Light and fragrant, this honey chamomile cupcake gets its distinctive flavor thanks to a tea infusion that is enhanced even more with a cloud of honey whipped cream. Adorned with jewel-like edible flowers, it is — simply divine. The taste is as refined as its natural beauty. Enjoy this cupcake recipe as an extra special treat to yourself, or for your friends and family. Click here for the recipe.
Confit sounds fancy, but don’t let the word fool you, its origin is quite humble, pronounced con-fee, it comes from the French verb confire, which means to preserve. Confit, one of the oldest methods of preserving food before refrigeration, is a process of slow cooking fruits, vegetables, or more commonly, meat.
When summer is at the height of the tomato harvest, confit is a wonderful way to capture the taste and essence of this late season fruit before it disappears. Tomato Confit has an intense concentrated flavor that is sweet like jam and smooth as velvet, it’s so tasty you want to slather it over anything and everything, trust me. One of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy tomato confit, is to simply spread it on crostini and top it with some fresh chopped basil. So good! Click here for recipe.
Full of nutrients too, tomatoes are truly a gift of health that your body will appreciate and thank you for later. So what’s not to love? Why not give this easy to prepare Tomato Confit Crostini recipe a try!
The first time I tasted grilled romaine lettuce was at an Indian restaurant, where it arrived on the table sizzling hot with tandoori-spiced chicken, and a refreshing yogurt sauce, as an appetizer. So simple and satisfying, grilled romaine lettuce soon became part of my menu repertoire for healthy quick eats. Enjoy it like a wrap or in a salad, as a side dish with Parmesan, or straight from the grill with a little lemon juice, and a pinch of salt, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Click here for the recipe.
Bold colorful peppers and vine-ripened tomatoes always welcome me back to the kitchen classroom in the late summer, where I teach elementary school children how to cook real food inspired by the garden.
We kick off the season with the recipe, Confetti Spaghetti, highlighting the harvest’s bounty of bright jewel tones that look like the fireworks sky on the Fourth of July– a party on a plate that tastes like a celebration in your mouth.
And, oh so healthy too, these vibrant colored fruits and vegetables have a generous infusion of beneficial vitamins and minerals that nourish both the mind and body.
It’s no wonder that students eagerly swarm like bees to honey, to the cooking lesson. Excited fingers slice, dice, and roll fresh leaves of basil into cylinders that are thinly cut into a chiffonade. This early hands-on nutrition lesson is not only fun and engaging for children, but will have a positive impact on the choices they make about food for many years into the future.
Confetti Spaghetti is one of the most versatile recipes you can have in your repertoire. Feel free to choose your favorite seasonal vegetables, red, orange, even purple, and experiment with different flavors and textures or whatever is available to you. Click here for the Confetti Spaghetti recipe.
Baking from the garden is a wonderful way to use up the generous supply of zucchini that is so easy to grow. With the cream cheese swirl, this cupcake is fancy enough to serve for company, or indulge in all by yourself for an afternoon treat, midnight snack, or whatever— you don’t need an excuse to enjoy it any time of the day. Click here for the recipe.
Is there anything better than savoring the sweet taste of summer with luscious, tree-ripened peaches that are oozing in flavor, all wrapped up in a French crêpe like a present, at a lingering pace over breakfast? S’il vous plait!
Peach trees are the Chinese symbol for longevity.
Still in season, peaches are brimming with nutrients that make them a healthy snack, breakfast, or treat. It’s no coincidence that peach trees are the Chinese symbol for longevity.
Even better, roasted peach crêpes are easy to prepare, and with minimal effort, crêpes can dress up any occasion from simple to luxurious with an endless variety of sweet or savory combinations. This classic dish is a true gift from the heart, enjoyed best with the ones you love, to set off a leisurely weekend day. Click here for the recipe.
Nothing tastes more refreshing than a slice of watermelon on a hot summer day. Originally from Africa, watermelon is the iconic symbol of the season, considered as American as apple pie, it announces the picnic table tradition of celebrations, with its sweet, juicy chorus of flavor, that will make your heart beat and taste buds sing.
One of my favorite ways to eat watermelon, is to slice off a thick wedge and devour its ruby-pink flesh like it was an ear of corn, with its sweet watery juice dripping from cheek to cheek, held firmly between my sticky fingers, I feast on it right down to the rind, while standing alone in front of my kitchen sink.
A visual beauty, this seasonal masterpiece is a feast for the senses that showcases the summer flavors of watermelon and tomatoes, a combination when paired together— is a taste sensation.
Another more civilized way to enjoy watermelon, is to give it a quick caramelizing sear in a sauté pan, to bring out the natural sweetness of the fruit, and then pair it with bold peppery arugula, fresh heirloom tomatoes, and creamy feta cheese, a wonderful sweet and salty flavor combination that is a seasonal delight.
This dish is easy to prepare, and if you want to share it, well, that is up to you.
Click here for the recipe.
Fresh in season from the farmers’ market are summer blueberries. These dark blue polka dots burst into a flavor explosion of blueberry heaven, when you bite into them. And they come with benefits too.
Blueberries are a super food filled with nutrients that strengthen the immune system, improve memory, promote heart health, and offer a generous dose of antioxidants that help to slow down the aging process. Yes please!
The possibilities for how to enjoy blueberries are limitless. A kid-friendly treat, snacking 
fresh from the container makes them a healthy fast food. Sprinkle in cereal, salads, or smoothies, add blueberries to baked goods, or toss them into a sauce pan to make a topping. To celebrate the summer berry season, try this family-friendly recipe for Blue Corn Blueberry Pancakes.
When Marcel Proust dipped his madeleine into his cup of tea, a powerful memory from his childhood emerged that led him to write the classic novel, “Remembrance of Things Past.” Imagine such a table from nostalgic past, set for afternoon tea, bursting with memories, sparked by the delicate flavor of this simple yet elegant, shell-shaped cake. A modern twist on a classic, here is my recipe for Lemon Olive Oil Madeleines.
Asparagus, Dinosaur Kale, Red Onion
By: Fifth Grade Cooking Class Student
There is beauty in every moment. If we simply slow down to notice the world around us, we can find inner beauty in ordinary objects, and the still life treasure will unfold like a flower petal blooming.
Carrie Fehr 