🍅Did you know that tomatoes used to be thought of as poisonous? 🍅And did you know that tomatoes are actually indigenous to the Andes?! 1️⃣ Over 2,500 years ago, wild tomatoes were first cultivated by Indigenous farmers in the Andes and used as “blood” offerings to Pachamama for fertility rituals. 2️⃣ In 1700s Europe, tomatoes were blamed for lead poisoning from pewter plates, until Parmentier’s famous tomato banquets proved their delicious safety. 3️⃣ The powerful antioxidant in tomatoes, lycopene, nearly doubles in bioavailability when cooked with high-quality oils (like in this moringa-tomato tart)! 4️⃣ If you plant basil, marigolds, or borage alongside your tomatoes, it can help repel pests, attract pollinators, and naturally boost yields. 5️⃣ One medium tomato delivers ~30% DV of your vitamin C needs! Now that we’ve nerded out enough, plant people, check out this 🍅 Last-Minute Moringa Pesto & Tomato Tart with Sesame Cracker Crust 🍅 100% my new go-to for al fresco family feasts and effortlessly elegant, plant-based dinners. It makes me dream of bathing in starlight on my back patio, deep in the delights of juicy conversations, suspended in a season I don’t want to end. You know that yummy summer feeling where time doesn’t exist? That’s what this recipe gives me. 🍴At a glance: You’ll need: crushed crackers, sesame seeds, melted butter, a pinch of salt; basil-moringa pesto; fresh ricotta; ripe tomatoes; extra moringa powder; basil leaves; good olive oil; flaky sea salt + black pepper. 🚀 How-To Quickie: Bake sesame cracker crust until golden. Cool, then spread with pesto + dot with ricotta. Layer tomato slices, season, dust with moringa + drizzle olive oil. Garnish with basil, slice + serve room temp. 🌱 The step-by-step guide is now available in our stories 🔗 and on our blog. Grazie molto, cara amica @silvia_bifaro - our oh-so inspiring Italian recipe creator. 💚 Which of these tomato truths was news to you? #summerjoy #tomatoseason #plantbased #foodie #animamundi #tomatolover #moringa #italianinspired #summertart #superfood #vitaminc #recipe #pesto