Hello — The Fennel Frond | Plant based, simple, seasonally focused recipes

Hi. I'm Atara!

This blog is a distillation of my professional and communal experiences sharing and loving food. I have a simple philosophy when it comes to food- create simple, beautiful dishes that bring loved ones together around the table. While it may be trite, I believe that remarkable meals have the power to unite us under an inspired shared experience.

I have spent the past 3 years teaching children to love food. And I’m talking about real food – food whose origins can be sourced, food that is not made up of ingredients, but are ingredients themselves. Raw, plant-based, wholesome deliciousness. I taught them to appreciate fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

I can’t tell you how many parents and teachers warned me that there was no possible way on earth that I’d get their child/student to try kale, let alone love it. Yet time and time again, after teaching them a few basic ideas about healthful eating, the environment, and encouraging them to cook and handle the ingredients themselves, the kids loved the food that they sampled. Every single time, without fail. I’ve converted thousands of picky eaters into herbivores.

My background has taught me a lot about the way people interact with food. The first, is that coupling food with a positive and fun experience has the power to challenge a picky eater instead of scaring them into a shell of anxiety. Second is that most people want to eat healthfully. Our very broken food system has made it nearly impossible for many to embrace a healthful lifestyle. Lastly – food does not need to be so complicated. Creating satisfying, affordable, ethical and delicious meals start by simply leveraging the best available ingredients to create an inspired dish.

But my love for food transcends my working life. Many of my cherished memories have happened at the table, the heart of my home. My goal is to share these recipes with you, while sharing my story along the way. I hope that you'll use these dishes to bring your friends & family together and create experiences that you'll truly never forget.