Roasted Roma Tomatoes with Sherry Vinegar and Basil

Since we are also having the sweet pomegranate roasted tomatoes I wanted something similar but different for contrast so I decided to use sherry vinegar to see how we liked this by comparison. I made both versions at the same time and held them at room temperature until dinner. My husband and I found it difficult not to sample these prior to dinner. The smell was very inviting.

Roasted Roma Tomatoes with Sherry Vinegar and Basil
Serves 8

Ingredients:

Approximately 17 Roma tomatoes (enough to fill a half sheet pan)
3 tablespoons of sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of fresh basil, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Cut the Roma tomatoes in half top to bottom. Remove the stem end and the seed sacs.

Pour the sherry vinegar into a bowl; it makes it easier to get it evenly into the tomatoes. Use a spoon to put a little of the vinegar into each tomato. I think I used about a ½ teaspoon per tomato half (so not much really). Sprinkle the tomatoes with the kosher salt and put the pan in the oven.

Check the tomatoes in one hour to see if they are a texture you like. I roasted my tomatoes for and hour and fifteen minutes.

When you are ready to serve top the tomatoes with freshly chopped basil.

Nutritional information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 55.3
Calories From Fat (9%) - 5.18

Total Fat - 0.62g
Saturated Fat - 0.08g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 73.55mg
Potassium - 724.77mg
Total Carbohydrates - 12.27g
Fiber - 3.9g
Sugar - 7.57g
Protein - 2.69g

Comments:

These tomatoes are a little tart from the sherry vinegar but also sweet from the concentrated tomato. Fresh basil took the flavor over the top. These were just as good as the other version of tomatoes I made today but with a different flavor profile. When I asked everyone which tomato version they liked best the response was unanimous, both tomatoes were good and were so different it they couldn’t be compared.

I plan to use the leftover tomatoes for sandwich for the next fews days.

Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Tomatoes

(pictured: tomatoes before roasting)

This morning at the farmers’ market we bought a huge amount of tomatoes. I think we have about 50 Roma tomatoes to eat this week. Good thing we like tomatoes. After seeing the recipe Rose posted last week on her blog Dandelion, I knew I needed to make tomatoes this week. I have a few different ideas in mind for how to change the flavors of the roasted tomatoes that I am eager to try. If you are looking for another variation on this theme the veggievixen was also roasting tomatoes this week which you can see here.

This is my standard roasted tomato recipe. I do use my favorite 18-year balsamic from Napa Valley Naturals when I make these tomatoes and I think that makes a huge difference in the final flavor of this dish. That particular vinegar is aged in cherry casks and has a nice fruity sweetness that I love.


(pictured: roasted tomatoes waiting to be eaten)

Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Tomatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 Roma tomatoes
1 tablespoon of good balsamic vinegar
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 – 8 fresh basil leaves - optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees using your convection setting, if available.

Cut the tomatoes in half from stem end down. Use your fingers to remove the seeds and pulp from the interior of the tomatoes (see uncooked photo). Place the tomatoes on a half sheet pan lined with parchment or a silpat silicon baking sheet.

Drizzle each tomato half with a little of the balsamic vinegar. Place some of the minced garlic in each tomato half. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.

Cook the tomatoes until they reach the desired level of doneness for you. I roasted mine for three and half hours.

Move the roasted tomatoes to a serving platter. Julienne the basil and sprinkle it over the roasted tomatoes. The tomatoes can be served hot, warm or cold. I think they taste best when room temperature.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 43.87
Calories From Fat (8%) - 3.58

Total Fat - 0.42g
Saturated Fat - 0.06g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 129.02mg
Potassium - 496.39mg
Total Carbohydrates 9.5g
Fiber - 2.53g
Sugar - 5.95g
Protein - 1.97g

Comments:

This very simple dish was everyone’s favorite at dinner this evening (yes, I took a poll). I am always surprised when the simple dishes are the best received.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti Dressed with Herb and Lemon Pesto and Topped with Eggplant Tomato Sauce

For tonight’s spaghetti dinner I wanted to do something familiar but different. Instead of tossing the pasta and sauce together I decided to make an herb and lemon pesto and dress the pasta with that and then top it with a little sauce. This worked great and I love the contrast of colors, red on light green. The fresh herbs and lemon added a nice brightness which was a good contrast to the slow cooked sauce.

