Brussels Sprouts with Apples & Candied Walnuts and Almond Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes

May 17th marked chef Jamie Oliver's Annual Food Revolution Day but I took liberties 

and designated last weekend as my personal Food Revolution Day/Weekend. 

Lucky for me, I was hosting a friend's bridal shower so all the cooking and baking didn't go to waste. 

Food Revolution Day is about healthy eating, food education, and raising awareness around obesity. Jamie Oliver is doing amazing, important work; If I've learned anything from drooling over his cookbooks, following him on Instagram, and watching his cooking shows it's that healthy food is simple food. It's attainable and it's delicious. 

Here are two of my Revolution dishes, both vegetarian, and great when feeding a crowd.

Brussels Sprouts with Apples & Candied Walnuts

     from Noshon.It

Ingredients

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, halved

1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

½ cup candied walnuts, recipe to follow

olive oil

2+ tbsp butter 

salt & pepper

lemon juice

honey

Candied Walnuts

½ cup walnuts

1-2 tbsp butter 

1 spring fresh rosemary, diced

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp honey

Directions

If you want to brave it and make your own, more savory-less sugary candied walnuts here is how...

In a sauté pan over a low heat, melt butter and then the walnuts. Stirring occasionally. 

Once the walnuts begin to darken, add in the rosemary. Cook for 30 seconds before turning off the heat and adding the honey and salt. Stir until combined. Let cool.

To prepare the Brussels sprouts...

In a large sauté pan (or 2), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Roast the Brussels sprouts for about 7-10 minutes until they begin to brown.

Then add in the butter and the apple, stir together, and season with salt and pepper. Let cook for a few minutes before adding in the walnuts and lemon juice. Cook until they are tender. Before serving, drizzle a little extra honey over the top. Serve these up hot!

Mmm mmm mmmm!

Almond Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
     from Family Fresh Cooking
     serves 8+

Ingredients

7 heirloom tomatoes, ¼ inch round slices

1 cup almond meal/flour

pinch of garlic powder

1-2 tsp of Tuscan herb salt, or your choice of dried herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary)

Black pepper

Paprika

Olive oil spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F and center rack.

Whisk together the almond meal, garlic powder, herb salt, pepper, and paprika. Dip both sides of the tomato slices in the almond mixture. 

Lightly spray a cookie sheet with olive oil, place the tomatoes in a single layer, and lightly drizzle olive oil over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are browned and crispy. Feel free to flip them half way through the baking if yours are looking light in color. Arrange tomato slices on a platter, garnish with fresh basil, and serve hot.

These made a great leftover lunch the next day. Reheat and serve with a glass of something tangy, like blood orange Italian soda.

There you go! Two tasty side dishes to add to your repertoire!

Tomato, Gruyere & Basil Tart with Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

The days are getting longer and I'm wanting to spend as much time as possible outside. I'm really looking forward to dining al fresco. A great dinner, or lunch, for a warm spring night is none other than this delicious tomato tart and side of bacon-wrapped asparagus.

What makes this tart so great is its freshness. Sweet tomatoes and fragrant basil... honestly, a match made in heaven. And then there is the asparagus and bacon. My mouth is watering just typing about this deliciousness.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

     adapted from Just a Pinch Recipes

Ingredients

2 lbs. asparagus, bottoms trimmed

10-12 slices of bacon

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ tsp garlic salt

ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar, butter, and soy sauce together. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once boiling.

Wrap one slice of bacon around 2-3 stems of asparagus. Arrange the bacon-wrapped asparagus in a shallow baking dish, drizzle with the brown sugar glaze. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the bacon is fully cooked.

Tomato, Gruyere & Basil Tart

from The Pastry Affair

serves 5-6

Crust Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp sea salt

⅓ cup olive oil

⅓ cup cold water, more if needed

Tomato Filling

≈ 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated

½ cup fresh basil

5 tomatoes, thinly sliced

salt & pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. Make a well in the mixture and pour in the olive oil and water. Using your fingers, working in circles, combined the dough. Add a little more water if the dough isn't coming together.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and carefully transfer to a tart pan or 9-inch pie pan. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake for 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before filling.

Layering the filling, start with the Gruyere.

Next, add a layer of tomato and basil. Repeat until you reach just below the top of the crust, sprinkling with salt and pepper as you go.

Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden. Let cool briefly before serving.

Enjoy!!

   

Mediterranean Dinner

What better way to celebrate the new year than with wonderful friends, great stories, 

and a big, fat Mediterranean dinner party?

~~~

Mediterranean Menu

  

Layered Hummus & Vegetable Dip 

with Pita Chips, Carrots and/or Bread

  

Chicken & Tomato Stew

  

Cinnamon Couscous

White wine with the Appetizer & Red with the Mains

~~~

  

Layered Mediterranean Dip

     adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients
Hummus
Pesto
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, diced
Sun-dried or oven-dried cherry tomatoes**
4-6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
banana peppers (optional)
olives (optional)

**Oven-Dried Tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and dried.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
Cut tomatoes lengthwise, place in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, sugar, salt, and pepper and bake for 2.5-3 hours. Tomatoes will look shriveled and slightly blackened on the edges. They will be delicious.

Directions
On a large serving plate, spread an even layer of hummus. Next, an even layer of pesto.

Evenly distribute the cucumber, onion, (other veggies if you're using them), feta, and tomatoes.

Chill in the refrigerator before serving. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Serve with pita chips, carrots, or bread.

Chicken & Tomato Stew with Cinnamon Couscous

     from theKitchn

Stew Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp dried oregano

1- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, in puree

1- 16 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup chicken broth

Salt & Pepper

1 rotisserie chicken, cut into bite sized pieces, skin removed

Dash of cinnamon

½ of freshly squeezed lemon

Cinnamon Couscous
2 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1- 10 oz. box plain, quick-cooking couscous 

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 freshly squeezed orange

Directions

Over medium heat, add olive oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Add onion and cook until softened, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and oregano, cook for one minute while stirring.

Pour in tomatoes, chickpeas, chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.

Add chicken, lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Just before serving, make the couscous. This takes all of 8 minutes.

Bring chicken broth, oil, and salt to a boil. Add couscous, stir, remove from heat and cover.

Let rest until all liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, add cinnamon and orange juice. Fluff until everything is fully incorporated.

Remove stew from heat, add lemon juice, stir.

Serve the stew hot over couscous. Cheers! Or as we said in Greece, yiamas!