What is a Caprese Salad?

When we think of caprese salad, we think of fresh tomatoes with mozzarella, a bit of fresh basil and some form of vinaigrette. I usually only like olive oil, salt and pepper with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, but topping with fresh corn is a summer game changer. And, for a summer corn caprese salad, you don’t have to cook the corn, which adds sweetness and texture.

Ingredients for Corn Caprese Salad

• Ripe Tomatoes (can be almost any kind as long as they are ripe, sweet, juicy)
• Fresh mozzarella or burrata
• Fresh basil (or pesto)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh Corn
• Salt, Pepper

Pesto/Pistou Variations

The difference between pesto and pistou is basically the addition of nuts and cheese. A pistou is easy to make with just garlic, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. It comes together very easily. However, you can also add a full pesto to this salad. Or, just use olive oil with freshly cut basil. This is more of an idea for caprese than anything you have to follow exactly. I’ve even thought of doing with an addition of fresh peaches along with the tomatoes.

I have several pesto recipes here at spinach tiger. This is my classic recipe, but I’ve been replacing the pine nuts with roasted, salted macadamia nuts (about 1/3 cup). You can also use pistachio nuts as I did in this recipe. You can replace the basil with fresh mint as I did here.

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More Pesto Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Snapper with Pesto
• Grilled Lollypop Lamb Chop with Mint Pistou
• Ricotta Peas Pesto Appetizer
• Italian Potato Salad with Authentic Pesto
• Party Caprese Salad
• Caprese Party Sandwich
• Chicken with Creamy Pesto
• Seven Herb Pesto

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Corn Caprese Salad Recipe

Corn Caprese Salad with Tomatoes, Basil or Pesto, Fresh Mozzarella,

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Keyword caprese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella or burrata
• 3 fresh summer tomatoes
• Pistou Recipe Below enough to cover tomatoes and cheese
• 1/2 cup Pesto or
• 2 handfulls basil
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cob fresh corn

Pistou

• 2/3 cups fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/3 extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• If using large tomatoes, cut in thick slices, serve immediately.
• Set cheese out about 30 minutes in advance to enjoy the flavor and texture.
• Toss with cheese, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper or pesto
• Slice corn off of the cob.
• If using pistou or pesto spoon over salad, then top with corn.
• Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Pistou

• Combine all ingredients. Add salt as needed.

The post Summer Caprese Salad with Fresh Corn appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I want to taste nothing but creamy tomato soup, flavored with the herbs of my choice. Typical recipes will have bouillon cubes or chicken broth and flour.

I decided against those ingredients, using heavy cream and white wine for a smooth and robust tomato bisque soup.

This Tomato Bisque Soup Recipe is a Healthy Version

The result is a healthier, cleaner taste of pure tomato. I picked the tomatoes and herbs out of my garden, and I wanted to share a soup that you could easily make without a lot of fuss, yet still have those sophisticated flavors. (see the faster, cheat version below).

Of course, you can pair this with a grilled cheese sandwich and make that classic American meal.

Put a Creative Spin on Tomato Bisque Soup

• Add fresh sweet corn, cut from from the cob, for texture.
• Add in homemade croutons, or crunchy bacon.
• Add hot sauce and chopped avocado.
• Add a some chile oil and replace cream with coconut milk.  So this at the end before stirring. Skip the wine.
• Add a drizzle of honey. Honey does something to tomatoes that I just adore.
• Skip the cream and simply have a great tomato basil soup.

Fresh garden tomato bisque soup is just one of many great tomato recipes made with food from my garden. You might also be interested in the fresh garden tomato sauce.

Fast Tomato Bisque Soup using Passata

Passata is simply strained tomatoes and sea salt, found in your local grocery store next to canned tomatoes, most often in glass bottles. Use Passata as your start. Add the wine first and when the alcohol burns off, add the heavy cream and warm through. Finish with fresh herbs, salt and pepper as needed. 

