Spicy and savory side dish that is perfect next to Mexican inspired meals. The cumin really makes this a different tasting salad.
Jalapeno Tomatoes
8 servings
58 calories per serving
4 c halved cherry or grape tomatoes (plus any other sliced garden tomatoes you have)
1/3 c sliced scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and sliced thinly
1/3 c white balsamic vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1 T oil
2 t minced ginger
1 t ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the tomatoes, scallions, garlic and jalapeno. Mix the rest of the ingredients to make a dressing then pour over the tomatoes and chill for at least 1 hour.
It’s a salad in a pita ! And a mighty good one at that !
Veggie Pitas
4 servings
260 calories per serving
2 T oil
1 T vinegar
1 t grated lemon zest
1 t oregano flakes
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
Salt to taste
1/8 t cayenne pepper
¾ c chopped romaine lettuce
½ c finely chopped tomato
½ c finely chopped English cucumber
¼ c chopped black olives
¼ c crumbled low fat feta cheese
4 6 inch pita pockets, sliced
Mix oil, vinegar, zest, oregano, garlic and cayenne. Add in all the rest of the ingredients and mix well then spoon mix into pita breads.
Creamy goodness all wrapped up in a yummy tortilla. Get your MUFA for the day and smile while you do it 😉 This tastes much like yummy guacamole; just a bit milder, but perfect for a lunch tortilla.
Avocado Tacos
6 servings
290 calories per serving
12 6 inch tortillas
3 avocados, mashed
1/4 t garlic salt
¾ c chopped cilantro
Pepper to taste
A few drops of Tabasco sauce
12 tomato slices
Lime juice
Mix avocados, garlic, pepper, Tabasco and cilantro. Spread the mixture in each tortilla and add 2 tomato slices. Squirt with lime, fold and eat.
The addition of beans makes this salad filling and add extra fiber to your meal. This is a great summer side that hits the spot.
White Bean and Tomato Salad
4 servings
167 calories per serving
1 T white vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 drop Tabasco sauce
2 t oil
16 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 T chopped basil
1 T chopped parsley
1 scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ large red bell pepper, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and Tabasco and whisk while adding the oil. Combine beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, basil, parsley, scallions and garlic. Add the dressing and toss well to coat the cover and refrigerate ½ hour. Just before serving add salt and pepper to taste.
This makes a great side dish or a perfect appetizer served with Crostini bread or crackers. Every caponata you find is a little different – there are so many components that it is easy to get different versions. This one uses very little oil and is my absolute favorite. By pre-cooking the eggplant in the oven, you use much less oil and you won’t even miss it ! It has all my favorite things and has a great depth of flavor.
Eggplant Caponata
6 servings
149 calories per serving
1 large eggplant, trimmed, but not peeled and then cut into 1 inch cubes
½ t salt
2 t oil
2 c chopped celery
¼ c celery leaves, chopped
1 c chopped onions
½ c water
2 t minced garlic
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (including the juice)
2 T tomato paste
20 small black olives, chopped (you can use green if you prefer)
2 T white wine vinegar
1 t unsweetened cocoa
½ t black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
¼ c chopped basil
¼ c toasted pine nuts
2 t oil
Pam
To toast pine nuts, sauté in a hot, dry skillet for a few moments – until golden and aromatic. Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with ½ t salt. Mix well so that all eggplant is salted. Then place a small plate or bowl on top of the eggplant and weight it by placed a canned product or some other heavy object. The salt and the weight will draw some of the bitter liquid from the eggplant and you will end up with a much sweeter tasting caponata. Let sit for an hour then rinse eggplant and pat dry. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with Pam, and place eggplant on sheet in a single layer. Cook for 20 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a skillet and add 2 t of oil. Also spray with a bit of pan and then sauté onions and celery on medium high heat until partially softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté a minute longer. Add ½ c water and continue cooking another 10 minutes. If the mix gets dry, add up to ¼ c more water to keep it moist. Add tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste and olives and cook on medium for 10 minutes until sauce thickens a bit. Add eggplant, vinegar, salt, pepper and cocoa and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in toasted nuts and 2 t oil. Serve room temperature or chilled.
Tangy ranch dressing, spicy horseradish, and lotsa meat and veggies – my kind of sandwich 🙂
Roast Beef Ranch Sandwich
4 servings
334 calories per serving
4 small Club Rolls
32 slices thin sliced deli roast beef (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
1 small red onion, sliced
1 small tomato, sliced
2 c shredded lettuce
8 T non fat ranch dressing
3 T horseradish
4 T shopped parsley
Mix ranch, horseradish and parsley and refrigerate at least ½ hour. Place meet on rolls and spoon on the prepared dressing. Top with onion, tomato and lettuce.
Tabbouleh is a Lebonese salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint and bulgur wheat. It is so healthy, so delicious and so very pretty to look at – serve some up as an appetizer at your next get together.
Tabbouleh
8 servings
214 calories per serving
1 c bulgur wheat
2 c boiling water
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped into small bits
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped into small bits
3 scallions, chopped
1 c chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c mint leaves chopped
2 t salt
1/2 c lemon juice
¼ c olive oil
Place wheat in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 45 minutes to an hour and then drain it and squeeze out any extra water. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with pita bread, pita chips or as a side salad.
A little of this, a little of that – all on a roll … and you get a sub sandwich. This is a great mixed meat sub that is filling and a great take a long lunch.
Sub Sandwich
1 serving
394 calories per serving
1 small Club roll
1 T low fat mayonnaise
1 T mustard
½ c chopped lettuce
2 slices tomato
4 slices thin deli roast turkey (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
4 thin slices deli ham (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
1 slices low fat swiss cheese
Mix mustard and mayo and spread on the inside of both sides of the roll. Place all meats and cheese on roll and top with lettuce and tomato.
Want a great quick lunch or a perfect appetizer? Try one that you are seeing at all the lunch cafes – a goat cheese pita pizza. This one adds and mushroom and tomatoes for an out of this world flavor.
Pita Rounds with Mushrooms and Cheese
4 servings
283 calories per serving
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 t oil
4 6-inch pita breads (I love the Sahara Pitas)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz. portobello mushrooms
2 medium tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
1/3 c goat cheese
1/2 c chopped fresh basil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the garlic and oil and then brush over the pitas. Add tomato slices and mushrooms then sprinkle with the cheese then with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with basil when done cooking.
The wonderful texture of flavor of avocado shines through in this simple recipe. As well as tasting delicious, avocados are full of healthful MUFAs. This time I used all sliced Campari tomatoes for this salad – they are so sweet !
Tomato and Avocado Salad
4 servings
161 calories per serving
2 lbs. assorted tomatoes, sliced (green tomatoes, grape tomatoes, heirlooms, etc. – whatever you have)
1 avocado, sliced
1 T Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 T chopped cilantro or parsley.
Mix all except avocados in a bowl – then add avocado and gently mix so that avocados do not break up. Serve immediately.
