What's Your Favorite Way to Eat Fresh Summer Tomatoes?

Fried Green Tomatoes with Creamy Wasabi Dip

4 large firm green tomatoes, slice into 1/2" thickness 

1 cup Greek yogurt 

2 eggs 

2 cups cornmeal

1 cup all purpose GF flour 

1 teaspoon coconut sugar 

1 teaspoon pure wasabi paste 

Sea salt and black pepper

Add GF flour into a large ziplock bag. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Add 5 slices of tomatoes at a time. Close ziplock and toss tomatoes to fully coat in flour. Remove from bag.

Whisk eggs, sugar, wasabi paste, and greek yogurt to combine in a large bowl. Season with sea salt and black. Whisk eggs, sugar, wasabi paste, and greek yogurt to combine in a large bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Dip tomatoes to fully coat.

Add cornmeal to a large bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Dredge tomatoes making sure to completely coat. Arrange in a single layer on a lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for one hour. Remove from the refrigerator.

On medium heat in a large deep sided skillet, add pure vegetable oil so that there is 1/2" of oil in the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, add 4 slices of tomatoes at a time so as not to crowd the pan. When the tomatoes are browned,  Flip and fry the other side.

Drain on a paper towel and serve immediately.

Wasabi Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt 

2 teaspoons wasabi paste 

1 teaspoon ginger paste 

2 teaspoons honey

Combine yogurt, ginger, honey, and wasabi paste. Whisk to combine. Serve chilled

Healthy Mashed Potatoes With Roasted Tomato and Onion

Mashed Potatoes:

6 large potatoes

5 cups vegetable broth

3 tablespoons warm milk (2%)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Sea salt and black pepper

Place the potatoes, garlic and broth in a large pot. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Cover on medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.

Blend the potatoes, milk, and oil continuing until potatoes are nice and fluffy. Drizzle in extra olive oil if it appears too dry. Mashed potatoes should be fluffy not runny or gooey. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Arrange roasted veggies over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve warm.

Roasted Veggies:

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 large white onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Sea salt and black pepper

Pre heat oven to 500 F.

On a large baking sheet, toss vegetables in a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for about 5 to 10 minutes (don't over cook!), turning occasionally. 

Roasted Vegetable Albondigas Soup

1 lb ground/mince sirloin steak

2 cups low sodium beef broth

2 cups whole wheat tube pasta

6 large tomatoes

1/2 onion 

1 head of garlic

12 asparagus

1 red pepper

1 yellow capsicum/pepper

good quality balsamic vinegar

freshly ground black pepper

sea salt

Preheat oven to 400

Cut capsicum/peppers in half and remove seeds. Cut tomatoes in half. Cut onion in large pieces. Cut top off garlic head. Arrange vegetables on a greased baking sheet. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil generously over the veggies. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Roast vegetables, turning over occasionally for 1 hour. Remove from the oven to cool.

Roll ground meat into small meatballs (teaspoon size)

Blend vegetables and broth until smooth.

On medium heat in a deep sided skillet, add pre-cooked pasta, vegetable blend, and meatballs, bring it all to a boil. Reduce to low temperature and simmer for up 1 hour.

Best when served hot, soon after done.

Shrimp and Avocado Stuffed Tomato

2 large tomatoes

10 medium cooked shrimp

1/2 fresh green chili, with seeds removed, chopped finely

2 teaspoons finely chopped onions

1/2 avocado finely chopped

1 teaspoon capers

1 teaspoon crushed fresh garlic

Juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 Nori (seaweed) sheet

Sea salt and black pepper

Cut tomatoes in half and scoop out the insides and discard

Combine the rest of the ingredients and season with sea salt and black pepper.

Fill tomato halves and sprinkle with seaweed on top. Use the rest for garnish.

Serves 4

Linguine with Broccoli, Cherry Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

1 lb whole wheat linguine

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted)

4 tablespoons pesto

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 tablespoons extra virgin oil

1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (rind)

1/4 cup Italian parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water (1 tablespoon salt) to a boil.

Add pasta to the pot of boiling water and boil for 6 - 8 minutes. Pasta should be slightly firm when bitten (al dente). Drain and put back in the pot.

Drizzle linguine with two tablespoons of olive oil, add 2 tablespoons of pesto, lemon rind, and parsley. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

In a large sauté pan set to medium heat, toss pine nuts until golden brown. Remove from heat. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of  extra virgin olive oil on medium - high heat. Add garlic, broccoli florets, the remaining pesto, and sauté for 5 minutes (stirring occasionally). Add cherry tomatoes and wait for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add to the linguine.

Toss all ingredients together and transfer to a warm serving platter. Drizzle with the remaining  extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with shavings of parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Serves 6 - 8

    

Mini Spinach and Tomato Frittata

8 large eggs

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup full cream ricotta cheese 

1 cup parmesan cheese 

2 cups baby spinach
2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large muffin pan (12 muffin cups) with olive oil.

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, cream, ricotta cheese and half of the parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place garlic, cherry tomatoes, and spinach in the pan. Toss quickly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Divide vegetable evenly into muffin cups.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full with eggs, cream, and cheese mixture. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese on top. Bake 20 minutes or until set and golden brown.