Pasta with Slow Baked Tomatoes, Olives and Goat Cheese

Sometimes simple things are the best. One of my favorite “go to” meals is an easy one; pasta with raw chopped tomatoes, sliced Kalamata olives and goat cheese topped with a little high quality grated parmesan. For the pasta, I usually choose farfalle. I love the chewy texture with the fresh ingredients.

Sometimes, though I take this meal to the next level. I slow roast the tomatoes. I originally saw a recipe for “Very  Baked  Tomatoes” in The Café Beaujolais cookbook by Margaret Fox and John Bear (who eats there a lot!) I ate at Cafe Beaujolais http://www.cafebeaujolais.com/ years ago when I was in Mendocino for a pottery class. 

I must admit, there's was the recipe I used for years. The only difference now is that I guess at the amounts, the cooking temperature and the time.

The original recipe calls for plum tomatoes. They really are the best because they are more meaty than juicy, but I don’t have them on hand often. More recently I buy grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or Campari tomatoes.  I make this recipe when I need to use them up or they will go bad.

Tonight was the first time I tried the Campari tomatoes. They may not be the best because they are more watery and seedy than Roma’s but it works just fine with me.

So how do you make them? Well I use my toaster oven. I preheat it to 250. I have looked at a lot of recipes; some bake them at 200 degrees, some 350.  The Café Beaujolais version says 325. I baked mine at 250. Sounded slow to me!

While the oven is preheating, I  slice the tomatoes in half and place them on a baking tray cut side up. I drizzle  a little olive oil over each half,  chop up some garlic and distribute the pieces over each half  and sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs from my garden. I almost always include rosemary and sometimes thyme. Dried herbs may work too but I prefer fresh.  I might also sprinkle a bit of sea salt or pink salt over the tomatoes. Sometimes I don’t so you don’t have to.

That’s about it for the preparation. All you have to do then is bake the tomatoes until they break down, collapse and caramelize.  I think the original recipe says bake at 325 for 2 hours but that is for the Romas, which are larger than the Campari tomatoes. I think I baked them for  about an hour.  The toughest part is waiting, watching and smelling the garlic and herbs as the tomatoes cook. (oh, and I am sorry  I have no pictures. I ate them too quickly)

Once the tomatoes are done you have choices. One night I just ate them as a side dish with a piece of halibut. Tonight, I made my favorite meal. I cooked up some pasta, drained it and put a serving amount (1 cup) in a bowl. While still hot, I threw in small pieces of goat cheese (maybe ½ oz or less for one serving) chopped black Kalamata olives (tonight just black olives because that is what I had) and the yummy tomatoes.

This  would be perfect but tonight I threw it all back in the pan after adding a small bit of sherry and some of the juices from the tomatoes. I heated it until all the cheese melted and the tomatoes broke up further making it a nice cheesy, tomato sauce. A sprinkle of Parmesan finished the dish.

Dinner served. Patron happy and well fed.

Some other ideas I haven’t tried but may;

The tomatoes chopped in an omelet or with scrambled eggs, a little fresh spinach and some feta.

Brushetta with slow baked tomatoes, perhaps?

Panini with slow baked tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

 You can be creative once you realize how tasty and versatile they are. I hope you will try these. They are a great use for the times when you know you can’t eat another salad and the tomatoes are at risk of going bad.

It would make me happy to know you have tried these and commented on how you liked them. I do hope you enjoy them!

Winter Warmer Portuguese Style Kale and Sausage Soup

Are you tired of cold weather? Well I sure am. I am a Florida girl at heart so I don't adapt well to snow, ice and cold. When the weather outside is frightful, my solution is to cook, sometimes bread but always soup.

Years ago I worked at a health food store. I was their soup chef (or in line with Seinfeld, let's say the soup Nazi!). It was a designation I gave myself because I was in charge of our "soup of the day".

Today it is warming up here and the sun is shining, but earlier this week it wasn't all that pretty or warm. I decided it was a "soup of the day" day. The soup, my version of Portuguese Kale and Sausage soup...vegetarian style. Kale is now considered one of the super foods. It benefits immune function, assists in the prevention of heart disease, stroke and also age-relate macular degeneration http://www.discoverkale.co.uk/health-benefits/lutein/)

In place of the traditional potatoes, I used white beans. (Did you know it is recommended that you eat 4 1/2 cups beans a week? They are a good source of fiber and help regulate blood sugar http://www.prevention.com/food/food-remedies/type-2-diabetics-can-improve-their-blood-sugar-beans).

I also used Tofurkey Italian sausage but you could just use beans and keep the sodium count lower http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2010/11/battle_of_the_v.php. If you are a die hard carnivore, use traditional Linguica sausage, Chorizo or a good quality, lean Italian sausage instead of Tofurkey.  This makes about 3 servings but you could double the recipe for a family meal.