This dinner was packed with antioxidants and fiber from the vegetables. The whole wheat pasta added a lot of protein to the meal. I love a healthy dinner that fights disease and tastes great, that is my favorite combination. Here is what I did.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti Dressed with Herb and Lemon Pesto and Topped with Eggplant Tomato Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients:

16 ounces of whole wheat spaghetti
6 quarts of salted water
¼ cup of fresh basil (leaves only)
¼ cup of fresh parsley (leaves only)
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1 lemon juiced and zested
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
4 cups of eggplant tomato sauce

Directions:

Cook the pasta according in the salted water until it is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking make the herb and lemon pesto. Combine the basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil in your blender and process until completely smooth. Hold the sauce until the pasta has finished cooking.

Toss the pasta with herb and lemon pesto and put that in the bottom of the bowl. Top the pasta with the eggplant tomato sauce and serve hot.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 508.93
Calories From Fat (12%) - 60.77

Total Fat - 7.05g
Saturated Fat - 1.06g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 259.66mg
Potassium - 864.66mg
Total Carbohydrates - 101.67g
Fiber - 5.17g
Sugar - 6.81g
Protein - 19.55g
MyPoints - 11.57

Comments:

Dressing the pasta in the fresh herb and lemon pesto added a lot of fresh flavor to the pasta dish. Normally I would have used these elements to make a gremolata topping, but for a change this is also nice. I can’t decide which I like better this, or the gremolata. They are both good options (the gremolata or the pesto). I think the family enjoyed dinner tonight; there was not a strand of pasta left when they were finished.

Tomatoes, Basil and Balsamico

Fresh tomatoes are one of my favorite things about summer. I can’t resist combining the different colored tomatoes and adding basil from the yard and my favorite balsamic vinegar. We were lucky enough to find fantastic vinegar from Napa Valley Naturals in California a few years ago that is 18 years old (and reasonably priced). You can order the vinegar by the case, which we have done many times. If you see this vinegar at your local store you should grab a bottle it is much better than the price.

When you combine three wonderful ingredients like vine ripe fresh tomatoes, freshly picked basil and good balsamic there is no way the salad isn’t going to be fabulous. This is one of my favorite summer treats.

Tomatoes, Basil and Balsamico
Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 red tomatoes (Brandywine) cut into 1/8ths
3 orange tomatoes cut into 1/8ths
¼ cup of fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 tablespoon of good balsamic vinegar
1 pinch of kosher salt
1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on the platter. Toss the basil on the tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 34.44
Calories From Fat (9%) - 3.26

Total Fat - 0.38g
Saturated Fat - 0.05g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 111.19mg
Potassium - 429.25mg
Total Carbohydrates - 7.16g
Fiber - 2.06g
Sugar - 2.97g
Protein - 1.97g

Comments:

Tomatoes, basil and balsamic is always a winning combination. This is one of my favorite salads. The 18-year-old basil really makes this dish.

Fresh Lima Bean Soup with Lemon and Mint

This soup is a combination of a fresh pea soup we learned in cooking class a few weeks ago and a cooked fava bean soup that was posted here on the blog SmarterFitter.

My husband isn’t crazy about mint so I try to keep my mint use to a minimum when he is eating. I on the other hand love mint, and we have a boatload of it our garden. However, even with my love of mint you want to keep the mint level down in this soup. I started with one mint leaf in the soup expecting to add more, one at a time. More mint would not add to the flavor or this soup. I wanted a subtle kiss of mint, and that is what you get from one leaf.

Oh well, looks like I will need to make more mojitos instead. Just kidding, really I am. ;)

Fresh Lima Bean Soup with Lemon and Mint
Serves 1

Ingredient:

1 cup of very fresh shelled lima beans (frozen would be fine here)
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
¾ cup of water
½ teaspoon of basil salt
¼ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
1 fresh mint leaf
¼ teaspoon of lemon zest, for garnish – optional
1 small mint top, for garnish – optional

Directions:

Place the lima beans, lemon juice, water, basil salt and mint leaf in your blender. Puree until the soup is completely smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

To serve, grate a little fresh lemon zest and black pepper on top. Garnish with a mint sprig if desired.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 325.75
Calories From Fat (3%) - 9.05

Total Fat - 1.08g
Saturated Fat - 0.25g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 1160.35mg
Potassium - 973.82mg
Total Carbohydrates - 61.83g
Fiber - 18.3g
Sugar - 4.56g
Protein - 19g

Comments:

This soup is cool and refreshing with a light taste of mint and lemon. I would only make this with fresh picked lima beans or frozen lima beans. Old beans would make this soup starchy, which wouldn’t be nearly as fresh tasting.

