bon Appetit!

The French use tarragon a lot more than we do. The first recipe that really turned me on to the fancy flavor of tarragon is one that I have on my Something Borrowed page.

Warm Shrimp Salad with Kamut, Red Chili and Tarragon from Food and Wine

This is a warm grain salad with shrimp, green beans and tarragon. I use farro in place of kamut (I’ve yet to ever see kamut in a store). This recipe perfectly highlights tarragon – the dish would be bland without it. A very elegant dish that pairs perfectly with a rose’ wine.

In general, tarragon works with green vegetables. Use a small amount of finely chopped herb on cooked green beans or peas to make those basic side veggies feel upscale.

Makes The Mushroom

Tarragon also works well with mushrooms. Recently made this Mushroom, Leek and Tarragon Pasta dish by Gordon Ramsay. Super easy, super fast but elegant weeknight meal. I used fresh linguine instead of the pasta sheets he uses in the demo. Sensational with two slices of grilled sourdough and a glass of buttery chardonnay. This dish will also make you fall in love with mushrooms….if you are scared of them, check on my post on how to overcome that: Caramelized Mushroom and Onion Frittata.

Click here to see Gordon Ramsay’s Mushroom, Leek and Tarragon Pasta video

My final and favorite recipe is also on my Something Borrowed page. It’s a Grace Parisi recipe from Food and Wine. Similar to Gordon Ramsay’s but uses chicken and some Dijon mustard. It’s absolutely delicious, elegant and date night worthy.

Chicken in Tarragon-Mustard Cream Sauce by Grace Parisi

Got a recipe highlighting tarragon that you want to share? Comment below! And if you haven’t subscribed, make sure to do that today so you don’t miss the rest of the Fresh Herbs series.

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Finding A Way to Love Tempeh

I did a little unplanned experiment recently. Starting talking about my quest to find the best way to cook tempeh. My friends are used to me giving a rundown of what I made last night or what I’m making for the next 3 days. I talk ingredients and method and wait to see if it gets any reaction. When I mentioned that I was working on using tempeh, I got blank stares. No one even knew what it was.

The vegans and vegetarians reading this are giggling to themselves because you all know what happens when you try to explain what tempeh is.

“It’s a block of fermented soybeans. Tofu’s earthy-crunchy cousin.”

Raised eyebrows.

The Other White Meat?

I’ve known about tempeh for years but my first several attempts to cook it did not go well. I found it bitter, a little too bland.

You can buy it in most fancy grocery stores now, and it often comes pre-marinated. But I’ve not found the marinade flavors appealing. Barbeque? Smoky maple?

It seems that there is a group of people eating vegetarian or vegan who really wish they could eat meat, so they try to recreate the flavor of meat using tofu or tempeh.

I’ve never really understood that. I have moved toward a mostly plant-based diet out of pure choice and because I like the taste of vegetables and grains. If I want meat, I eat meat. If meat got outlawed and was not available, I’d probably still not try to make my tempeh taste like a hamburger.

I’ll just make the tempeh taste great.

Bad Tempeh Memories

I can get tempeh at my local farmer’s market. A vendor recently started selling it, and like I wrote about in the last post on mushrooms, I avoided it like the plague at first. But I’m committed to using what is fresh and available locally, so I decided that I needed to try again. I bought some.

I then stared at it in the fridge for about 2 weeks and threw it away because all I could remember was the bitter taste.

It bothered me that I let it go to waste. It haunted me. Decided to search YouTube for tempeh recipes. Shocker, about 80% are trying to make it taste like meat.

Maybe that’s the lesson. Tempeh CAN’T taste good so you have to make it taste like meat and the only reason to eat it is if you are truly fundamentally opposed to real meat but crave a hamburger?

Tempeh TV

I subscribe to the YouTube Channel Pick Up Limes which features all kinds of healthy recipe ideas. Sadia’s been blogging about plant-based eating for a few years. She had a “Golden Tempeh Nourish Bowl” that had a tempeh marinade which looked promising. Decided to go for it.

Golden Tempeh Nourish Bowl by Pick Up Limes

The marinade was orange juice and tahini based with white miso, sambal olek, ginger and turmeric. I happened to have everything on hand. Except the orange juice.

I’m not much of a fruit person and have never found a liking for orange juice. Needed a substitute. Started searching fridge and pantry.

