the colors of summer, a love affair with red

It's amazing how a single red dress inspired me to look at all the gorgeous summer produce sitting on my kitchen countertop a little differently.  Just taking a moment to appreciate the vibrant hues of the season - and this might sound silly - reminds you of the beauty of good food, and that it can be breathtaking sometimes (often times).  And when your fridge, your plate, your diet is vibrant, it's a fail-proof sign that you're eating healthfully, smartly and deliciously.  I present you with some of summer's best as an example.  Antioxidant-packed heirloom and cherry tomatoes (which immediately encouraged me to do up a simple, scrumptious snack of heirloom tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella dotted with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and a sprinkling of that red chili you see above).  The tomato crop is unbelievable this season, so make a run to your local greenmarket asap and stock up.  Major flavor and major nutrients, and mini-calories - which leaves you a little more room for a nice piece of ciabatta, baguette or whole wheat sourdough with that tomato, basil, mozzarella salad below.   Also tossed into the bowl above are 2 Turkish eggplants (those little red guys with stems on the left side).  I'd never seen them before I stumbled upon them at the farmers market last weekend - and fortunately so, they're wonderful grilled or quickly sauteed.

tomato, basil, mozzarella salad = the perfect snack or starter

a little more red love...summer tristar strawberries

my red dress that inspired it all...

you can't go wrong with summer fun and sparkles - and a plate of delicious fresh food!

images by: moi's camera, growshop.com, luckymag.com

tabouleh :: a cool, quick lunch for a hot day

If you haven't yet stepped outside today, you're lucky.  It's a blazing 97 degrees in NYC.  I nearly melted just walking from my apartment to my neighborhood coffee shop, OST.  When the weather's this sweltering, I can really only think about hydrating to stay cool.  The more liquids the better.  Actual food tends to become an after thought and anything resembling an oven/toaster oven/stove top is absolutely out of the question.  
But because a girl does have eat, I went the incredibly easy, no-heat-required route of prepping a cool tabouleh salad for today's lunch (put together in under 10 minutes and easily packed up to bring to the office).  I must thank my beloved mother for inspiring me to love this summertime Middle Eastern dish.  Tabouleh was a constant staple in our fridge when I was growing up.  A big bowl sat ready for the taking - perfect for a fast  and energizing lunch thanks to the goodness of whole grains or a satisfying afternoon snack or even a colorful and  healthful side dish at dinner.  Tabouleh's traditionally made with bulgur (cracked wheat that's high in fiber, about 5 grams per serving), lots of parsley - curly or Italian works just fine, olive oil, lemon juice, scallion and tomato.  Plain, simple and shockingly healthy.  Clearly my mom was ahead of her time!


Lacking parsley this morning when I whipped up the dish, I substituted fresh mint and threw in some chickpeas and feta cheese for an extra-energy packed lunch.  Cool, refreshing and it's keeping me well-fueled all afternoon. 


makes 4 servings


2 cups bulgur
1 cup red or yellow cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
1 vine-ripened or heirloom tomato diced
2 kirby cucumbers, diced
2 stalks of scallions, chopped
1 15 ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste


put the bulgur in a medium bowl and fill with water just to cover.  allow to sit covered on a counter top for at least 30 minutes or overnight.  bulgur will absorb the water and will be ready to work with - no cooking required!  place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss.  lunch in under 10 minutes!

5 ways with fresh tomatoes

Get ready for a little post-4th of July inspiration.  Take an independent charge this month to freshen up your fridge and your plate.  If these gorgeous pics below don't garner some culinary, greenmarket-going inspiration, I don't know what will!  And I'm very pleased to mention that these photos are courtesy of Domino magazine, my fave design publication, which has just been brought back to life at Brides.com!!  For accompanying recipes check out the full article here.  Now is THE season to scout out fresh from the farm tomatoes - whether they're heirloom, cherry, grape, vine-ripened or plum - check localharvest.org to find a farmers market near you.

vibrant heirlooms...take your pick

a lovely lite lunch, simple take on pan con tomate...feels like you're leisurely lunching Spain

warm caprese salad...fresh mozzarella, tomatoes & basil. yum. (full recipe below)

frittata with tomatoes & leeks for a hearty breakfast or simple lunch or dinner

gazpacho bloody mary, hair of the dog to cure that 4th of July hangover (if there's a hint of it still left!)

Warm Caprese Salad

The savoriness of this classic Italian preparation is updated by grilling the tomatoes, which adds a hint of caramelization, and melting the cheese. Gooey heirloom heaven!

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 to 8 heirloom tomatoes
• 10 oz. buffalo or fresh mozzarella, sliced and at room temperature
• coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup chives, cut into 1/2" lengths
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, mint, tarragon and/or soft oregano leaves
• 2 cups baby arugula

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium hot, and brush grates with olive oil. Trim the tops off the smaller tomatoes, and cut the larger ones into very thick slices (at least 1"). Place the tomatoes cut side down on the grill until they just begin to warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn over tomatoes and top each with a slice of mozzarella. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until the cheese "slumps." Remove the tomatoes from the grill, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix the herbs and arugula to make a salad, and scatter around the tomatoes.

Serves 4

The tumult around tomatoes

If you haven't already heard, tomatoes are the latest produce item to cause a nice little food-borne illness scare. Multiple outbreaks of salmonella have been reported in the past few days with tomatoes, specifically roma, plum and round red, being the primary suspect. The outbreak seems to be most prominent in areas of Texas and New Mexico along with 15 other states. Have no fear, your favorite summer fruit (yes, tomatoes are actually a fruit) to throw into salads or pair with basil and fresh mozzarella isn't a total wash. Grape, cherry and vine-ripened tomatoes are perfectly safe to continue eating. And to drive home the benefits of farm-to-plate eating even further, if you're lucky enough to grow your own tomatoes or purchase them from a local farmer/greenmarket, you can really rest-assured that your health's in the clear.