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Avocado and Tomato Salad

I have a pet peeve – why do TV chefs teach people to cut avocados using a knife and a spoon?? Cutting the whole avocado in half, taking the pit out using a knife, spooning the flesh away from the skin… why so much hassle???

For the single person… you would never be able to eat a whole avocado in one sitting… at least not the ones usually found here in Puerto Rico. I believe these are called Fuerte Avocados. It’s difficult to eat one in one sitting, unless you were making guacamole or cooking for a crowd.

First – it’s easier to cut avocados in wedges. And if the avocado is ripe, the skin will come right off. If you cut them in wedges, you just use/eat what you want at that moment and wrap the remainder with tight plastic wrap for the next time. No need to eat a whole avocado in one sitting.

So… avocado season is starting again… apparently, because they’re all over the supermarkets and markets. So I bought one and made myself a quick easy salad to accompany my Green Banana Mash.

AVOCADO AND TOMATO SALAD

2-3 wedges of avocado, cut in pieces

1 medium sized tomato, cubed

Extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic Salt

Mix everything in a small bowl and enjoy

Tags: avocados, tomato

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Categories Salad, side dishes

Quick Lettuce, Tomato and Corn Salad

19 Feb

I had some leftover Sauteed Corn and Onions but not enough to eat by itself, so I created this quick salad.

I grew up eating canned corn… I will out my mom and confess that when we were growing up, salad was many times opening up a can of corn or a can of string green beans. I loved them, but now I know better. One of my former secret indulgences were white rice with tuna, ketchup and corn. Mmmm!!! My grandpa used to call this – Arroz Pio Pio.

No need to heat up the corn, just take the chill off from the fridge and it’s good to go.

QUICK LETTUCE, TOMATO and CORN SALAD

Romaine Lettuce

Tomato

left over Sauteed Corn and Onions

Extra-virgin olive oil

the juice of 1/2 a lemon

Garlic salt

Place the lettuce, tomatoes and corn in a salad bowl.
Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice and garlic salt.
Toss together and serve.

Tags: corn, onion, romaine lettuce, tomato

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Categories Salad, side dishes

Sauteed Corn with Onions

19 Feb

I am in a use-up mode. I told myself I was not returning to the supermarket until I have used up most of what I have on hand right now.

Has this happened to you? That you eat mostly the same – day-in day-out – and you keep leaving in the pantry or the fridge stuff you bought at some point but can’t seem to get to cook it now. That’s the worst kind of waste… when you need to throw stuff out because you didn’t get to prepare it. I need to change my ways and put a stop to that!!!!

So I looked in my freezer and I found a bag of frozen corn… what to do with it??? I started to improvise and this is what came about…

SAUTEED CORN with ONIONS

1 cup frozen corn – I am sure that this would work with fresh corn too

1 tbs olive oil

1/4 onion – sliced

2 tbs crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce – I used Tomates Fritos from Viter with a little crushed tomatoes I had leftover.

Garlic Salt to taste

Pour olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Pour in the frozen corn and the onions and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cover so the steam generated cooks and soften the corn and onions.
About 5-10 minutes later, pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with garlic salt.
Sautee for a few minutes more until the corn is thoroughly cooked.
Serve warm.

I was completely surprised on how good this tasted. It was a step up from boiled corn with a little butter. The gamble paid off. I hope you like it too. I served this originally with my Creamy Potatoes. And later on served it as part of this salad…

Tags: corn, onions, tomato

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Categories side dishes

Breakfast Sandwich

16 Feb

I am on a bread phase… and most mornings I crave bread in some kind of shape or form. I know I should be more moderate, but sometimes the craving is too strong to ignore.

I love toasts with lots of butter, I love cheese toasts, I love melted cheese sandwiches… but the other day I saw a box of veggie bacon and I knew I have to do something with it. I built this breakfast sandwich – cream cheese, veggie bacon, tomatoes on whole wheat toast. It hit the spot… so much indeed that I ate it two days in a row…

BREAKFAST SANDWICH

Whole wheat Bread

Cream Cheese

2-3 veggie bacon strips

cherry tomatoes

Toast bread. Cook Veggie Bacon according to package directions – I put it in the toaster oven for 5 minutes turning it half way
Assemble components in your favorite way.

Enjoy your breakfast!!!!

Tags: cream cheese, tomato, veggie bacon

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Categories breakfast, sandwiches

Quesadilla Caprese

7 Feb

I love Caprese salads… fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Mmmmm!!! So when Rachael Ray proposed in one of her shows to make quesadillas with an Italian twist, I was all eyes and ears.

I tried this one night I wanted a quick dinner… this Quesadilla Caprese works great alone or accompanied with a salad. As an appetizer or as lunch or light supper. The fresh mozzarella is very watery and oozes a bit when you’re making it, but the flavor is amazing.

QUESADILLA CAPRESE

1 whole wheat tortilla

4-5 fresh mozzarella slices

3 tomato slices

4-5 fresh basil leaves

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brush some olive oil.
Place whole wheat tortilla to warm up. Flip over to the other side.
Place 1/2 of the mozzarella slices, tomatoes, sprinkle salt and pepper, place basil leaves and the remaining mozzarella slices. You need cheese next to the tortilla side to act as the “glue” that will keep the quesadilla closed and together.

5. Press down with a spatula. Some of the moisture of the cheese will ooze out. Don’t worry, keep the skillet warm enough and the tortilla will not wilt. Actually it helps to build some crust on the outside rim. Flip it a few times to get the cheese well melted on both sides.

6. Dress with a additional drizzle of olive oil.

Try it… it’s awesome.