Don’t freak out here but I subbed orange Gatorade that someone gave me and which I’ll never ever drink. I refused to go to the store just for a splash of orange juice. Considering the results were really good, I imagine it would be even better using actual juice. 😎

Tempeh Trial

I made the marinade, dumped it in a large ziploc, put the tempeh in and left it for 24 hours. Took it out, sliced into 1/2 inch slabs and seared them using coconut oil. I made my own version of a Buddha bowl with a brown rice-lentil blend, mushrooms splashed with tamari, broccolini and avocado. Bonus – The extra marinade can be used as the dressing!

The marinade successfully killed the bitterness that tempeh usually has. It seemed to add a juiciness, and the turmeric gave it a more appealing color. Searing it in the coconut oil (my new obsession for vegetarian cooking) gave it a nice crispy outside plus made it look even tastier. I can say I actually ENJOYED the tempeh. So much that I kept thinking about the nutty goodness the next day and made the same bowl again with the other half of my tempeh block.

Next week at the market I bought some more and told the vendor (Cameron from Crescent City Cultures) about my marinade. I confessed to the Gatorade swap. He sort of choked, and then I think he was wishing he hadn’t sold me any more of the product he worked so hard to make.

I told him I was going to redeem myself. Felt like coconut milk was going to be my base next time.

Yes Tempeh!

Got inspired on Sunday morning and made a coconut-miso-lime juice marinade. Tried to keep it light and fresh. I used a toothpick to poke some holes in the block thinking that might help ensure the flavor gets absorbed all the way through.

The results were better than expected. I wanted to focus on the same light, tropical flavors of the marinade in my Buddha bowl. I had some leftover coconut rice, an overripe mango that needed to go, a half of a properly ripe plaintain and avocado. Lucked out at Whole Foods earlier this week and had gorgeous bright-red Fresno chili so I threw some slices on top for color. They are the perfect spicy accent to the earthy tempeh and tropical flavors.

I knew it was going to need a little dressing. Tempeh is dense and needs some sauce. I poured some of the marinade into a small mason jar (through a sieve to get the seasoning seeds out) and added a little tahini – shake shake shake – it was still very thin but the tahini gave it just a little body.

It was not only beautiful, it was really good! I thought the whole thing came together well and I’d totally make the bowl exactly the same next time.

Cameron – I promised you I’d redeem myself. Please don’t stop selling me the tempeh. I’ve got it figured out now! No more Gatorade….

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Coconut-Miso Marinated Tempeh Bowl

Get your vegan on with a light and tropical coconut-miso marinated tempeh paired with fresh mango, plaintain and avocado.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Marinate: 12

Total Time: 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: mango, miso, tempeh

Servings:

Calories: 1244kcal

Ingredients

Coconut-Miso Marinade

1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp white miso
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced
1 lime, zested
1 serrano chile pepper, halved
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro, stems included
4 pods cardamom, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 block tempeh

Coconut Rice

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed well
1 cup coconut milk

Tempeh Bowl

1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
cooking spray
1 ripe plantain, sliced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 ripe mango, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 Fresno or other red hot chile pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp tahini
1 handful cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Make the marinade

Combine all marinade ingredients (except the tempeh block) in a mixing bowl and whisk well. Use a toothpick to poke holes in your tempeh block (optional). Put the tempeh in a large ziploc and pour in the marinade. Seal and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

Make the rice

Place rinsed basmati rice in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occassionally until starting to toast. Add coconut milk. Once it starts to bubble, cover and reduce heat to med-low. Cook for 15 minutes, turn off heat and leave covered while you prepare the tempeh bowl.

Assemble the bowl

While rice cooks, preheat oven to 350°. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small ramekin. Add plaintain slices to baking dish, spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with 1/2 the sugar mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip, spray again with cooking spray, sprinkle remaining sugar mixture and continue baking about 7 minutes or until golden and tender.
Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a non-stick pan. Remove tempeh from marinade (reserve marinade) and slice into 1/2 inch slabs. Once coconut oil is hot, add tempeh slices. Cook until golden, about 4 minutes and flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes until golden on both sides.
Build your bowl: Fluff the rice and divide between 2 bowl. Add sliced mango, avocado, plaintain and tempeh.
Strain about half of the marinade into a mason jar. Add 1 tbsp tahini, seal and shake well. Dress the bowl with the tahini marinade. Finish with chopped cilantro.

Notes

If you’re trying to find a way to love tempeh, this might be it.