 I must say, I really enjoyed this soup. In fact, I made it in the morning and ended up having it for breakfast!  A nice slice of wholegrain and seed toast would be a great accompaniment. This makes about 3 servings but you could double the recipe for a family meal.

I haven't had my breakfast yet and all this talk of soup has made me hungry. I guess it is another Portuguese Kale, Sausage and White Bean soup morning!

Here is how I made it:

 Portuguese Kale, Sausage and White Bean Soup

2 tbl+ 1 tbl olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
4cups  plus 1 cup organic vegetable broth, divided(low sodium is healthier)
(I used a mix of vegetable broth with a little mushroom broth just because I could!)
3 cups, stemmed  kale torn into pieces (or more if you wish)
1 15 ounce can low sodium cannellini beans, drained (I run water over them to get the goo off)
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper or to taste
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 links tofurkey Italian sausage
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, swirl to coat the pan. Add onion, carrot and celery. Saute about 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook another minute. Stir in 4 cups of the vegetable broth and kale, bay leaf and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer a few minutes until the kale is crisp tender.

Meanwhile slice sausage in 3/4 inch pieces and saute in  the remaining olive oil until the sides are browned (if using real sausage, cook thoroughly, then drain)

Add the additional 1 cup of broth, cannellini beans and ground black pepper and sausage to the vegetable mixture.  Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes. Add the remaining salt, fresh rosemary and Parmesan cheese. 3 servings

Fish with Black Bean Sauce

 I started a nutrition class the other day and I am enjoying it.  A lot of what I have learned so far is really information I learned in the past but it is nice to hear it again.

The timing is right because I have been trying to focus on eating better. Over the holidays, I got depressed. Out of character for me, I gained 6 lbs.  I am now at the second highest weight I have ever been, in my life.

Part of the class is a three day food diary. I am using My Fitness Pal to log my exercise and food. I am enjoying it. It has helped me focus more on the areas I need work.  My diet is still healthy but to get back to my “normal” weight, I have to focus on the part of my diet that can get me there. 

For instance, I eat a snack with raw cashews, olive oil and Sriracha chili. Well nuts and olive oil aren’t bad, but they do bring up my daily calorie count. For now I will moderate my snack.

Years ago I made a recipe I really enjoyed for Fish with Black Bean Sauce.  It calls for the use of fermented dried black beans. I used to be able to get a little jar of them at the grocery but I haven’t found them in years. Convenience has taken them off the shelf and replaced them with processed  prepared black bean sauce.

I have searched for them for years and finally went to the Asian store, H Mart and found them. What a great time to make this healthful dish.  I ran to my book shelf to grab the recipe in “Keep it Simple” to find out, it wasn’t in that book.

After running through my cookbooks, I finally found the recipe in   “Chinese Cookery” by Rose Cheng  and Michele Morris. http://www.alibris.com/Chinese-cookery-Rose-Cheng/book/1067788

I really enjoyed my meal and it was pretty darn healthy.  I did a few things different. I used whole fish filets of flounder. I didn’t cut them in pieces because flounder is very delicate and thin. They would have disappeared and overcooked. In fact, I adjusted the cooking time and just checked the fish until it was done. I steamed it for about 15 minutes.

I also did not put the fish in a baking dish. I put my metal vegetable steamer in the wok after spraying it with non stick spray. I put the fish directly on it.

I also forgot to dry the fish before adding the additional ingredients. That was a no no, so if you make it, remember that step.

If you don’t have an Asian store around, I found the black beans on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Mee-Chun-Salted-Black-Beans/dp/B0000D15WD/ref=pd_sim_sbs_gro_5

They smelled a little funky when I was chopping them, but they were delicious cooked. I served my fish with brown rice and stir fried broccoli and red bell pepper.  It made a very nice meal.

Hot jasmine tea might be nice with this or even ice tea(my choice). Then again you could try Bergamot Ice Tea Cocktail with it. I bet that would be good too. http://bakedbree.com/bergamot-iced-tea-cocktail Note: there is an error in the recipe. It isn’t sugar and sugar. It is sugar and an equal amount of water to make the simple syrup.

I hope you will try the Fish and Black Bean Sauce. I would love to hear what you thought of it.

Now I will just have to figure out what to do with the rest of the black beans!

Have a great week!

Fish with Black Bean Sauce

1 lb fresh white fish, boned, filets

Marinade:

1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons salty black beans, rinsed, minced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

About 8 cups boiling water

 1 tablespoon chopped dried hot red pepper or shredded green onion

Cut fish into 1 ½ x 2 inch pieces. Mix marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add fish; mix well.

