foodie: zucchini & tomato bake

it's tomato and zucchini season!  and i'm loving it.  the other night, i made a super simple zucchini and tomato bake for our dinner.  it was fresh, tasty and very satisfying -- plus it was a great way to use some of the many, many tomatoes and squash that have been coming our way from the csa.

here's what you'll need...

1 large zucchini (or 2+ medium)
2 medium tomatoes
1 small green bell pepper
salt & pepper
olive oil

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. slice all the veggies into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. layer the veggies into a 9x13 inch baking dish that has been coated with olive oil.  between each layer, season the veggies with salt and pepper.

2. drizzle the top with a bit more olive oil, and then back for 50 min (or so) until veggies are tender and some edges are crisped.

and that's it!!!  simple & delicious (& super healthy).

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foodie: easy, fresh tomato sauce

once again, i brought home a bushel (well, not an actual bushel -- but close!) of gorgeous, delicious tomatoes from our csa.  so, i decided to make...drum roll please...simple tomato sauce!  fresh tomato sauce is so delicious, and surprisingly simple to make.  since tomato season is in full swing, head to the farmers market, stock up, and then treat yourself to some outstanding, homemade sauce.

here's what you'll need for sauce for 4...

2 roma tomatoes, chopped
10 plum tomatoes, chopped
(or roughly 3.5 cups of tomatoes total)
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed and roughly chopped
2 shallots, minced
1 small green pepper, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup fresh herbs (i used basil and parsley)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt

1. saute the shallots, green pepper, and garlic in the bottom of a sauce pot in olive oil, until veggies are tender and caramelized.

2. as the veggies cook, chop the tomatoes, and put them in a strainer in the sink so the excess water can drain off.

3. add tomatoes, herbs, and salt (it'll take more salt than you'd think) to the veggies in the sauce pot, and simmer on low for 30 min or so.

that's it!

we enjoyed ours over brown rice with chickpeas for a gluten-free meal, but it would be fantastic over pasta or roasted veggies, too!

enjoy :-)

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foodie: tomato & okra rice salad

last night i came home from our csa with another batch of juicy, delicious tomatoes. again, looking for creative ways to make use of them, i created this easy, healthy rice salad with tomatoes, fresh okra, and sauteed shallots -- it was simple and satisfying, and went great with the fried tempeh we had.

here's what you'll need for 4 servings...

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
3 ears of corn (kernels off cob)
1 large tomato, chopped
5-10 small tomatoes, chopped
2 okra pods, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
olive oil
herbs (i used about 1/4 cup chopped parsley)

1. as the rice cooks (i used minute rice to speed the process up), prep the veggies.

2. saute the shallot, okra and garlic in a small saute pan with a bit of olive oil until shallots are translucent and okra is fork tender.

3. once the rice is done, mix everything together, and season with fresh herbs, salt and pepper.

mangia! mangia!

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foodie: almond-flaxseed cereal

lately, this has been my go-to breakfast.  yes, that's right, something has replaced my beloved overnight oats!  but, this hot cereal -- made with almond meal and ground flaxseeds -- it much higher in protein, has great flavor and keeps me from craving lunch at 11am.

here's what you'll need for one serving...

2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
3 tbsp almond meal
1/3 ripe banana
1/2 cup almond mind (or milk of your choice)
cinnamon
nutmeg
1 tbsp peanut butter
chopped cherries

1. mash the banana is a cereal bowl, and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg (however much you desire -- i like a lot of cinnamon).

2. mix in flaxseeds and almond meal until pasty. then add in almond milk -- i like to serve a tablespoon or two of the milk to pour over at the end, but it's your call.

3. heat in the microwave on power level 5 for 2 to 2.5 minutes, take it out and stir.  (it will continue to thicken as it cools.)

4. top with a dollop of peanut butter, more cinnamon, reserved milk, and toppings of your choice.  i used fresh, chopped cherries, but raisins, sliced bananas, or chopped nuts would be great, too!

enjoy!

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