Warmed tomatoes are so flavorful – the heat just sweetens them and intensifies the already great taste. Add a little pesto and you get a divine side dish that can be served next to anything.

Roasted Pesto Tomatoes

4 servings
142 calories per serving

12 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 T oil
1/4 t salt
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1/4 c pesto

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with Pam. Mix the tomatoes with oil, salt, pesto and the pepper flakes and place on baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes and serve immediately.

This is a super savory, super healthy dish and a perfect summer dinner. The platter is just stunning to look at and this makes a great dish for entertaining. Serve as a full dinner or as an appetizer.

Grilled Antipasto

4 servings
291 calories per serving

6 T lemon juice
3 T white balsamic vinegar
2 t oil
¼ t kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 plum tomatoes
2 red peppers, quartered
2 yellow peppers, quartered
2 zucchini cut lengthwise into thick slices
1 red onion cut into thick slices
1 large eggplant cut into thick slices
Pam
4 oz. prosciutto slices
1 oz. peppered ham
2 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Basil as a garnish
6 green olives
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the first 5 ingredients as a marinade and dressing for the veggies. Take ¼ c of the dressing and brush it over the veggies. Spray a grill rack with Pam and grill veggies 5 minutes a side or until they have a bit of char on them. Place veggies on a platter and brush with the rest of the dressing and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the items to the platter and serve immediately.

What a symphony of flavors ! Your mouth doesn’t know what to be the happiest about – is it the pine nut accent? Or the spicy pepperjack cheese? Or the creamy avocados? Or the smoky chipotle dressing? This is one of THE BEST salads I’ve ever made.

Southwest Spinach Salad

4 servings
300 calories per serving

8 c fresh baby spinach
1/2 c corn with sweet peppers
1/3 c halved black pitted olives
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 oz. diced pepper jack cheese
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
1 ripe avocado cut into 16 slices
3 T lime juice
2 T oil
1 t chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/8 t salt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T toasted pine nuts
A few extra squirts of lime juice if you like your salad nice and ‘wet’

Combine spinach, corn, olives, cilantro and cheese. Place 2 c worth on each plate. Arrange tomato, egg and avocado slices atop the spinach. Combine lime juice, oil, chopped chipotle, salt and garlic. Whisk well and pour over salads. Sprinkle with pine nuts.

This really dresses up green beans and the added potatoes make it more satisfying than just a regular bean casserole. If you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, substitute a can of diced tomatoes. Don’t skimp on the cilantro, it gives this dish a nice flavor burst. This dish really calls for Mise en Place preparation, it makes the steps go much easier.

Green Beans and Potatoes

8 servings
70 calories per serving

1 1/2 T oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c diced red potatoes, skin left on
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/2 c celery, sliced thinly
1 pound green beans, ends removed
3/4 lb. plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 c water
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Salt to taste

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Do not let the garlic brown or it will become bitter. Add potatoes, celery and salt and sauté 4 minutes. Add the beans and sauté another 3 minutes. Add water. Cover and cook 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat and cook 4 minutes longer or until tomatoes soften. Stir in pepper flakes and serve immediately.