This soup would also make a nice appetizer in espresso mugs or shot glasses. It would be great with a little dollop of tofu sour cream.

Fresh Basil Salt

At the farmers’ market on Sunday we purchased so much lettuce from a new vendor that they gave us a free container of basil. We had to accept the basil, who would say no to a nice gesture. The only problem is that I grow my own basil so I didn’t need it. I stared at the basil today and couldn’t decide what to do with it. Then I remembered that I had wanted to make fresh basil salt but never got around to it. It would have been nice to have a recipe, but that never stopped me before so I jumped right in. What is the worst thing that could happen? Surely making basil salt had to be similar to making truffle salt, which was ridiculously easy.

I tossed the basil in the food processor and added kosher salt and turned on the processor. I had to pulse the processor a few times at the end but the basil did give up and become fully ground and incorporated into the salt. The salt became the most beautiful shade of emerald green. I tasted the salt and it was definitely both “basily” (new word I just made up) and “salty”. The only issue was that the salt was a little too damp. Not knowing what else to do I spread that salt out on a silpat lined half sheet pan and put the tray into the oven on low (150 degrees). Within 5 minutes of putting the salt in the oven the most wonderful basil smell came wafting out of the kitchen. I knew immediately something good was happening in the oven.

I waited an hour to check the salt for dampness, because it was like wet sand going in to the oven. I checked again at the two hour mark and it wasn’t quite dry, but it was close. But it was 11 pm so it was time for bed. I turned off the oven and went to bed. In the morning when I got up the salt had miraculously dried out completely. The beautiful emerald green had turned to an army green, but the smell was still intoxicating. I used the silpat to funnel the little salt clumps into a mortar and pestle and within 15 second most of the lumps were gone. Now all I need to find in a shaker top jar to put the salt in.

Basil Salt

makes about 1/3 of a cup

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh packed basil
1/3 cup of kosher salt

Directions:

Process the basil and salt in your food processor until the basil is thoroughly ground. The resulting salt will be a bright vibrant green. Place the salt on a silpat lined baking sheet and cook in your oven at 150 degrees for at least an hour. After an hour test for to see if the salt has lost all its moisture or it if needs additional time in the oven. If it is still moist continue to cook until it is dry. My salt was in the oven on 150 degrees for 2 hours and then overnight in the oven that was turned off. If the salt dries in a clump break it up in your food processor or a mortar and pestle and store in an airtight jar.

Comments:

The aroma from the salt is fantastic. It reminds me of a basil version of celery salt. I used this salt this morning on my fresh tomatoes and enjoyed the nice basil aroma without having to go out into the yard for the fresh leaves. Making this fresh herb salt was so easy I will definitely be making more versions of salt while my garden is still so abundant with herbs.

Zucchini and Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Pesto and Fresh Tomatoes

(pictured: raw zucchini spaghetti)

Julienned zucchini is something that I have been doing for a few a years now. Sometimes I make it with pasta and sometimes I make it without pasta as a side dish. It is a wonderful dish to make in the summer time when the zucchini are plentiful. It is also a great way to use up large zucchini. The bigger zucchini give a much better “spaghetti” yield since the flesh of the zucchini is the only part you need for this dish.

Zucchini is mostly water, like all vegetables, and will release the water and become very limp if cooked for too long. The zucchini spaghetti is better if it is cut using a larger julienne setting (if you have that option) on your mandoline. If you use the really fine setting the texture isn’t quite as nice.

This pasta has a hint of a spicy undertone from the red pepper flakes, but is not what I call hot. The most dominant flavor in this dish is the basil and then the garlic. The fresh tomatoes add a nice fresh burst of flavor. I also like the coolness of the tomatoes compared to the hot pasta.

Zucchini and Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Pesto and Fresh Tomatoes
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini (approximately 4 pounds)
16 ounces of whole wheat spaghetti
6 quarts of water, filtered
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 cup of packed fresh basil leaves (more would not be bad if you have it)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, sliced (allow to stand 10 minutes before heating so the allicin will develop)
¼ teaspoon of oregano, dried
¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of fresh tomatoes, diced

Directions:

Use the julienne blade for your mandoline and slice the zucchini into “spaghetti”. Stop when you get to the seeds in the center turn the zucchini a quarter turn and slice again until you get to the seeds. Continue until all the zucchini is julienned. You can save the zucchini seeds for soup, or throw them away.