More Fabulous Soup from Spinach Tiger

• Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Italian Beef Macaroni Soup
• Ribollita Tuscan Cabbage Soup
• Green Potato Soup
• Carrot Ginger Soup
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pecans
• Healthy Spicy Tortilla Soup
• Creamy Garden Tomato Soup
• Summer Chicken Soup 
• Spinach Soup
• Snowcap Heirloom Beans with Shrimp
• Bean Soup with Bacon Bits
• Split Pea Soup with Portabello Mushrooms
• Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Soup
• Broccoli Basil Spinach Soup

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My Favorite Tools for this Recipe

• Soup Crocks
• Soup Ladle
• Stick Blender
• Le Creuset Dutch Oven (I have several, but this one is smaller and on my to buy list)
• Passata

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Fresh Tomato Bisque Soup

Homemade fresh tomato biscque soup with tomatoes from the garden, blended until smooth.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 10 tomatoes see note
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion peeled, cut in chunks
• 2 carrots peeled, cut in big chunks
• 1 piece of celery or a dash celery seed
• fresh parsely small handful
• fresh basil small handful
• 6 sprigs of thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
• 1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry optional
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

• Cut an x in the bottom of each tomato. Submerge tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds. You may do this 4 tomatoes at a time.
• Cool. Peel.
• Cut in half, squeeze some of the water and seeds out.
• Put in crock pot with onion, carrot, celery olive oil, thyme, basil. Add white wine.
• Cook on high for 4 hours or low for six hours. (this part is very flexible. Just make sure there enough liquid in slow cooker).
• Put into blender or use a stick blender with butter and blend until smooth.
• Add back in soup pan. Turn burner on low. Add in heavy cream. Cook just until warm and blended.
• Top with freshly cut parsley and basil, sprig of thyme or any herbs you like.

Notes

You may want to make more than 10 tomatoes, just follow the ratios. 20 tomatoes will easily fit in most slow cookers. 

Cheat Tomato Bisque: Use Passata as your start. Add the wine first and when the alcohol burns off, add the heavy cream and warm through. Finish with fresh herbs, salt and pepper as needed. 

The post Tomato Bisque Soup Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

It was a mix of all the right ingredients and although rustic, far from ordinary. They had a secret ingredient I’ll share below

I posted this recipe eleven years ago am I’m reposting with new pictures. It was a post that expressed how I feel about food, and particularly developing recipes you will actually make and enjoy. I still feel the same way in what I believe this blog is all about. It’s about you and how to make your life more delicious, more enjoyable in an easy, approachable style.

 Some people think that hat good food can only be achieved if you spend hours in the kitchen.

No one, not even a passionate foodie type, food blogger has several free hours to make each and every meal.  I now own a keto bakery and cooking is a lot more challenging for me.

When I boil down the reasons I blog about food, it’s not really for me. I can go in the kitchen and come out happy any time of day. I also know many of you didn’t grow up with my background.

I was exposed to home cooking and fine dining since the day I was born. I was also that girl who lived with one parent, and especially the years I lived with my father, I did all the cooking. The meals became important in rough times. Sometimes sitting to have nice food together was the only normal I felt.

When I write out recipes, I write them for you so you can have some normal in your day, to bring good smells, tastes, and bites of pleasure to your family. If you’re going through something, at least you can sit and eat together and smile through the food.

After all these years of writing this blog, my passion rests in getting my readers to try new foods, new flavors with ease and joy. This means it has be fast, easy, approachable, understandable and yet, still have last meal goodness.

My husband says “if I had a choice between this dish and sex, I would have a hard time choosing. There is no other food on earth I can say that about.” That’s a huge testimony to this dish.

Main Ingredients

• Scallops
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Anchovies
• Bucatini
• Garlic
• Sliced Almonds
• Breadcrumbs (optional)

Pesto

There are many ways to make pesto. This recipe was made with pestle and mortar, which allowed me to add oil as I wanted. I crushed the basil with garlic confit, toasted almonds first, and gradually added olive oil. Salt before you taste, because salt finishes it. I also added an Italian cracked chili pepper. I also replaced the pine nuts with sliced almonds, as they are more affordable.

TIPS: If you don’t have enough basil (2 cups) do half and half with Italian parsley.

Anchovies, the Secret Ingredient

Do not let the anchovies scare you. When you are at the grocery store just pick up a can and trust me. Melt them into your olive oil. They may gross you out at first, but once the basil pesto sauce is layered over the pasta, you won’t even know the anchovies are there. They are an amazing flavor enhancer, giving any dish that umami oomph.

Actually pick up a few cans. Melt anchovies into olive oil and cook broccoli or cauliflower and taste the flavor boost.

Why Bucatini?

Bucatini is a large hollow spaghetti, which will absorb the flavors, and has a great bite to it.You could use linguini or spaghetti but bucatini is a favorite with this type of sauce.

Seared Scallops

I used smaller scallops that actually work better, because they are bite size and more affordable. You could also do large scallops. See Variations below.

