Spiced Marinated Tomatoes

Serve with a grilled burger or chicken. You can prepare this recipe up to two days in advance. The longer the tomatoes marinate, the more flavor they acquire. Remove the seeds from the pepper if you prefer mild heat.

Yield 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

• 4 cups halved red, yellow, or orange cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 4)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir until blended. Pour vinegar mixture over tomato mixture, tossing to coat. Chill 1 hour.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

2g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.3g)

Protein: 1g

Carbohydrate: 10.1g

Fiber: 1.2g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Iron: 0.8mg

Sodium: 159mg

Calcium: 17mg

Joanne Weir, Cooking Light, JUNE 2006

Ham and Cheese Tartines with Cherokee Purple Tomato Salad

Ham and Cheese Tartines with Cherokee Purple Tomato Salad

A tartine is an open-faced sandwich. Manchego, a sheep's-milk cheese, and serrano ham give this tasty salad a Spanish flair.

Tartines:
4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices ciabatta bread, toasted
1 ounce serrano ham, cut into 4 thin slices
3 ounces Manchego cheese, cut into 4 thin slices
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

Salad:
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups torn Boston lettuce
3 cups thinly sliced honeydew melon
3 medium Cherokee Purple tomatoes, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1. Preheat broiler.

2. To prepare tartines, place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Arrange 1 ham slice and 1 cheese slice on each bread slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon oregano.

3. To prepare salad, combine 1 tablespoon oregano and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Arrange 1 cup lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 3/4 cup honeydew and 1/2 cup tomato slices. Drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon dressing. Place 1 tartine on each plate.


Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 269 (34% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 3.9g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.8g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 19mg; CALCIUM 135mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.4g; SODIUM 730mg; PROTEIN 11.2g; FIBER 2.2g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2008

Parmesan Flans with Tomatoes and Basil

Use a variety of colorful tomatoes, including red, yellow, orange, and green, to make this elegant dish more visually appealing. Serve as an appetizer or side dish, or pair it with a chilled soup, salad, and wine for a light meal.
Yield

4 servings
Ingredients

* Cooking spray
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
* 4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups chopped seeded tomato
* Dash of salt
* Dash of freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Coat 4 (6-ounce) custard cups or ramekins with cooking spray. Place 3 tablespoons flour in a medium bowl. Gradually add milk to bowl, stirring constantly with a whisk until blended. Add egg whites and eggs; stir well. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; stir well. Divide mixture evenly among prepared custard cups. Place custard cups in a 9-inch square baking pan; add hot water to the pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until puffy and set.

3. Combine tomato, dash of salt, and dash of pepper in a medium bowl. Loosen edges of flans with a knife or rubber spatula. Place a plate, upside down, on top of each cup; invert onto plates. Spoon 1/2 cup tomato mixture over each flan. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon basil.

Wine note: These scrumptious flans take much of their savoriness from the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Because the cheese has a nutty/salty flavor, it pairs well with an earthy light red. Traditionally, Chianti would fill this bill, but for a more modern twist, try a California pinot noir instead. Pinot is an all-around winner with most hard cheeses. A favorite: Saintsbury 2006 Pinot Noir from Carneros, California, about $35. —Karen MacNeil

Nutritional Information

Calories:192 (34% from fat)
Fat:7.3g (sat 3.7g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:16.7g
Carbohydrate:14.2g
Fiber:1.3g
Cholesterol:106mg
Iron:1.5mg
Sodium:478mg
Calcium:286mg

Joanne Weir, Cooking Light, JULY 2008