Let stand 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels (Remember this step!)

Add sesame oil, vegetable oil, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, black beans and garlic to fish marinade; mix well.

Pour 4 cups boiling water into a walk or large pot. Place fish pieces in a shallow baking dish in a steamer on a steamer rack over boiling water.Cover steamer or baking dish. Steam over high heat 20 minutes, adding more boiling water as needed.

Remove wok from heat and cool about 1 minute. Remove fish pieces and place on a small platter. Sprinkle with chopped red pepper or shredded green onion. 

Makes  4 servings.

Author: Chinese Cookery By Rose Cheng and Michele Morris HP Books

2014 Get it going

Well here we are at the end of 2013. It was a topsy turvy year for many including me. Tomorrow is a new year, a new day and the chance to better your best. I have proclaimed it the take care of Sheila year for me.
 
Let me first say that although I have had my challenges in 2013, this year has been  full of blessings for me too. Still and all 2014.....bring it on!!


I started my 2014 transformation a few days early upon my return from Florida. I cleaned and organized my closets, went grocery shopping for "healthy" food and started putting together thoughts as to my resolutions and goals for 2014.  I made some vegetarian black bean chili with wheat berries, spent some time with friends, had a manicure, pedicure and massage, renewed my workout goals and today had a great healthy lunch.

I had lunch with a friend in Arlington yesterday at a Lebanese Restaurant he frequents called Shatila.  The restaurant atmosphere could use some improvement but the food is darn tasty.

This was my second visit. Both times we had the sampler with Hummus, Baba Ganoush and Tabbouleh. All were delicious and filling.

Since I had parsley in my fridge left over from my cancelled Christmas party (iced out), I decided today to try my hand at a similar lunch.

I had tasted the Baba Ganoush awhile back at WholeFoods and really liked it. The company is "The Mediterranean Chef". In fact, I met the owners at the tasting.

So for lunch today I picked up the Baba Ganoush at Wholefoods then made my own tabbouleh. I cheated a bit by looking at the ingredient  label of tabbouleh Wholefoods sells (same company). I tried before to replicate the Baba Ganoush and failed miserably but felt confident I could succeed with tabbouleh.

So here is what I did:

I took two handfuls of parsley, washed and dried it. I removed some of the larger stems and chopped the rest roughly. To that I added a pinch of dried mint (fresh would be better. I am sure!) a few sprinklings of dried dill weed, minced white onion, minced tomato, minced cucumber (both tomato and cuke seeded)  and a pinch or more of salt.  I then mixed in a little olive oil and lemon juice.  That was it.

Now traditional tabbouleh has wheat.  I liked Shatila's version without it. In their version healthy parsley is the star.  This is very healthy and without the wheat....maybe some of you gluten free folks can enjoy it sans pita bread!

I am not a non gluten person so I ate my meal with whole wheat pita from The Baklava Bakery in Arlington. A little bit of Greek feta and some olives rounded out my meal. Dessert was a few slices of Cara Cara orange.

I wish each of you a happy, healthy New Year filled with clean eating and exercise.  2014....we are ready for you!

Don't like Brussels Sprouts? Try this and help those in need too.

I had a friend in from Florida just before Thanksgiving. Since being a vegetarian, Turkey day does not excite me, I decided to include him in my holiday meal.  In that I bought Brussels sprouts on the vine and used some to roast. We didn't use them all so I was stuck with figuring out what to do next.

A group I am in posted a  note that they would like the members to contribute food for a local women and children's shelter for their Thanksgiving meal.  This particular shelter supports those immigrants that have been victims of human trafficking.  All I could think of is how lucky most of us are and how important it is to help these women and children.

Brussels sprouts are not a favorite for many so I thought I would try something different. Searching the blogsphere I found a recipe that fit the bill,  Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios, Cranberries & Parmesan http://www.cookincanuck.com/2013/11/shredded-brussels-sprouts-recipe-pistachios-cranberries-parmesan/

I had all the ingredients so I thought I would try it.  I didn't want to use the pistachios so I looked up an alternative. Honeyed Walnuts with Rosemary.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/brussels-sprouts-with-candied-walnuts-and-green-apple-recipe/index.html

The combination worked perfectly and I liked it so much I had some for breakfast. The good thing about this salad is that it tasted more like cabbage and less like sprouts. I think even non brussels sprouts lovers may still like it.  The best thing about it though is that it went to the local women's shelter and made their holiday a little less lonesome, knowing that people care.

I hope you will try the recipe, whether you use the pistachios or the honeyed walnuts it will be good. Please also support your local women's shelters. These women and children need to know we care for and support them in keeping them safe.

Safe and happy holidays!