So tell me, are you interested in fast, easy dishes that are amazing? Would you like to see more of these types of recipes?

Variations in this Recipe

• Replace the scallops with shrimp, or combination.
• Replace the scallops with broccoli florets.
• Replace the scallops with chick peas, green peas, or white beans.
• Replace bucatini with spaghetti or linguini, or even gnocchi.

More Recipes with Pesto from Spinach Tiger

• Zucchini Garlic Scape Pesto
• Ricotto Peas Pesto Appetizer
• Caprese Salad with Pesto
• Baked Red Snapper with Pistachio Pesto

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Anchovy Basil Pesto Sauce with Seared Scallops

Anchovy Basil Pesto Sauce with Seared Scallops, Toasted Almonds

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Bucatini, pesto, scallops

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pound bucatini pasta
• 2 tablespoons salt for the pasta water
• 1 pound scallops
• 1/3 cup tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small can achovies approximately 6 to 8 packed in olive oil
• salt
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce
• 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs optional

Pesto Sauce

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh picked basil leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped before processing
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoon sliced almonds toasted, divided

Instructions

• Toast breadcrumbs either in oven until golden or in dry frying pan. Toast pine nuts or sliced almonds. Set both aside. You can skip the breadcrumbs if you want to.

Pesto Sauce

• Make Pesto Sauce, by combining basil, garlic olive oil in food processor or magic bullet, or by hand with mortar and pestle, reserving one tablespoon of toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds for garnish. Set aside.

  TIP: Mortar and pestle is the best way to go. The color will remain brighter green.
  
• Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add ample amount of salt to pasta water.
• Cook bucatini or spaghetti one minute less than directions to al dente. Pasta will finish cooking in sauce. While pasta is cooking, make scallops.
• Cook and drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water. You won't use all of that, probably a few tablespoons.

Sear Scallops

• Bring scallops to near room temperature. Ice cold scallops won’t cook inside.
  
• Remove muscle, a little rubbery piece on side of scallop.
• Pat dry. Season with salt and pepper
• Use a pan (not non-stick) that is large enough to give each scallop plenty of room. I use all-clad 12 inch pan.
• When scallops are crowded, they steam, instead of caramelize.
• Add enough butter in pre-heated pan that when melted, pan is covered. Add in a little bit of olive oil.
• Add scallops to hot pan, and do not try to turn until they are brown and no longer stick, 4-6 minutes, less for smaller scallops, which take 2-3 minutes.
• Turn and cook for a few more minutes. Immediately remove from pan.

Assemble dish

• In same frying pan heat 1/3 cup olive oil on medium heat.
• Add anchovies, breaking up with a wooden spoon until they are melted.
• Add cooked pasta.
• Add in pesto sauce. Only use as much as needed. You may have some left over.
• Add in pasta water, as much as you need, so pasta is not dry. Toss.
• Add Scallops.
• Season with salt if needed and some cracked red pepper.
• Cover dish with toasted sliced almonds. Can sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs to finish dish.
  
• Serve immediately.
  

The post Bucatini with Basil Pesto and Seared Scallops appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This time I made the macadamia nut pesto. They are probably the best substitute for pine nuts because they are sweet and don’t make pesto bitter like walnuts or other nuts sometimes can.

I made this recipe twice in the last week. The second time I used organic spaghetti from Trader Joe’s and served to company. Everyone loved it. I have to say it was definitely my favorite pasta dish of the year.

Ingredients for Macadamia Nut Pesto Pasta with Trader’s Joe’s Shrim

• Macadamia Nuts
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Basil
• Salt, Pepper
• Pecorino or Parmesan (optional)
• Pasta (spaghetti or for low carb this edamame option)
• Shrimp

The shrimp I use most often are the Argentinian shrimp from Trader Joe’s. They are peeled, frozen and sweet, ready to jump into any recipe. See below for all the ways I’ve used these shrimp.

Once you have the pesto made, a quick sauté of the shrimp while the pasta is boiling and you will have a fantastic dinner. I added in a few sliced grape tomatoes for color.

Make this Dish Keto, Gluten Free Friendly

Low Carb Option: If you want to keep your dish low-carb, you can use edamame pasta, hearts of palm pasta or zoodles. You can find edmame pasta it in various stores or on Amazon. I find it works well in this dish.

My Favorite Food Processor

I recently purchased a Braun food processor on Amazon that does just about everything I need in the kitchen and is amazing. It juices lemons, chops nuts, makes the BEST buttercream, heavy cream, chops, grates and for this recipe makes the best pesto. If you are in the market for a food processor, you will love this one. It costs a little more than the average processor, but it does so much more. Made in Europe with German engineering, it’s not like any food processor I’ve ever owned.

