My very favorite tomatoes are back!

Baby orange tomatoes (Sun Golds) are perfectly sweet and juicy.

Basically what all tomatoes should taste like.

But we all know that winter tomatoes usually resemble waterlogged cardboard.

Therefor now is the time to get your tomato fix and keep your kitchen endlessly stocked with these suckers.

At this point I really wouldn’t be surprised if I personally transformed into an actual tomato.

I’ve heard it’s possible for people to turn a nice shade of orange when consuming copious amounts of carrots…

So if you’re wanting to fake ‘n bake (visit the tanning salon), it’s probably safe to say the much healthier option is to just eat a boatload of carrots, or in this case, orange tomatoes.

Avoid cancer and get your Vitamin C all in one go.

Although I’m not about slaughtering birds (even the ones who find pleasure in pooping all over recently washed shiny black cars), this would be the appropriate moment to reference killing two birds with one stone.

Now, of course popping these charming orbs of liquid gold during snack time is always a good idea.

If you’re wanting to make an actual meal, consider throwing them into a summery pasta salad with fresh herbs and feta.

Or, if you’re not feeling the whole pasta sitch because your pasta consumption is out of control (thanks to your sister’s limiting palate… vegetarian Italian food and desserts only) make an easy, healthy quinoa dish packed with flavors that induce a feeling reminiscent of throwing together spontaneous picnics with friends, frolicking barefoot through freshly mown grass, and listening to the comforting quiet of warm, yet refreshing nights.

Did I lose you at “spontaneous picnics”? If so, simply imagine a quinoa dish involving tomatoes that have been gently cooked in extra-virgin olive oil with minced garlic and spicy red pepper flakes, creamy chickpeas, bright green baby spinach, citrusy lemon juice and zest, nutty Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and parsley, plus good ole S&P.

There yuh go!

Bring this quinoa to the next not-so-spontaneous family picnic you begrudgingly attend, while wearily make your way across the crunchy grass (donning shoes, of course) to avoid bee stings, since the nights are so hot the swelling (and your nonstop perspiring) surely wouldn’t subside until fall rolled around.

P.S. If you found yourself relating to the second scenario over the first, have yourself a waffle cone stuffed with not one, but three flavors, since life is too short for pessimism and an overly cautious mindset. Eat tomatoes, drink Prosecco and be merry… or something like that.

P.P.S. You can enjoy this dish hot, room temp or chilled. I do prefer it piping hot though. Because I’ll take any and every opportunity to singe my taste buds.

P.P.P.S. If you’re vegan just leave out the Parm. You could try adding a scoop of nutritional yeast instead. In fact, yes! Do that.

P.P.P.P.S. Did you happen to notice that some of my basil leaves had freckles?! How cute.