Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

 Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons  olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°.  Cut tomatoes in half; place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over tomatoes. Roast tomatoes 20 minutes. In the meantime, in a small skillet on medium-low heat, sauté diced carrot and celery in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil until tender, 10–15 minutes. Add garlic and shallots; turn heat to low and continue to cook for another 4 minutes.
• Remove tomatoes from the oven, allow to cool first then peel the tomatoes. Add all ingredients to a food processor, except broth. Add the tomato purée mixture and broth to medium pot, bring to a boil; reduce heat to a low simmer and cook 15–20 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Garlic Beans with Baked Tomatoes

 

Roasted green beans with garlic, Parmesan, and tomatoes - the perfect side dish! These green beans make such a wonderful, healthy side dish. The garlic and Parmesan gives them a unique flavor, plus the tomatoes are a great twist and add a little sweetness to the beans.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted) 
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions:

Place green beans in a large bowl and add olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper; toss to coat beans. Heat coconut oil in medium skillet on low and saute for 5-7 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread out green beans and tomatoes on baking sheet and sprinkle almonds on it. Bake for 5 minutes or green beans are slightly golden brown. Enjoy!

Healthy Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients:

3 Cup Refried Beans
6 Oz Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt
1 C. Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Black Olives, Sliced
2 green onions, chopped

Tomato Salsa Layer:
2 Roma Tomatoes, Diced
1/2 Jalapeño, Seeded & Diced
2 Tbsp. Cilantro, Chopped
1 Chive, Chopped
1/2 Lime, Juiced
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Guacamole Layer:
2 Avocados, Mashed
1/2 Jalapeño, Seeded & Diced
2 Tbsp. Cilantro, Chopped
1 Chive, Chopped
1/2 Lime, Juiced
1 Garlic, Minced
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the tomato layer. Combine the ingredients for the guacamole layer in another medium size bowl. When ready, spread the beans out over the bottom of a dish.

Top the beans with the greek yogurt and spread. Sprinkle the cheese and olives over the Greek yogurt.  Carefully smooth the guacamole over the cheese and spread it out. Finally, top with the tomato layer. For garnish  I added some green onions, tomatoes and olives on top. Enjoy!

 



 

Homestyle Chunky Salsa

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped tomatoes                                                                                           
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:

Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Serve.

 

 

Marinated Tomatoes With Balsamic Vinegar, Spinach And Cheese

Ingredients

8 tomatoes cut in half
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 cups of fresh spinach
Garlic optional
Salt and pepper
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup low fat shredded Cheese

Directions~

Marinate sliced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar for 4-6 hours. Bake at 350F. for about 7 minutes until a little tender. Meanwhile, sauté spinach and garlic with a dash of salt, pepper and lemon juice. Put spinach on top of tomatoes and sprinkle with low fat cheese of your choice (I chose Italian blend) and broil til cheese is golden! Enjoy!