More Low Carb Shrimp Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Keto Shrimp and Cheesy Cauliflower Grits
• Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash
• Shrimp Creole Cauliflower Rice
• Spicy Tuscan Shrimp
• Keto Shrimp Scampi
• Shrimp with Olives, Italian Spicy Zoodles

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Shrimp with Macadamia Nut Pesto

Fresh basil, macadamia nuts, lemon juice make a delightful summer pesto, perfect for shrimp.

Course Italian Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil, cajun shrimp, edamame pasta, macadamia nuts, pesto

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Macadamia Nut Pesto

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh picked basil leaves
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cups roasted salted macadamia nuts
• 1 cloves of garlic finely chopped before processing
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• dash of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• For completion by hand
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup parmesan or Pecorino cheese optional

Shrimp and Pasta

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1/2 pound pasta
• 1/4 cup pasta water
• 8 grape tomatoes optional

Instructions

Macadamia Nut Pesto

• Place all ingredients except cheese into a food processor. You must chop the garlic first, which makes it much better to process and doesn’t become a juice.
• I don’t like to use a food processor for this because I can pulse it and keep some texture, which I prefer.
• I skipped the cheese in this recipe, but if using, add by hand at the end, before adding butter.
• Shrimp and Pasta
• Add oil to a frying pan and sautè shrimp for about one minute on each side, until there is no pink showing. Set aside.
• Cook pasta according to directions. (Save about 1/4 cup of pasta water).
• Add drained pasta to pan with shrimp. Add enough pesto to cover pasta. You can add a little pasta water back in, as the starchy water helps to thicken. Add a tablespoon at a time.
• Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Add as garnish to pasta dish.

Notes

Regarding cheese, sometimes I just use pecorino romano. You can also use parmesan cheese. I  skip the cheese when using seafood.

Shrimp: We use a pound of shrimp, half pound pasta for 4 small servings. You can double this for larger servings or to serve six.

If you are adding this to pasta, reserve some pasta water (3 tablespoons or so) a little at a time to extend the pasta.

You may also heat the pesto on very very low and add in heavy cream for a creamy pesto pasta.

The post Macadamia Nut Pesto, Shrimp, Edamame Pasta appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Authentic Caprese salad is made with tomatoes, olive oil, basil and fresh mozzarella.

If you order a caprese salad in a restaurant, you are most likely to get a sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, olive oil, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes restaurants will chop the tomatoes. Sometimes they add onions (which I would never do) and sometimes they make it with pesto instead of chopped basil.

My thoughts about caprese salad are very strong. I’ve had the good fortune to eat a caprese salad and a caprese sandwich in Tuscany. It was simply tomatoes, dried basil, sliced buffalo mozzarella, salt, and olive oil.

This salad in Tuscany added olives and clearly made the cheese the star!

Although this seems like a simple recipe, it’s easy to get it wrong.

However, it’s also easy to get it right if you follow these tips.

Make your salad right before you are ready to serve. You have more leeway with these cherry or grape tomato salads. If you are slicing your tomatoes, wait until just prior to serving.

Use Fresh Mozzarella – Not the rubbery yellow kind. Buffalo mozzarella is exceptional, if you can find it.  Most fresh mozzarella will be made with cow’s milk. Take your cheese out twenty minutes in advance of making salad.

Use Fresh Tomatoes – If you can’t find fresh summer tomatoes, use grape or cherry tomatoes as I did here. Do not refrigerate tomatoes.

Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Don’t skimp on having a good olive oil in your pantry.

Use Sea Salt – Salt wakes up fresh mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.

Use Fresh Basil  – Garnish with basil right before serving or it will turn brown.

Use Fresh Pesto or Pistou for Potlucks and Parties – Pesto will keep better over a long term and it will be easier to refrigerate.

I don’t like vinegar on tomatoes and cheese. I don’t like onions anywhere near this. I do want only the freshest basil, but I lean strongly on making a pesto, especially if you are carting a caprese salad to a party or potluck. I only use fresh mozzarella as the yellow store bought mozzarella has no flavor.

Caprese salad made with wild wonders, cherry and grape tomatoes is perfect as a party dish when you’re out of time or you don’t know how to cook.

Try Making a Caprese Sub for Parties

This caprese sandwich is made with a fried pepperoni.

