My favorite way to eat quinoa is at room temperature, tossed with plenty of fresh, seasonal greens, herbs and veggies, and dressed up with the best little vinaigrette, which couldn’t be simpler, by the way, just fresh lime juice and avocado oil kissed with sweet honey.

The salad is perfect all by itself or as a nest for seared scallops. But today, with hothouse tomatoes in the house, I thought I’d stuff them.  These are as beautiful as they are delicious. They are perfect for any meal but I think their true calling is as a picnic favorite.

Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes

7 tomatoes (6 for their “shells” and 1 chopped to go in the quinoa)

Olive oil, as needed

Large bunch arugula, washed and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup avocado oil (of course, olive oil will work too)

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 teaspoons local honey

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Black pepper, to taste

3 cups cooked quinoa (cooled)

1/4 red onion, chopped

2 heaping tablespoons chopped basil

Cut the tops off 6 of the tomatoes, scoop out the insides and save for another recipe. Set the gutted tomatoes aside.

In a saute pan, add a little oil, and then drop in arugula and garlic. Stir around for a couple minutes until arugula is wilted.  Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl whisk together avocado oil, lime juice and zest and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked quinoa, chopped tomato, onion, basil, and cooled arugula.  Toss everything together.

Scoop into tomato shells and serve.

I love her traditional potato salad recipe and have made it many times, but this spring, I’ve been craving a fresh, herb-y, lighter version.  I came up with this salad this spring when we were in Florida for Spring Training and the days were starting to warm.  I made it at least once a week and if we were lucky, we got a few meals out of each batch. I would serve it with dinner one night and as part of lunch the next day.  And, of course, we all dipped a spoon in every now and then when we’d walk by the fridge.

I can’t get enough of it — the little potatoes tossed in a zippy vinaigrette made with lemon, olive oil, Dijon and a kiss of sweet honey.  Fennel, radishes and a good helping of celery give it crunch, and refreshing lightness. I usually still throw in a small spoonful of mayonnaise for a hint of that creaminess I remember.

My Favorite Potato Salad

1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes

1 tablespoon mayonnaise (optional)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons local honey

1 teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

1/2 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced

5 small leafy stalks of celery

3 radishes, thinly sliced

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Place whole potatoes in a large saucepan. Add salted water to cover the potatoes by an inch or so. Bring to a boil and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let potatoes cool just enough to be cut into bite-size cubes.

While the potatoes are cooling, whisk together mayonnaise (if using), olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Drop cubed potatoes into the vinaigrette mixture and gently toss. (This is where the magic happens, so don’t skip this step). Set aside.

Add sliced veggies and herbs in with potatoes.  Serve on a pretty platter.  Enjoy warm, at room temperature or cold. It’s pretty much delicious at any time or temperature!

With our good fortune of living and traveling to different places, there are some places that just stick, that really become part of who you are. Philly is one of those places for Brad and me.

As much as we’ve bounced around the country, we has never lived in the Northeast before, so the experience was new to us: the charming historic townships with tree-lined streets all dressed up bubble-gum pink cherry blossoms in the spring and fiery red leaves in the fall, the people, the faster pace of life, the first time I heard someone say “yous guyz.”

Now our family has headed south to Washington, DC, to a new city, a new team and new adventures. We won’t be living in Philly this baseball season, but Brad and I will be supporting The Food Trust from afar. I’ll be popping in every couple of weeks with recipes like this one.

Yes, we’re starting with dessert. When thinking of dessert, I like to embrace one of Michael Pollan’s “food rules”: you can eat whatever you desire as long as you make it at home. It’s a good rule, because it usually requires some planning, effort and time to make a sweet treat. But this rule was clearly written before I created this five-minute, no-bake, totally addictive blend of dark chocolate, exotic coconut and vanilla.

Coconut & Dark Chocolate Ice Box Drops

1 3.5-ounce bar 80% dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

A little less than 1/4 cup organic coconut oil

2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1 cup unsulfured shredded coconut

Sea salt, as needed

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate, stirring constantly. When the chocolate is melted, stir in coconut oil to melt. When coconut oil is melted, remove saucepan from heat. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla. Then add coconut.