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Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Frittata

Easter Sunday is nearly upon us. Time to start thinking about a fabulous Easter brunch menu. This mushroom frittata is dressed in its Sunday best after the star ingredient get a little simmer in butter and white wine.

‘Fraid of Fungus?

Are you afraid of mushrooms? I used to be. Raw mushrooms elicit strong reactions. For years the only wild mushrooms I’d cook with were chanterelles. The snob of the mushroom family.

Pffiferwhat?

I had fallen in love with chanterelles after being gifted some from a friend who is lucky enough to have them growing wild in her yard. Came up with some good recipes for them. More on that when season hits.

Side story – I was traveling in the Mosel River Valley of Germany and kept seeing “Pfifferlinge” on restaurant special boards. I passed right by them before I remembered that my sister-in-law, who is German, told me that this what they call chanterelles in Germany. 😱

That’s a little tip if you are traveling in Germany in the fall. Click here to jump to my Germany travel page to find out more.

Eat Local, Eat Seasonal

I try really hard to utilize only local fresh produce, not only because it’s healthier, cheaper and has less carbon footprint but because I believe in supporting my local farms.

There is a mushroom guy (James) at my local farmer’s market. He’s always there, year round.

fresh mushrooms — Click the image to check out Screaming Oaks Mushroom Farm

His mushrooms were something I used to skip over because I was afraid of them. I’m big on texture in food so mushrooms always seemed useless to me.

But there they were. Every week. And they were plentiful when other produce was scarce. I couldn’t ignore them anymore.

Get Over The Fear. Find The Flavor.

So I challenged myself to find ways to not only use mushrooms, but to LOVE mushrooms.

Some of you are already there. You get it.

For those who don’t get it but want to try, I would suggest taking a nod from the French. They have mastered the art of making things that usually don’t taste good taste absolutely amazing by cooking them with onions in butter and white wine.

Asian recipes also make mushrooms magic with the simple addition of soy sauce.

Baby Bella Steps

Here are a few mushroom recipes to try next time you see an assortment of wild mushrooms at your local market.

First, I’m a big fan of buddha bowls. If you are too then you MUST check out Tish Wonder’s YouTube Channel. Her videos usually demo 3 different buddha bowl recipe ideas. These recipes are definitely for the foodie or the gourmet so if that is you, be prepared to fall in love and have a scratchpad nearby to scribble down the ideas.

Tish often adds shitakki mushrooms to her bowls. This is where I learned that just a quick saute in olive oil and a splash of tamari (or soy sauce) turns the fairly neutral mushroom into a side dish star. Check out this video link. All the recipes are amazing but the 3rd bowl features the tamari mushrooms on the bowl pictured above (with brown rice, cabbage and butternut squash drizzled in a tahini dressing).

I am also currently obsessed with Wil Yeung’s YouTube channel. I recently made a miso ramen noodle dish from his channel that was easy and delicious. Noodles, broccoli, mushrooms in a miso sake broth. Yum. Click the link above…he uses mushrooms in lots of his recipes.

Once Upon A Mushroom Frittata

Today I decided to return to my roots and share a mushroom frittata recipe. Mushrooms actually go really well with eggs.

There are lots of mushroom frittata recipes online and they are all pretty similar.

The variations involve whether to just saute the onions or actually caramelize them, and which cheese to use (swiss or Gruyere).

I decided to kick it up a notch. As with most of my test kitchen experiments, I went through the fridge. Fresh bundle of thyme? Check. Quarter bottle of white wine? Check plus!

Once the onions were caramelized, I added more butter to the pan. Mushrooms in. Wine in. Fresh thyme. Then I get a facial because I’ve gotta put my nose right over the pan to take that aroma in!

Finished it with swiss and Gruyere cheese. It was soooooo good.

For your Easter Brunch, serve the mushroom frittata with a fancy salad and maybe some of those adorable mini-pumpernickel toasts. And 2 bottles of white wine. Enjoy!

I decided to do a little avocado toast on the side for lunch today. Smash up one ripe avocado with salt, crushed pepper, a good squeeze of lime juice and a little drizzle of olive oil. I had a whole grain pumpernickel bread for the toast and some fresh pea shoots for garnish. YUM!!

You can definitely make the frittata the day before and just warm it back up on low heat in the oven.

If you like this recipe, check out the entire frittata recipe collection!