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Please follow me on Instagram where you can get sneak peaks of the recipes on video stories.

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Party Caprese Salad Recipes, Perfect for Outdoor Picnics, or Potlucks

Caprese Salad with Tomatoes, Basil or Pesto, Fresh Mozzarella, great for appetizer, parties, potlucks.

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pint Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Balls
• 1 pint Tomatoes use a variety of cherry, grape or wild wonders
• Pistou Recipe Below enough to cover tomatoes and cheese
• 
  
• Pistou
• 2 handfulls basil
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic

Instructions

• If using large tomatoes, cut in thick slices, serve immediately.
• If using wild wonders, cherry or grape, no need to slice.
• Set cheese out about 30 minutes in advance to enjoy the flavor and texture.
• Toss with cheese, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper.
• If making pistou, blend garlic basil and olive oil together. Use this for salad.

The post Party Caprese Salad Recipes, Perfect for Outdoor Picnics, or Potlucks appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

How Do I Make the Sausage Crust?

If you remember from my last sausage crusted pizza, you have to roll the raw sausage out with parchment paper, but first must put the sausage right on the vessel your are baking.

You only roll the top. While you can use your hands to press the sausage out, it will probably end up being too thick, so make sure you disperse the sausage evenly before pressing it. It will take about 1 1 1/4 pounds of sausage for a 12 inch pizza pan. The sausage will shrink about an inch all around. Bake for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

How do I make Pizza Sauce?

First of all, please stop buying jarred sauce. It’s heavy, expensive and usually has sugar.

Please do use Cento San Marzano tomatoes to make a quick, sugar free, clean pizza sauce in the time it takes to make the sausage crust. I did a blind taste tasting with all the Cento Tomato products and several competitive San Marzano

Pizza Sauce is so easy because basically it’s a fast tomato sauce, with some fresh oregano or basil. Dried oregano works well too. The key here is fast and fresh, no bottled and heavy. I cook the Cento San Marzano tomatoes, with a little bit of olive oil, garlic and oregano. It’s the first thing to go on the stove and by the time the sausage is ready, the sauce is ready.

What Kind of Cheese do I use for Sausage Crusted Three Cheese Pizza?

I like to use three cheeses. Mozzarella, Ricotta, Pecorino Romano.

The mozzarella delivers the gooey texture we love. The Ricotta needs to be one that is smooth, dense,  and creamy. I like the Publix Greenwise or Polly O. If your ricotta cheese has too much moisture, place on paper towel on a colander, and allow to sit. The pecorino romano is a tangy, salty sheep’s cheese that we always have on hand. It’s our go to grated Italian cheese.

Use Fresh Basil

If possible, use fresh basil. It really makes this pizza sing. If you don’t have access to fresh basil, then use a little dried herbs of choice, (Italian seasoning, dried basil) or use fresh Italian flat parsley.

The Keto Nutrition Macros

1/4 pizza is 5 net carbs.

Broccoli Rabe Keto Pizza

Italian Sausage Crusted Pizza with Peppers with Video

Pizza Sauce Sugar Free

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Keto Sausage Crusted Pizza with Ricotta and Basil

Low Carb, Keto Friendly Pizza where Sausage is used for the Crust.

Course Pizza

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil, Italian sausage, keto pizza, pizza sauce, sausage crust

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 slices

Equipment

• Parchment Paper
• cast iron griddle

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1.5 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 handful fresh basil

Pizza Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 can San Marzano Tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano or basil or dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste

Instructions

Make Sausage Crust

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Use loose sausage. If you have sausage links, remove from casing. spread out with fingers onto griddle or pizza pan. Use parchment paper or plastic wrap and rolling pin to roll out as thin as you can without forming holes. Place parchment on top of sausage and roll. You will not need any binders.
• Sausage will shrink about an inch all around. Form a sausage crust with your fingers the way you would a dough crust.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until sausage is browned.

Make Pizza

• Once sausage is cooked, sop up any grease with paper towels.
• Add about 1/2 cup tomato sauce to pizza crust.
• Add mozzarella cheese.
• Add RIcotta Cheese in dollops of one or tablespoons around the pizza.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Sprinkle grated pecorino romano cheese.
• Fresh basil leaves.
• Put fresh basil on pizza.
• Serve immediately, cutting into six pieces.

The post Keto Sausage Crusted Three Cheese Pizza appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

It’s been my desire to bring you more Italian food like I did in the early days, and this is a keeper. I’m going to make it again tomorrow because veal and eggplant are wildly compatible. Don’t be afraid to make Italian food more often. This has no grains, is keto friendly and gluten free.