You can use a vegetable peeler to make zucchini pappardelle if you don’t have a mandoline and it works just as well. If you use a vegetable peeler I would pair the zucchini with a thicker pasta like a fettuccini or pappardelle. Ultimately you want the pasta shape and size to be similar to the zucchini.

Bring the water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Add the whole wheat pasta to the boiling water and stir for the first two minutes to keep the pasta from sticking together. Many people will tell you to add oil to keep the pasta from sticking together, but this does work and causes other problems. The reason the pasta sticks is the starch that is released into the water as the pasta cooks. If the starch is not disturbed by stirring it will cause the pasta to form a lump.

If you add oil to the water you will lightly coat the pasta exterior with oil when it is drained which will keep if from absorbing the sauce as well. Sorry for the rant, the oil on pasta issue is a hot button for me. Every time I hear someone on TV recommend adding oil to the pasta water it gets my Italian up. If you have any Italian friends, you know this isn’t good.

Process the basil, olive oil, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes in your food processor, blender or until the basil and garlic and thoroughly pulverized.

When you pasta is almost cooked (you have a minute or so remaining on the timer). Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the basil mixture. If the basil starts to dry out add a little of the starchy pasta water (now more than a ladle or two). When the pasta is cooked add it to the basil pan and toss to coat. Taste the pasta for salt and pepper before adding the zucchini. You want the zucchini in contact with the hot pasta for the shortest time possible.

Add the raw zucchini threads to the pasta pot and toss to evenly distribute it into the pasta. Turn off the heat. Add the chopped tomatoes just before serving.

You can garnish with a few basil leaves, whole or julienned if desired.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 269.29
Calories From Fat (12%) - 32.66

Total Fat - 3.79g
Saturated Fat - 0.58g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 415.41mg
Potassium - 962.62mg
Total Carbohydrates - 52.18g
Fiber - 6.49g
Sugar - 7.28g
Protein - 12.17g

Comments:

This is a good refreshing summer pasta dish. You could make it with all zucchini and warm it quickly in the pan and leave out the pasta altogether. I wanted this to be a one dish meal so I added the pasta. If you weren’t watching your fat as closely as we are it would be great with a few toasted pine nuts on top or a few sprinkles of almond feta on the top. It would also be great with a few olives in the sauce or on top the pasta.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Fresh Tomato, Basil, Balsamic and Pine Nuts

Finally, the last pizza crust from last weekend is coming out. I can now safely say the pizza crust holds fine for a week in the refrigerator. I stored mine on a half sheet pan that I wrapped well in plastic film.

Today’s pizza is light and fresh. I used a tomato from the local farmers’ market this morning, basil from the yard, and my favorite balsamic vinegar. I couldn’t resist a little drizzle of good olive oil as the finishing touch. This is one of my favorite pizzas. I like the freshness from the basil and the lightness. The balsamic vinegar adds just the right amount of richness without being too heavy.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Fresh Tomato, Basil, Balsamic and Pine Nuts
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/5 of the whole wheat pizza dough recipe
1 large ripe tomato, sliced thinly
a little kosher salt for the tomato
½ tablespoon of good balsamic vinegar
12 – 14 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
½ tablespoon of pine nuts, toasted
½ teaspoon of unfiltered extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the pizza stone on the top rack.

Prepare the pizza crust according to the directions. If you made the crust previously, as was the case at my house today, remove the pizza crust from the refrigerator and allow it to gently reheat on the top of the stove while the oven comes to temperature.

Meanwhile slice the tomato as thinly as possible and sprinkle it evenly with a little kosher salt. You want the liquid to come out of the tomato now and not when it is on top of your pizza crust.

When the oven has come to temperature use a paper towel to blot the water from the tomato. You want the tomato as dry as possible, without becoming obsessive.

Place the tomato slices on top the pizza crust (which is now on the pizza peel). Sprinkle the tomato slices evenly with the balsamic vinegar. Slide the pizza into the oven and cook for 8 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with the fresh balsamic, toasted pine nuts and good olive oil. I also add freshly cracked black pepper because I husband thinks everything is better with pepper.

