Basil Tomatoes (and other veggies)

Now that summer is upon us and home grown veggies will soon be filling up my refrigerator, I decided to bump one of my favorite recipes to the top of the heap..

Made this with half tomatoes and half fresh zucchini I bought at the farmer's market last week and boy is it good!! Using this on my salads for added veggies and dressing! Here are some before and after pictures of what this looks like! (This is the fresh basil option with tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash)

(Click Pictures to enlarge!)

Ready to go in the oven!

Out of the oven!

Close-up of the brownings you need to scrap out for more flavor!

Basil Tomatoes

Have too many tomatoes or summer squash? I did and I wanted to make something quick and easy to use them up! Here’s what I came up with!!
Note: Actual quantities of each ingredient will vary depending on the amount of veggies and size of baking dish.

Ripe tomatoes – qty – as many as you want (Any and all kinds will work. I have used grape, cherry, Roma, vine, and beefsteak all with great results!)
Good white balsamic vinegar (I use Trader Joe’s)
Dry or fresh basil to taste
Onion powder to taste
Garlic powder to taste (I use Trader Joe’s California Garlic Powder)

Preheat oven to 400^oF. Wash tomatoes (ok to leave wet). Slice large tomatoes into ½ inch slices and place in single layer in glass baking dish (9 x 13 or whatever size your tomatoes will fit into). Fill in gaps with grape tomatoes, if available. Sprinkle generously with white balsamic vinegar making sure each piece is wet, but not submerged. Sprinkle generously (to taste) with onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in that order. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, and then remove to storage container. Scrape any juice/brownings into container, too. Don’t worry if it bakes dry, just allow pan to soak before washing! Allow to cool and then refrigerate overnight for best results. Tomatoes will form a juice when allowed to cool. Serve cold or reheat. Use juice as topping for potatoes, rice, chicken, beef, or as salad dressing! Also great as topping for On Plan Pizza!

Variation – Before adding vinegar and spices, add sliced Vidalia onions and/or sliced peppers (any color) on top of tomatoes. Cut back on onion powder slightly or omit. Baking time may need to increase a few minutes, too. Bake until onions/peppers are tender crisp.

Variation II –Add a little (about 1 - 2 tsp. per slice) of finely grated low fat/part skim mozzarella cheese after about 30 minutes of baking. Bake until slightly browned.

Variation III – (Sweet and Sour version) – Before adding vinegar and spices, add fresh pineapple chunks on top of tomatoes. Continue as written. Baking time may need to increase a few minutes. Bake until pineapple is slightly browned.

***Lakescape Variation – Add sliced summer squash and whole or sliced portabella mushrooms before seasoning. Bake for 1 hour. My new favorite variation!!

**** I sprinkle a tablespoon of extra light olive oil over this just before baking now too..(but it is fine if you don't want to do this)

Pasta Salad I

Looking for a healthy dish to make this summer? Fresh veggies and basil make this simply delish!!

Pasta Salad I

1 bag (16 oz) Penne Brown Rice Pasta cooked to al dante and rinsed with cold water
1 T. extra virgin Olive Oil (optional)
1 Pan of Basil Tomatoes and Squash and the juice made a day ahead and chilled

Make Basil Tomatoes and Squash the day before so the flavors meld and the juice forms.

Cook pasta to al dante and rinse with cold water and drain.
Sprinkle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat.
Add Basil Tomatoes and squash and juice and combine well.

Chill in refrigerator 2-3 hours or overnight. Serve cold or hot.

Add some diced grilled chicken or turkey breast and you have a complete meal!!

Also a great dish to take to pot luck dinners or summer parties!!

Enjoy!

Fat Burning Menu

Since I am on a 6 week 'cutting' phase, I decided to post a sample menu for a typical day of eating for me during the next 6 weeks (actually, I am in week #2 of this phase)

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Muffin, 1/2 cup applesauce and a 1/4 cup raisins (eaten after my bike ride..no ride, no raisins!)

AM Snack: 3 HB egg whites and 1/2 cup fresh strawberries

Lunch: 1 Serving (about 3 oz of protein) of Turkey Saute with Tomatoes and Basil
1/2 -3/4 cup barley w/ pepper and onion saute
Steamed carrots and broccoli (about 1 1/2 cups total)
Sweet and Sour Cucumber slices

PM Snack: 2 HB egg whites and an apple

Dinner: 3 oz. Grilled Mahi Mahi
1/2 cup barley w/ pepper and onion saute (that's the carb of choice this week)
Large Salad of Romaine and Green leaf lettuce topped with 2-3 baby carrots and Basil Tomatoes and Zucchini and the juice from this as dressing

Evening snack: Strawberry Ice Cream (my recipe) and a few slices of frozen banana

I also take 3 flax oil or fish oil supplements every day along with my multivitamin, calcium supplement and vit c....

This is about 1700 - 1800 calories worth of food...I measure and weigh everything except the veggies... And most of the recipes are on this blog..check the tags to find them..
I change out my proteins and my muffins everyday...depending on what I have in my freezer ready to eat..I usually have at least 5 kinds of protiens and 3 kinds of muffins available to chose from..Another reason to cook in bulk and freeze..LOTS of options each day!

I ride my bike about 80 miles per week (I ride 6 days per week) and I do resistance training 5 days per week - split routines - 3 days uppers (M-W-F) and 2 days legs (T-TH).

Quick and Healthy Applesauce

Quick and Healthy Applesauce

12 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and quartered

1 cup water

¼ cup Splenda*

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about the juice from one small lemon)

1 teaspoon clear vanilla (with no sodium or corn syrup)

Place water and peeled apples in medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until apples are mushy. Remove from heat. Whisk with a fork until apples get to a consistency you like (will be a little chunky). Add Splenda. Mix thoroughly with fork. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well blended. Allow to cool. Refrigerate in tightly sealed container. Makes about 4 cups.

*If you don’t have Splenda, you can use granulated white sugar instead, but it is not as healthy that way!

For a special treat (and also not as healthy), add about 10 large marshmallows to the hot/warm applesauce. Allow them to melt slightly, stir carefully, then chill. Yummy!!

Turkey Saute with Tomatoes and Basil

Turkey Saute’ with Tomatoes and Basil

¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

1 green pepper, diced

2 onions, diced

2 jalepeno peppers, diced

Saute above ingredients in large sauce pan until onions are clear.

Add 2 pounds of ground turkey breast and black pepper to taste.

Cook until browned.

Stir in:

2 t. crushed garlic

1 - 28 oz. can whole tomatoes with basil, NSA (I chop these up into smaller pieces)

1 Tablespoon dry basil, optional

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Serve over brown jasmine rice.