I’ve been busy in the kitchen this week coming up with approachable, simple dinners that still provide joy for all the senses and to help encourage you and your family to cook together and stay joyfully connected.

Nothing bonds people more than good food, and Italian food has a special allure.

You can use ground beef or any ground meat with this recipe.

I’ve been enrolled in the masterclass for Alice Waters and I so resonate with her passion for cooking from the senses, not so much the recipe.

This stuffed eggplant just happened in the kitchen, as I began tasting and thinking through how to make the two ingredients (ground veal and eggplant) that I was focusing on work together.

Most of the time in the kitchen, I don’t start with any notes, but I will have mentally focused on what I want to accomplish. I wanted something new with ground veal. I had already made veal meatballs here with ricotta and mozzarella  and  pork and veal bolognese here   It was Retro Rose who suggested I stuff an eggplant.

Italian Stuffed Eggplant is Fast and Flexible

This entire dish takes about 30 minutes, but it will create those Italian flavored aromas that draw everyone into the kitchen.

• Eggplant
• Olive Oil
• Ground Veal or Ground Beef (can even add loose Italian Sausage)
• Fennel powder or fennel seed
• Fresh Herbs or Italian Seasoning
• Tomato or tomato sauce
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Pecorino or Parmesan

I used ground veal, but you can change this up and use ground beef or add in some some ground pork. Some of you prefer ground turkey and that will work also. My mom adds in some loose Italian sausage for extra flavor. I kept the spices simple using fennel powder and some Italian seasoning. Fresh herbs are best if you have them, and basil would be my preference.

While this is a fast and flexible recipe, there are things to consider when cooking with any ground meat.

How to Cook Ground Veal

Veal has amazing flavor, but can be dry because it’s lean and it’s usually packed tight. You will need to use your hands to loosen it up and soak it in some milk. I use the “milk” trick for almost all of my ground meat recipes, but especially the leaner meats. You can also add in a little olive oil instead of milk. 

Garlic loves eggplant, so I’m a little more generous than usual. Just be sure you do not brown the garlic. The rule is, if it browns, throw it out and start over. Better to lose a few cents than a few dollars in your food.

Use medium sized eggs or beat your egg and add gently, perhaps not using it all. This is because there are no grains in this veal to soak it up. You can add in 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, but I’m keeping this grain free for all the gluten free, keto readers I have and because that’s how I eat it. 

How to Prepare the Eggplant for Italian Stuffed Eggplant

There are three ways you can do this, and I chose the easiest and the way Alice Waters probably would.

Cut the eggplant lengthwise, scored on the diagonal, and placed flat down with a tiny bit of olive oil and sea salt. After about 20 minutes, give it a check. Some eggplant gets soft faster than others. Oil the pan first so it doesn’t stick. 

While the eggplant is in the oven, it’s time to mix  and cook the meat. Once the eggplant is cooked, it’s incorporated in with the meat. I would use about 2/3 to 1 pound of veal per eggplant. You may have some left over and you can put that in a small baking dish.

You can choose a number of ways to top the eggplant. Today, I chose cheese, but you could also top with panko or Italian breadcrumbs.  In one version, we simply topped with pecorino. I used about a tablespoon of tomato sauce, but you could simply slice some tomato, or skip it altogether. 

You only need to bake it until until the cheese is melted.

You can also use fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with a little basil for a caprese take.

Let me say this about eggplant and veal. It’s a remarkable combination of flavors. Veal is known for it’s flavor, and eggplant heightens that and brings moisture so this nearly melts in your mouth. You’ll also love my veal meatballs!

More Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Italian Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Sausage & Mushrooms
• Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
• Italian Eggplant Soup
• Keto Fried Eggplant
• Baked Keto Eggplant Parm
• Veal Meatballs with Ricotta and Mozzarella
• Eggplant Bread Pudding
• Eggplant Pepperoni

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Italian Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Veal

Italian Stuffed eggplant with ground veal can be a great lunch or dinner. With or without a topping of mozzarella cheese, veal loves eggplant.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• For Eggplant
• 2 eggplants
• sea salt
• olive oil for brushing

Veal or Ground Beef

• 1 pound ground veal or ground meat of choice
• 1 teaspoon seasalt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup grated pecorino romano or freshly grated parmesan I tend to use both
• 1 teaspoon fennel powder Order Here can use 1/4 t fennel seeds or skip
• 1 egg
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced

For Eggplant

• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce optional
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Roast Eggplant

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rinse eggplant and dry with clean towel.
• Cut eggplant lengthwise. Leave stems on.
• Score eggplant in cross hatch pattern, making sure not to cut into skin.
• Season with salt. Brush with olive oil.
• Place face down on baking sheet.
• Bake eggplant for 20 minutes. Check to see how done it it. This will all depend on size. I baked mine for 30 minutes.
• While eggplant is baking, cook veal.

