Scrambled Eggs with Soy Sauce & Burst Tomatoes

It can be so easy to get caught up in what people want/don’t want to see when they go to a food blog. There have been a number of social media posts that have basically attacked the way food blogs got their start: the author writes a story, often a meaningful story connected to the recipe, and then they share said recipe. As time has passed, apparently the desire to read anything at all outside of the recipe itself has become less appealing to some. Well, I don’t want to be rude, but I guess my blog just isn’t for those people. And that’s OK.

I’m stubborn and I haven’t been able to move away from the way I’ve always done this blogging thing. I write stories or essays or whatever you’d like to call them and often times tie them to food. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

So…STORY TIME.

I went to the farmer’s market the other day. I go every week, save maybe two or three, throughout the summer and fall and just this year I have really started to feel connected to a few of the farmers. We chat and talk about the weather and the need for rain and the start of the school year…if the kids are with me, sometimes they are gifted little treats, like tiny pumpkins or a couple cucumbers. It has become a ritual I miss deeply when the market closes for the season.

One of my favorite farmers to talk to is a woman who has clearly been doing this for a very long time. She and her daughter in law always have the most beautiful selection of peppers that I buy in bulk and freeze for use throughout the fall and winter. Often times, I’ll have my youngest with his red hair and summer freckles standing beside me and he always gets the majority of the attention. It is always so sweet.

The last two weeks, this particular farmer has not been there. And I’ve missed her. I actually don’t know her first name (I need to work on that) but I feel like not having her there makes my visit feel incomplete. Her daughter in law was running the stand alone and we laughed at how stubborn her mother in law is and how I hope she is back soon. While we were talking, I spied some beautiful sun gold tomatoes. I handed over a five dollar bill, put the deep orange-yellow tomatoes in my bag, and walked home.

Another favorite way to use farmers market tomatoes: baked goat cheese (like the TikTok version of the feta pasta thing. It with goat cheese). So good!

On my walk, I thought about how, when we bring home these things that are grown by local farmers, we are bringing home their work. If you’ve ever tried to grow, well, anything at all, you know that it is no easy feat. There is so much to consider- sun, water, soil… And when I bring home something like a small basket of sun gold tomatoes, I want to do them justice.

That’s where this recipe came from. It came from a desire to honor the work and care put into growing the tomatoes. And a desire to showcase the candy like, but earthy, sweetness. A splash of soy sauce, a sprinkle of furikake and fresh chives, and my breakfast became something deeply important and worth savoring.

I guess that some of us, food bloggers and otherwise, just need to feel a connection to our food and to the recipes we share. In the end, maybe we all just need a deeper connection to our food, the earth, and people who make it possible to bring it all into our homes.

And now, the recipe:

Scrambled Eggs with Soy Sauce & Burst Tomatoes

Makes 1 serving but is easily doubled

*this recipe was inspired by a similar one found in Egg: Recipes.

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• generous handful of sun gold tomatoes (or regular cherry tomatoes), stems removed but tomatoes left whole

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce (coconut aminos also work well)

• handful of fresh chives, chopped

• Furikake to taste (store-bought is what I use, but you can also get crazy and make your own furikake)

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.

2. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and allow them to begin to brown and burst.

3. Turn the heat to low and add the eggs. Gently push them around the pan as they cook for about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, remove the skillet from the heat, and continue pushing the eggs around in the pan until they are cooked to your liking.

4. Transfer the eggs and tomatoes to a plate and sprinkle with the chives and furikake.

Spicy Sesame Napa Cabbage with Soft Boiled Eggs

We are in, what feels like, the wind down to summer. I know there is still a good chunk of it left, but a lot of the big things we had planned for the summer have happened. There are some sports to play and out of town visitors to host, but generally we are riding the wave of late summer that seems to coax me into seeking out the simpler, summery things in life.

This morning, I found some Napa cabbage in my fridge from my farmshare box (I get mine weekly from The Good Acre- highly recommend). Yesterday, I had soft boiled a few eggs. So I set these two humble ingredients out on my counter, stared at them just long enough to spark some inspiration, and got to work.

I sautéed the cabbage with some sesame oil, fish sauce, and coconut aminos. Searching for some color contrast, I grabbed my red pepper flakes and tossed a healthy bit of them into the pan followed by some sesame seeds. I plopped it all onto a plate and added a soft boiled egg and I’m not joking when I say it was the most satisfying, lovely breakfast I’ve made in a long while.

Sometimes the simplest things can bring the most pleasure.

Remember that as we go through the long, hot, (sadly) dry days of late summer. Things don't have to be busy or complicated to be worthwhile.

Spicy Sesame Napa Cabbage with Soft Boiled Eggs

Makes 1 serving

• 1/2 small head Napa cabbage, washed, dried, roughly chopped

• 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce

• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• soft boiled egg (directions below)

1. To make the soft boiled eggs: Fill a small saucepan about 2/3 full of water. Place over a medium high flame and bring to a strong simmer (not quite a boil). Carefully add one egg to the water. Set a timer for 6 minutes 30 seconds (less done) or 7 minutes (more done but still jammy). While the egg cooks, prepare an ice bath. When the timer goes off, carefully transfer the egg to the ice bath to cool completely before peeling.

2. Heat the neutral oil in a medium skillet of medium high heat. Add the cabbage and toss in the pan for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the sesame oil, fish sauce, coconut aminos, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted and tender.

3. Transfer the cabbage to a plate. Add the soft boiled egg, cut in half, to the plate. Enjoy!

Brown Butter Vanilla Waffles

The 6 year old wasn’t feeling so good this morning. He slept very late and I let him because one day he won’t be able to just sleep in when he’s under the weather. But when you’re 6? That’s definitely allowed. After a slow start to the day and getting little brother to school, the 6 year old and I decided waffles were in order! Don’t tell anyone, but I love waffles WAY more than pancakes. No contest. Unless the pancakes are from Snooze in which case I want them all. Maybe it has something to do with how the syrup pools in the little squares. Or how the outside gets so nice and crispy. Or how you can break them into tidy little triangles. Whatever it is, I am here. for. it.

Disclaimer: These waffles are not “health food”. They have half a stick of butter in them and I’m not sorry because if you’re going to eat waffles you might as well do it right. Are you with me? They don’t have a ton of sugar and I did use a bit of whole wheat flour, but mostly for flavor so don’t get too excited. Or get REALLY excited because you’re gonna love these forever and ever amen.

OK- no more delaying. On to this perfect waffle recipe! Make them for your family. Make them for friends. Make them for houseguests and don’t forget the coffee! Also, they freeze beautifully so don’t be afraid to double the recipe and freeze what you don’t eat. Just pop them in the toaster and you’re golden!

Brown Butter Vanilla Waffles

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 eggs, beaten well

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1 3/4 cups milk

1. Begin by browning the butter. Add it to a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then start to sputter and foam, then it will all settle down and the milk particles will start to turn golden brown and a nutty aroma will fill your kitchen. Keep an eye on the butter through this process so it doesn’t burn! Stir occasionally, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a heatproof liquid measuring cup and set aside.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Pour in the browned butter and stir until incorporated.

4. Preheat a waffle iron. They’re all different. I set mine to a medium temperature, but you do you Boo Boo!

5. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter in the center of the waffle iron. Keep the waffles warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to eat. Serve with more butter (because #yolo) and syrup. And coffee. Lots of coffee. Enjoy!