Subscribe here so you don’t miss any recipes…I’m going to be in the kitchen all weekend. Mushroom lovers please comment with your favorite mushroom recipe.

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Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Frittata

The glorious combination of butter, onions, mushrooms, thyme and white wine in a Sunday brunch frittata.

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Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 45

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: frittata, mushrooms, thyme, white wine

Servings:

Calories: 240kcal

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 small yellow onion, cut in half and sliced
salt and pepper
2 cups assorted chopped fresh mushrooms
1 tsp fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine
8 eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup swiss cheese, shredded
3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat an oven-safe medium non-stick saute pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter. Once melted add sliced onion, stir and season generously with salt and pepper. Leave alone for 7-10 minutes. Once the onions start to caramelize, stir them around to ensure even browning, about 15 minutes total.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cream, Dijon and baking powder. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Raise heat to medium and add 1 tbsp butter to pan. Allow to melt and add the mushrooms. Stir to coat and combine with the onions. Continue to cool for about 4 minutes until mushrooms are beginning to soften but are still al dente.
Raise the heat to medium high. Wait 1 minute and then add white wine. Allow to simmer down until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the fresh thyme (save a pinch for finishing). Get a good whiff of the pan now….mmmmmm.
Reduce heat to medium and pour egg mixture over the mushrooms. Stir gently to ensure everything is evenly distributed. Top with swiss and gruyere cheese, shimming the pan to allow the cheese to sink. Finish with the remaining pinch of fresh thyme and allow to cook on the stove for about 4 minutes until edges are set.
Transfer to oven and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until set. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

There is nothing better than the aroma of onions, mushrooms and fresh thyme cooking in butter and white wine.

This fancy frittata is perfect for Easter Sunday brunch. Serve with a fancy green salad on the side.

Check out my other frittata recipes here: https://onceuponafrittata.com/food/recipe-collections/

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Zoom Meetings

Zoom Meetings

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Why My Camera Is Off During Zoom Meetings

If you are wondering why my camera is not on during Zoom meetings from my home office, now you know. I’m perched on my desk chair practicing for my future job as a National Geographic nature photographer. 😁

For real Nat Geo, call me.

83x Zoom

No, not 83 Zoom meetings.

Remember when zoom referred to something a camera can do? I’m zooming while I Zoom with my Nikon Coolpix p900. Can you say 83x zoom? I can. 🤩 Bird can be like a mile away and I’ll get him. And I didn’t leave my Zoom meeting to do it. Love this camera…click to buy on Amazon.

Zoom In

Seriously though, I love that I get to work from home way more than I used to.

Some days I’m on the road driving hundreds of miles. But on the days when I’m in the home office, the birds won’t leave me alone.

Picture Perfect View

I have a gorgeous willow tree outside my home office window. Looked up the other day while hardly paying attention to the 8am Zoom meeting someone scheduled (grrrr). Cedar Waxwing Festival going on in the willow. I grabbed the camera and proceeded to take an obscene amount of video. I had no idea they ate the little fluffy seed-pods! They were there all day.

Who Invited Him?

Mr. Pileated Woodpecker decided to show up for my noon Zoom meeting. I had to mute myself because he was knocking away right outside the window. At eye level. Begging to be photographed. And adding nothing to the TPO Report conversation (who remembers what TPO Reports are ?!?). Not gonna lie…. I might have actually walked away from that meeting to go outside and take his picture 🤐

Next Mr. House Finch showed up on my hummingbird feeder. I’ve seen them do this before. It’s so funny…”little guy in a big car” funny.

Might as well check out my scout activity on the bee box while taking my lunch break.

If only market share reports were this mesmerizing!

And as the sun was setting on my 6th Zoom meeting of the day, I got the video of Mr. Hummingbird with his little tiny feet dangling as he shows off his backwards flight skill.

All in all, not a bad day’s work.

Wanna look at more bird photos while you sit through your next Zoom meeting?

Check out my Bird page.

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Lemony-Dill Salmon Farro Salad

Spring is here! At least it is in the south. Sorry Minnesota. Time to lighten up the meal plan. Nothing hints of spring like fresh dill. This lemony salmon farro salad is a great way to welcome spring to your dinner table.

Divine Intervention

I originally planned to make this dish using a high quality jar of albacore tuna that has been staring at me from my pantry for too long. But the universe intervened because my local market had gorgeous Alaskan sockeye salmon on sale.