For Ground Veal or Ground Meat

• Loosen veal with hands. Season with salt and pepper. Pour milk over. Let it soak In.
• Mix in herbs, spices and egg.
• In large frying pan, saute onion for five minutes until softened, but not browned. Add garlic, and be careful not to brown.
• Add ground meat, making sure to break apart and cook on low until meat is cooked through, continuing to stir.
• Take eggplant out of the oven. Cool for a few minutes.
• Scoop out all insides of the eggplant, carefully, so as to not break the skin.
• If there is excess water in the baking dish, use paper towel to sop up.
• Add eggplant in to the ground meet.
• Top with tomato sauce, which is optional.
• Top with some mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for ten minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
• Active Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes

Notes

I usually use a mixture of parmesan cheese and pecorino romano. The pecorino is a sheep’s cheese, more tangy and salty. Parmesan is a cow’s milk cheese. Only use high quality.

The post Italian Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Veal appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

If you’ve been around Spinach Tiger for any length of time, you know I am Italian and I don’t like store bought sauce. It’s almost just as easy to make your own and it won’t contain preservatives, soy bean oil, corn oil or sugar. Sugar and should NOT be in any tomato sauce. The right tomatoes have their own sweetness. The wrong tomatoes can be bitter or a waste of money. Read your labels if you do buy store-bought sauce. 

What is the difference between pizza sauce and tomato sauce?

Pizza sauce usually is a little more flavored with herbs like oregano or basil. Eating a lot of pizza in Italy, the biggest difference I see in America is that here, sauce is too strongly flavored, too acidic and too heavy. Avoid that. This sauce recipe is easy, light and sweet and doesn’t overpower your toppings. 

How much pizza sauce should you put on a pizza?

I’m glad you asked this question. Think of pizza sauce as more of condiment that a layered ingredient. If you have watched pizza makers apply sauce, they put a small amount and move a spoon in a circle, not covering the entire pizza. Too much sauce makes pizza heavy and soggy. 

My EASY Homemade Pizza Sauce

• San Marzano Tomatoes
• Olive Oil
• Garlic 
• Basil or Oregano
• Salt and Pepper

I start every tomato sauce with San Marzano tomatoes. Be careful when you purchase San Marzano tomatoes, as many cans will say San Marzano style. They won’t be the same. 

The tomatoes should be plump, juicy and sweet, and when you crush them with your hands  have almost no pulp left. The Cento brand, found just about everywhere including Costco and Trader Joes, is my preferred brand, but there are a few others I like. I don’t recommend brands with the store name such as the Whole Foods brand, as they end up being mostly pulp and are either tasteless and or bitter.

Freeze Portioned Homemade Pizza Sauce 

Any left over pizza sauce can be frozen in small containers or ziplock bags. Let the tomatoes cook on the stove, seasoned with salt and pepper and a handful of basil of you have it. A dash of oregano is good too for a pizza sauce. Defrost in refrigerator overnight or leave on counter for 30 minutes until defrosted. You can put cold sauce on pizza before you put it in the oven or you can choose to heat it up. 

Homemade Pizza Sauce in Fifteen Minutes

I have literally made this sauce in 15 minutes. Start your sauce pan with a little olive oil, a clove or two of garlic, which you will remove as soon as it turns golden. Add in your tomatoes, crushing with your hands, and include the juice. One large can will make enough sauce for a few pizzas. You will not need to add any water.  

Once heated and cooked for a bit, use an immersion blender  (a stick blender) to blend it smooth. If you don’t have a stick blender, the sauce will still be good.  An immersion blender comes in handy for tomato sauce and soups. 

Taste for seasoning. That’s it. It really is that simple and the sauce should be thick enough, as we don’t add any water to the pan.

I have also included a recipe for my sausage crusted pizza with peppers. If you are avoiding grains or eating low carb you must try it.

