Shortbread Crust
1 cup shredded dried coconut (unsweetened) 1 cup walnuts 1/4 tsp pure salt 6 pitted medjool dates Place the coconut, walnuts & salt in a food processor fitted w/ the S blade & process until finely ground. Add the dates & process until the mixture begins to stick together. Don’t over-process. Yields 2 & 1/2 cups. Will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. The crust doesn’t need to be thawed before using. ______________________________________________________________________________________ SIDE NOTES: For those with various food restrictions,...
Read MoreTomato & Leek Marinara
2 to 4 leeks, washed and sliced (see notes below) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 28-ounce package diced (or crushed) tomatoes a good handful of fresh sage leaves, roughly torn or chopped pure salt and pepper to taste pinch of crushed red pepper (optional) pasta of choice Boil water for pasta. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the leeks and saute over medium heat just until they start to brown, 10 – 12 minutes. Do not let the leeks burn, or they will become bitter. Add the tomatoes, sage, salt (1/2 tsp, give or take), pepper, and crushed red pepper if using. Simmer until the sauce...
Read MoreArugula & Sun-dried Tomato Frittata
1 & 1/2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 2 large garlic cloves, minced or crushed 8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained & thinly sliced 6 oz arugula, washed and drained well 8 large eggs 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn apart 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional) 1/2 tsp sea salt freshly ground pepper to taste Preheat broiler to high. Heat oil over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet (preferably non-stick) with an oven proof handle and swirl the oil to coat the bottom of the pan evenly. While oil is warming up, use a fork to lightly beat the eggs, basil, cheese, salt and...
Read MoreRoasted Tomato Soup
2 pounds of tomatoes 6 garlic cloves (peeled & whole) 1/4 of a medium red onion, sliced 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 1 TBSP balsamic or apple cider vinegar 2 sprigs fresh oregano (use leaves & discard stems) 4 large basil leaves, roughly torn into pieces sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 to 2 cups water or broth (depending on how thick or thin you like it) cheese for sprinkling over the top (optional) (parm or cheddar) Pre-heat oven to 375. Wash and cut tomatoes in half. Place them in a shallow baking dish, cut side down (9 x 13 pyrex works well). Add onion,...
Read MoreTomato Eggplant & Basil Sauce
2 small (or 1 medium) eggplant (about 3/4 pound) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided) 2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed 3 medium, ripe tomatoes (about 1 & 1/4 lbs) cored and diced small 1/2 tsp pure salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 10 large, fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (optional) 12 oz ziti or penne ______________________________________________________________________________________ Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet (I like to line w/ parchment paper). Drizzle 2 TBSP of the...
Read MoreHow to Peel a Tomato
For some reason, it sounds difficult to peel tomatoes, but it’s really not. Here’s how you do it… ___________________________________________________________________ Cut a shallow X across the bottom of each tomato. Don’t make a deep cut, just lightly score the skin. ___________________________________________________________________ Bring a pot of water to boil, and use a large spoon to drop each tomato into the water. After approximately 30 seconds, use the same spoon to remove the tomatoes from the pot. The skin will have loosened & split, and within a minute...
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