I’m not gonna lie. I didn’t make the connection at first. I was just going to postpone the tuna another month and make a salmon dish.

Duh! Salmon would be even better in a lemony-dilly farro salad. 🤦‍♀️

Lovely Leeks

For the salmon farro salad, I decided to use leeks. I adore leeks. I will never understand why grocery stores sell them in such huge bundles when you only need an inch for a recipe.

Leeks are a delicate onion. Sexier than a green onion but you could sub green onion if you don’t have leeks (or don’t want to commit to a lifetime supply).

You will use the white and pale green parts. Cut a section about an inch long, then cut that in half lengthwise and thinly slice.

Make sure to stick your nose above the saute pan when they start to warm up. They smell amazing.

Here’s another recipe for using up more of your leeks. I made this simple Leek & Lemon Linguine dish from EatingWell magazine and it was fantastic alongside a piece of slow roasted salmon.

Crisp As Spring Air

The crispness of the fresh bell peppers and celery in this recipe are the stars.

Do not skimp on the lemon juice. Go overboard. Trust me.

Please pass the Grey Poupon

I’ve been using Dijon mustard since the “pardon me” commercial came out in 1981. While there is a place for yellow mustard (on a hot dog), you absolutely CAN NOT substitute anything for Dijon in the salmon farro salad (or anywhere, ever).

Buy a jar and then search Once Upon A Frittata for “Dijon” and you’ll find a dozen recipes that you can use it in including Dijon and Dill Egg Salad which will also help you use up your extra fresh dill.

Be sure to subscribe below because my spring garden is planted and I’ve got lots of fabulous spring recipes to share!

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Lemony-Dill Salmon Farro Salad

Healthy, hearty and delicious meal for spring.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: arugula, farro, salmon

Servings:

Calories: 1019kcal

Ingredients

1 cup farro
2 cups water
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra for finishing
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 inch piece of leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinkly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup arugula
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 salmon fillets, skin on

Instructions

Place farro and water in medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until al dente. Drain any excess water, transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
While farro is cooking, whish together the vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a medium saute pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and cook just until wilted and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan and add to bowl with farro.
Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in same saute pan over med-high heat. Wait 45 seconds and then add salmon, presentation side down. Don't move until the salmon comes loose on its own just by giving the pan a good shimmy. Flip salmon over and cook about 2 minutes longer or until it gives just a little to the touch. Remove from heat.
Once farro has cooled, add vinaigrette and toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add celery, bell pepper, arugula, avocado and dill. Toss gently to combine.
Using a fork, flake the salmon from the skin in chunks. Divide the farro between two serving bowls and top each with salmon. Drizzle with olive oil to finish and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Notes

This is a great weeknight meal for spring. I use sockeye salmon when it looks fresh at the market. I like to zest the lemon before I juice it. I add the lemon zest at the end with the drizzle of oil.

Be sure to let the farro cool to room temperature while you prepare the salmon. The vinaigrette will absorb too quickly if you toss it while the farro is still hot and it hides the flavor.

This is a great recipe for a dinner party since the farro is served at room temperature. You can make the salmon ahead of time (undercook it a little), wrap in tinfoil and then place in a 300 degree oven to warm before plating.

Serve with a chilled glass of white wine for an elegant meal.

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Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli and Roasted Peppers

I’m a fan of spaghetti squash but sometimes struggle with creative ways to use it.

Spaghetti Squash Is Not Pasta

I don’t use spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. I don’t put red sauce on it. If I want spaghetti, I want spaghetti.

Don’t Squash Experimentation

This recipe was a compilation of a few similar ideas I found online – pesto spaghetti squash (by itself) and a squash lasagna. Then, as usual, I basically went through my fridge looking for other things to throw in and made it up as I went along.

Experiments like that do not usually lead to a final recipe that I’d share, but I get lucky every now and then!

Spaghetti Squash – Why You Need Good Knives

The worst part of cooking spaghetti squash is cutting the darn thing in half. This is where having good knives is critical.

I’ve been a huge fan of Cutco knives forever. Lifetime warranty, personalized service, free sharpening yearly. Pricey, but worth it. Make the investment. Having real knives will immediately up your kitchen game to pro.

I use Cutco’s 8″ butcher knife for this job.

Cutco 8″ Butcher Knife – Click image to buy on Amazon

Two Tips

I was actually really happy with how this recipe came out. Two tips:

First, undercook the squash since it is going back in the oven after you mix in the veggies. Spaghetti squash turns to mush easily. Test your squash after 12 minutes. Use a fork to scrape a few strands. They should be al dente.

