The days are getting hotter, and my father-in-law’s garden mangoes have been perfect. So I’ve been skipping the cooking and making this for dinner with crusty bread alongside it.

It’s a mango, cherry tomato, burrata, and arugula salad with toasted sunflower seeds, a drizzle of my favorite olive oil, flaky salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Five minutes from counter to plate, and I can’t say I’m missing cooking in this heat. Save this for the next hot evening when turning on the stove feels like too much.

Mango & Burrata Salad Recipe

Ingredients

1 large ripe mango, cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 burrata balls, or 1 large, torn
2 cups arugula
3 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky salt
Freshly ground pepper

Method

Toast sunflower seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside. Layer arugula on a plate. Top with cherry tomatoes, mango, and torn burrata. Drizzle with olive oil. Finish with flaky salt, freshly ground pepper, and the toasted sunflower seeds.

#mangoburratasalad #intentionalcooking #burratasalad #nocookdinner #summersalads ...

I keep a can of fire-roasted tomatoes in the pantry for a slow weekend morning. They give the Shakshuka a deeper, smokier flavor without making it spicy, and once the eggs settle in, it becomes the kind of breakfast you want to drag warm bread through.

Save this for your next slow morning (or Mother’s Day brunch) and send it to whoever you’re cooking breakfast for.

Full Shakshuka recipe below.

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp chili powder
1 14 oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
Salt + pepper, to taste
3–4 eggs
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Avocado, sliced
Toasted sourdough, for serving

Method
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and red pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, paprika, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.

Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Make small wells in the sauce and crack in the eggs. Cover and cook for 5–7 minutes, depending on how set you like the yolks. I cook mine for about 5 minutes for a runny yolk.

Remove from heat. Finish with cilantro and avocado. Serve with toasted sourdough for scooping up the sauce.

#shakshuka #intentionalcooking #breakfastrecipes #brunchideas #onepanbreakfast ...

It still happens without warning. I’ll make something, want to tell her how it came out, and reach for my phone, but then I remember she’s gone.

I went back to Puerto Rico, where my grandma and my aunt live, and together we started recreating her recipes and writing them down. Each one, before anything else gets lost.

And it is my hope, you call the people you still can. ❤️ ...

Two years ago, my husband watched me struggle to make it around the block, and yesterday, he watched me cross a finish line at a 7:03 pace. As I ran, I reflected that the distance between those two moments isn’t something I’ll measure in miles, but in the decisions I made when it would have been easier not to. This is a reminder to do the hard things. Save this for a day you need it and share it with someone who may need it too. ❤️

A huge thank you to my husband, family, friends, @cacorunners, @sdcorre, and @carrefourrd, and every single one of you that continues to follow my journey. Forever grateful. ...