Crop little one-bite spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt. Freeze until firm. Enjoy straight out of the freezer.

I can get about 20 on these little drops of heaven out of each batch.

Maple Vanilla Popcorn
Lindsay says: Here, I deliberately kept the popcorn simple with a sweet and salty combination that is movie-worthy all on its own, but this recipe can also be a starting point for whatever you can dream up. Maybe a few handfuls of roasted nuts or seeds, toasted coconut, warming spices (I use it as a chance to clean out some of our spices) or dried fruit?

Oat & Chocolate Bars
Lindsay says: These bars taste like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie but are filled with nutrition. They are sweetened naturally, filled with fiber and heart-healthy nuts. Nuts are a great source of protein, vitamins, mineral and good fats, specifically omega 3 fatty acids. Make these your own and get the kids in the kitchen cooking, too.

Whipped Lemony Hummus
Lindsay says: You can blend in sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, mint or spinach (a super sneaky and gorgeously green way to get some more greens in your diet!) You can top it with the same thing you’ve blended in, or garnish with pomegranate seeds or a salsa of mint and tomato. No matter what, a swirl of olive oil is always a great addition.

Chococado Pudding
Lindsay says: In the healthiest pudding you’ll probably ever indulge in, the super nutrient dense avocado is the star that gives a velvety creaminess.  Raw cacao powder imparts the deep, chocolate flavor. Pure maple syrup and vanilla extract give a rich, warm sweetness. This is so delicious, you’ll never know you’ve swapped the traditional ingredients for these nutritional powerhouses!

Tahini-Drizzled Fruit Salad
Lindsay says: This recipe can be used any season. For fall, spice up the tahini with a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Then swap out the honey for maple syrup and drizzle over pears and apples. It’s also great over tropical and citrus fruit in the winter.

Zucchini Spice Muffins
Lindsay says: I love quick breads and muffins as much as anybody, but I don’t love how fatty and sugary many of them are.  I’ve played with this recipe for years to make it more wholesome with no refined sugar, less oil and whole grain flour. I usually double the recipe so there’s enough to share with friends or a neighbor.

Everything Cookies
Lindsay says: When traveling, I always bring some snacks from home to make the trip more comfortable and delicious. These cookies will be in our carry-on for sure. In one bite, they deliver sweet coconut, nutty almonds, bitter sweet chocolate chips, and a melting creaminess from the coconut oil. Another bonus…the batter is totally legal to eat. There are no raw eggs, so snack away!

Cacao-Raspberry Nourish Bars
Lindsay says: I call these “nourish” bars instead of “energy” bars because unlike the store-bought energy bars, which are often loaded with refined sugar, preservatives and other highly processed ingredients, these are made with nothing but nourishing raw ingredients. The only processing is between you and your food processor.

Kale Caesar Salad
Lindsay says: Kale is so sturdy, it can take quite a punchy dressing. This is my version of a Caesar salad. With a few minutes of massaging, your greens and the dressing meld together, becoming soft, mellow and irresistible.

Lacy Brussels Spouts with Poppy Seeds
Lindsay says: Shredding the pungent Brussels sprouts mellows their intense flavor, not to mention making them really beautiful. And the lemon is perfect here to give bright note.

Root Vegetable Cakes
Lindsay says: Now’s the time of year to savor hearty root vegetables.  I’ve been putting them in almost everything we eat. No recipe is needed for these root veggie cakes and any combination of flavors – parsnips, carrots, beets, potatoes, turnips – is just as tasty as the next.

Beets & Ginger Lentil Salad
Lindsay says: I found this great recipe in a magazine, I think, but I’m not sure exactly how close it is to the original. It’s a great lunch or light, satisfying dinner. Bonus: It gets better the longer it sits.

Summertime Pasta (really!)
Lindsay says: Quick pastas like this are a go-to in the summer, but this method can be used in any season. With the harder winter vegetables like squash and carrots, you just need to add a little cooking time.

Red, Orange and Yellow Fall Soup
Lindsay says: I didn’t measure anything when I first made this recipe. I rarely do.  But that’s what I love about soup.  Just throw in a bunch of really good ingredients with an idea of what goes well together and it’s a feast — delicious, warming and nourishing all in one pot.