Second tip – don’t go overboard on the mozzarella.

I had an open package of fresh mozzarella pearls that needed to go. The pearls were perfect because I got a nice bite of the cheese vs. using shredded mozzarella which gets a little lost when it melts and would weigh down your spaghetti squash.

You can certainly use any pesto that you like, but if you have access to some fresh basil then I recommend Jenny’s Basil Cashew Pesto. 😜

If you have a favorite use for spaghetti squash, please share in the comments below!

Spring has arrived, and with it lots of fresh recipe ideas. Don’t forget to subscribe below so you don’t miss any!

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Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli and Roasted Red Peppers

Super easy vegetarian dinner recipe using healthy spaghetti squash.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: broccoli, pesto, spaghetti squash

Servings:

Calories: 301kcal

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup broccoli florets
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
2 tbsp Jenny's Basil Cashew Pesto* or other pesto
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella pearls or shredded mozzarella
2 tbsp shredded parmesan, optional

Instructions

Bake the squash

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut spaghetti squash in half, scrape out seeds. Set halves on shallow baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil on each half, using fingers to coat the entire surface. Season well with salt and pepper. Flip over so cut sides are down. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a fork, flip squash upright.

Prepare the filling

While your squash bakes, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and allow to heat for 30 seconds. Add broccoli florets and stir to coat with the oil. Cook for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and crushed red pepper. Add 1/4 cup water to pan and cover. Allow to steam for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat.
Place 2 tbsp pesto in large mixing bowl. Once squash comes out of oven, use a fork to scrape the spaghetti strands into bowl. Use oven mitts to hold the squash because it will be hot, but you want to get the strands out before they overcook. Gently toss the hot squash with the pesto until incorporated. Add the broccoli florets, the roasted red peppers and mozzarella. Toss again gently to combine.
Divide the squash mixture between the two squash shells. Lower oven to 350° and bake for about 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add parmesan (if using) to the top of each squash and bake for 5 more minutes until melted. Serve entire boat on a plate.

Notes

Spaghetti squash is often substituted for pasta in traditional spaghetti to make it healthier. I like the buttery flavor of the squash so I prefer not to hide it in tomato sauce.

*Wanna try making your own pesto? Check out Jenny’s Basil Cashew Pesto recipe.

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You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato

Everything Is Better With Bacon

Take Your Tomato Dancing – They Like to Salsa

Feeling Saucy

Once Upon A Fresh Tomato Frittata

A Toast To Fresh Tomatoes

The Search Isn’t Over

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Breaking From Tradition

Lots of Lemon

The Process

Using Pesto

Jenny’s Basil & Cashew Pesto

Ingredients

Instructions

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Fabulous Farro

Better at room temp

Mix It Up

Shall I? Or Shallot?

Get your tarragon on

Squash squash baby

Farro Followers

Roasted Carrot & Farro Salad with Tarragon

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Be sure to let the farro cool to room temperature or the vinaigrette will absorb too quickly and it hides the flavor.

This is a great recipe for a dinner party since the farro is served at room temperature. I serve it with seared sockeye salmon and chilled Chardonnay or Viognier.

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‘Fraid of Feta?

Fresh Herbs Are Your Friends

Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Ricotta Meatballs with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

Quinoa Meatballs

Coconut Yogurt Sauce

Instructions

Prepare the Meatballs

Coconut Yogurt Sauce

Notes

This is my summer version of a phenomenal recipe originally created by “May I Have That Recipe’s” blog.

The winter version is Baked Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs in Coconut Turmeric Sauce.

This version uses the same basic baked meatball, but it’s freshened up with ricotta and lemon. The sauce is a tangy coconut lemon cream that uses Greek yogurt.

Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs. That is a key part of making this a summery fresh dish!

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Even You Can Grow It

Get A Taste For Tarragon

Bon Appetit!

Makes The Mushroom

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The Other White Meat?

Bad Tempeh Memories

Tempeh TV

Tempeh Trial

Yes Tempeh!

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Coconut-Miso Marinated Tempeh Bowl

Ingredients

Coconut-Miso Marinade

Coconut Rice

Tempeh Bowl

Instructions

Make the marinade

Make the rice

Assemble the bowl

Notes

If you’re trying to find a way to love tempeh, this might be it.

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