Serve the pizza while it is still hot.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 325.47
Calories From Fat (23%) - 73.48

Total Fat - 9.97g
Saturated Fat - 0.73g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 247.05mg
Potassium - 270.35mg
Total Carbohydrates - 61.12g
Fiber - 7.16g
Sugar - 4.6g
Protein - 9.18g

Comments:

This is one of my favorite pizzas to make. I know many people think it can’t be pizza without cheese but I love this pizza. Good fresh local tomatoes are very important to this pizza since there are so few flavors. I also use an 18 year old balsamic, again because there are so few flavors. The basil came from our garden and was picked a few minutes before I used it. The unfiltered olive oil was used because it has a bigger olive flavor. A good quality extra virgin olive oil would also be fine.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil Pesto and Almond Feta

My parents love it when I make homemade pizza. Since the weather was gorgeous and cool today I decided to make pizza for our weekend dinner with the parental units. Needless to say the omnivores had dairy cheese on their pizza. We used almond feta that I had stashed in the freezer for our pizza. The almond feta worked well on the pizza in terms of flavor. It doesn’t melt like dairy feta but I think taste is more important. The basil pesto on the bottom keeps the crust from getting soggy. Overall this was a great pizza that both my husband and I really liked. The nutritional information was also better than I expected given how much we enjoyed the pizza.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil Pesto and Almond Feta
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1/5 of the whole wheat pizza dough recipe
1 large fresh tomato sliced thin and blotted of liquid
½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup of fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon of pine nuts
½ clove garlic
2 tablespoons of almond feta
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare the whole wheat pizza as described in prior recipe. Par cook the pizza as described in the prior recipe and continue with the recipe below.

Slice the tomato as thinly as possible and lay it in a single layer on your cutting board. Blot the excess moisture from the tomato so that it doesn’t make you pizza wet.

Prepare your pesto by putting the oil, basil, pine nuts and garlic in the food processor and pulsing until it is pureed.

Spread the pesto on the pizza crust. Top the pesto with the sliced tomatoes and dollop the almond feta on top the tomatoes. Bake in a 500 degree oven for 3 minutes and serve hot.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 369.04
Calories From Fat (33%) - 120.94

Total Fat - 15.47g
Saturated Fat - 1.33g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 140.84mg
Potassium - 292.53mg
Total Carbohydrates - 59.97g
Fiber - 7.45g
Sugar - 3.04g
Protein - 10g

Comments:

Both my husband and I enjoyed this pizza. It was thin and crispy like pizza that you get in Italy. We thought the almond feta worked very well on the pizza. The pesto flavor comes through, as does the acidity in the almond feta. This pizza will be making future appearances at our house. We had this pizza and a big green salad tonight for dinner and it was more than filling enough.

Expect to see more pizza recipes on the blog this week. I have three more par cooked pizza shells to use this week.

Pasta with Pesto, Wilted Spinach and Bean Balls

Yesterday we were out of the house almost all day. At 8 pm I need to make dinner fast ….. we were starving. This is what I tossed together from what we had in the house. It became a quick and very tasty dinner.

The spinach is a very healthy ingredient that is packed with nutrition and reported to fight cancer. Basil, like many herbs, is thought to promote cancer cell suicide (Anticancer, page 123). The remaining ingredients are all healthy and add flavor.

Pasta with Pesto, Wilted Spinach and Bean Balls
Serves 2

Ingredients:

8 ounces of whole wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, sliced (allow to stand 10 minutes after slicing so allicin can develop)
¼ cup of basil leaves
1 pound of baby spinach, chopped
8 bean and bulgur balls

Directions:

Cook pasta in 4 quarts of salted water until just done (al dente). Start testing the pasta to see if it is cooked, 2 minutes before the package directions indicate it will be done.

Puree the spinach in the food processor with a tablespoon of two of water. You want the basil to be very fine.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bean balls to the oil and cook to warm through and lightly toast all over. Add the garlic to the bean balls and quickly (about a minute) then add the spinach. Continue to cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the pureed basil and stir to mix throughout. If the sauce is dry add a ladle of pasta cooking water.

When the pasta is cooked toss it into the sauce. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 688.62
Calories From Fat (17%) - 117.37
Total Fat - 13.6g
Saturated Fat - 3.15g
Cholesterol - 11.34mg
Sodium - 570.74mg
Potassium - 1056.98mg
Total Carbohydrates - 123.19g
Fiber - 11.41g
Sugar - 6.43g
Protein - 32.26g

Comments:

For a fast dinner, this is really tasty. The nutritionals were also not too bad. A few less calories would have been good, but we were starving after being out of the house most of the day. The basil and spinach was a very tasty combination. I also liked the bean balls after a quick sauté in olive oil.