Tomato sauce can be simple and flavorful with just a few ingredients. Or, it can be detailed and chunky, as if you have a garden in your pot.

I love the smell of fresh herbs, mountains of garlic (maybe a little exaggerated), tomatoes, and red wine.  It’s important to pick a red wine that you enjoy drinking because a little is added to your sauce and a glassful for you.  A splash here and a taste there 🙂

I’ve said it before and will say it again: recipes are guidelines.  Especially tomato sauce recipes!  This is your chance to play around.  A pinch more of this and a splash more of that, you can add sautéed onions, mushroom, zucchini or peppers (hence the garden-in-your-pot analogy.)  Add a variety of meats for a more complex flavor.

A garden medley to satisfy any vegetable lovers’ tastes.  This can be served on a bed of rice and served as a main meal or used as a side dish.

These vegetables are available year round in grocery stores but we are embarking on summer’s production of an abundance of fresh green zucchinis, deep purple eggplants, colorful peppers, and a variety of tomatoes.  Whether you have your own backyard garden or exploring local farmer’s markets, summer is about ready to explode with fresh pickings.

This grain-like seed has become quite the talk for some time now. It comes in a variety of colors but is most known for the translucent yellow seed. It’s a delicate flavor and is light and fluffy.  It’s time I jump on board already to see what all the hoopla is about. I’ve seen recipes on other blogs but just haven’t made the time to learn and explore this little gem. As a mom of three kids involved in sports, it’s important that I feed their bodies to keep up with their energy levels. It’s also a complete protein.  Quinoa is packed with nutrients! This is one well-rounded grain-like seed! You can read here to learn more about this little powerhouse.

Need a healthy and simple weeknight meal? Try making a frittata. This can be a meal in itself or a nice addition to a fresh salad. It can be eaten hot, warm or room temperature.

A frittata may be described as an open-faced Italian omelet. Like an omelet, it consists of eggs cooked in butter with a variety of fillings. The texture is firm and set, although never to the point of being stiff and dry.

Do you have an overstocked produce drawer with a questionable life expectancy?  You can create your own flavor of a frittata. Leftover vegetables always work well in a frittata.  It’s a good way to use up vegetables (that you know would never get eaten otherwise) and get a second meal out of your first time efforts.  Yes, frittatas can be made extra simple with eggs and just cheese.  But by adding vegetables it’s a nice way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, which I’m sure a good chunk of us need to do.

Does anyone have a recipe that made his or her significant other fall in love with them? Twenty years ago I made this recipe, as well as a blueberry swirl cheesecake, for my husband.  This dish will forever hold this story.