No longer updating, but hope you enjoy the recipes!
Unfortunately, I got too busy to go back to blogging, after I was forced to take a break from it in 2015 because of tendonitis.
But you can still follow my cooking, eating, and travels on instagram: (@spontaneoustomato)
Two Avocado Smoothies
 "Pin it!")
It’s smoothie season!
I’m writing from Chicago, where it’s 98 degrees outside, but feels like it’s over 100. (I only know this thanks to NPR, because I’ve been hunkering down in my sister’s air conditioned apartment all day, eating popsicles.)
I realize that there may be no such thing as smoothie season for people who start off their days with protein shakes every morning, but I like to start out with coffee and eggs. To me, smoothies are summery.
Summer afternoon smoothie treats. I wish I had one right now.
Shepherd’s Salad
%20with%20Cucumbers%2C%20Tomatoes%2C%20Red%20Onion%2C%20and%20Feta. "Pin it!")
As soon as the weather gets warm, I start craving cool, summery salads.
This one is especially perfect for lazy summer evenings. It’s crunchy and refreshing, and you can scoop it up with a fresh slice of pita bread (or pita chips), or eat it with a spoon.
%20with%20Cucumbers%2C%20Tomatoes%2C%20Red%20Onion%2C%20and%20Feta. "Pin it!"){kind=small}
Not to be confused with the heavy meat-and-potatoes-laden British dish, Shepherd’s Pie (!), Shepherd’s Salad is a scrumptious Turkish-style vegetarian chopped salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. This dish actually reminds me of visits to my grandparents, when we often make the 40-minute drive to their favorite Armenian restaurant in New Jersey, and always, always order this.
Mango Lassi Muffins with Yogurt and Cardamom
Last month I was enticed and inspired by Lauren’s recipe (on her wonderful blog, One Happy Table) for Apple Cinnamon Cardamom Muffins.
Cardamom! In muffins?! Yes, please.
I know cardamom is nice in all sorts of things, but I associate it strongly with one of the best things ever: mango lassi. (Mango lassi recipe included below.)
Lauren’s blog post begins with a shot of a muffin torn open, leaving one giant cube of baked apple visible in the center. It struck me as unconventional to bake such large pieces of fruit into muffins; a tiny venue, usually limited to nothing bigger than a berry.
Thus, an idea was born. (An idea, I might add, in the spirit of my Thai Iced Tea Popsicles theme of turning drinks into desserts!)
Crema de Aguacate (Mexican Avocado Soup)
 "Pin it!"){kind=small}
If there’s one ingredient that is already perfect, and rarely improved by cooking, it’s an avocado.
That might sound like a dissuasion from trying out this recipe; on the contrary, this recipe is special. This soup, though cooked, still tastes of creamy avocado heaven (with a touch of spice).
It turns out creamy avocado heaven has a secret ingredient! Avocado leaves.
 "Pin it!")
It’s good to have friends who have fruit trees.
This week I received not one but TWO giant bags of avocados from (three) friends, and one giant bag of fresh-picked (and fresh-fallen) apricots.
Somehow I managed to avoid a repeat of my CSA produce-induced panic. After all, how difficult could it be to use up apricots and avocados? Even with no kitchen and no other ingredients, I could eat them all raw, and they’d be delicious.
(That said, there are many, many avocado-centered recipes coming soon…)
First though, to celebrate my sudden apricot abundance, I was excited to take on the challenge of baking something fancy and apricotty. Something with homemade pastry crust and some glistening cut-side-up fresh apricot halves.
 "Pin it."){kind=small}
Pita Chips with Labne Olive Oil Dip
Do you spend a ridiculous amount of money on low fat sea salt pita chips? Have you ever tried making your own?
I have to say, it is so spectacularly simple that I felt silly posting a “recipe” for it.* So I’m throwing in a dip recipe, too. As if you really needed help coming up with ways to eat your fresh-baked pita chips…
spontaneous tomato 