More Italian Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Authentic Tomato Sauce from My Italian Grandmother

Papparadelle with Chunky Tomato Sauce

Italian Slow Cooked Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce

Homemade Gnocchi Tomato Onion Butter Sauce

Sheet Pan Pizza with Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough 

Keto Sausage Crusted Pizza Three Cheese Pizza

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Homemade PIzza Sauce

Easy homemade pizza sauce made with San Marzano Tomatoes made in as little as 15 minutes.

Course Pizza

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil, Italian sausage, pizza sauce

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Equipment

• Parchment Paper
• cast iron griddle

Ingredients

Pizza Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 can San Marzano Tomatoes chopped with juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano or basil or dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste

Instructions

Make Pizza Sauce

• Add olive oil to saucepan.
• Add garlic. Fry for one minute but be careful not to burn. If burn, thrown all out, start over.
• Using your hands, squeeze tomatoes into sauce pan. Include juice.
• Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, fresh herbs in whole form to later be removed.
• Cook on low while making the pizza crust. This doesn't take long.
• Use a stick blender to blend smoothly if desired.
• Season sauce with oregano or basil.

The post Homemade Pizza Sauce, Sugar Free appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Back in the 90’s many Italian restaurants served an angel hair pasta with chopped tomatoes and basil. It was everywhere, and most of the time I thought it was a bit of a bore compared to other pasta dishes and not a great value. However, the other day nostalgia hit and I wanted that dish.

I craved an Italian pasta dish with that little bit of tomato, garlic and basil.  While spaghetti squash is not spaghetti, but shreds like spaghetti, it did the trick and was absolutely delicious.

It was so satisfying, I actually made it twice in one week! I could easily make this a third time and be happy.

This really is that easy dinner you make in mere minutes, once you have cooked the spaghetti squash.

What is Spaghetti Squash?

Spaghetti squash is not spaghetti, but honestly it was an even better replacement and it’s low in carbs at 7 net carbs per cup.

However, it’s not as easy as opening a box of pasta. You will have to cut through a spaghetti squash (the hardest part) and the either roast or make stove top. I wrote about this: How to Cook Spaghetti Squash, here.

Is Spaghetti Squash Keto Friendly?

Spaghetti Squash is a low-carb vegetable. One cup is 5.5. net grams. It’s one of the vegetables acceptable on a ketogenic diet and has a low glycemic index of 20. Use spaghetti squash in place of any pasta dish.

Seven Main Ingredients Make a Perfect Shrimp Spaghetti Squash Recipe

Shrimp, Spaghetti Squash, Diced Tomatoes, Olive Oil, Basil, Garlic, Pecorino

This dish couldn’t be any easier to make and once you have your cooked spaghetti squash (which can even be made in advance), it takes about twenty minutes, but tastes flavorful and hearty.

Tomatoes – Both times I used the fresh tomatoes from my one tomato plant on my deck. I didn’t even bother to peel them, but you could blanch in boiling water and take off the skins. An even easier option is to open up a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes.

Olive Oil and Garlic – I always use extra virgin olive oil and heated just enough to saute fresh garlic. Just make sure you don’t go past golden when you add the garlic. If it’s too browned, it will be bitter. Start over. Also, there’s no replacement for fresh garlic in this dish. Garlic powder and garlic salt will not yield the same flavor.

Shrimp – Did you know that unless you live at the water, the freshest shrimp is flash frozen the day it is caught. I used Trader Joe’s frozen, wild, Red Argentinian shrimp. These cook up so tender and plump and are my favorite shrimp for stews and dishes like this.

Basil, Parsley and Thyme – Herbs drive flavor and I used all three of these. Basil is a must, but if you can’t get that, use thyme or fresh oregano.

Spaghetti Squash soaks up all of these flavors and delivers a delicious Italian dish without the carbs. It is also nutrient dense, high in vitamin C and anti-oxidants.

Leftovers – If you have leftovers, lucky you. They will taste even better, heated up.

Play Around – The second time I made this, I added kalamata olives. Loved it.

More Shrimp Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Keto Shrimp Creole with Cauliflower Rice

Keto Shrimp Scampi

Italian Spicy Shrimp with Zoodles 

All Healthy Shrimp Recipes from Spinach Tiger

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash with Italian Sausage Mushrooms

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Italian Shrimp Spaghetti Squash

Delicious Easy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword shrimp, spaghetti squash, low carb, keto

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Baking Time for Squash 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 285kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cooked spaghetti squash here
• 1 pound shrimp peeled, deveined
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil extra virgin
• 6 roma tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
• 3 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese (or parmesan)
• 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 8 kalamata olives optional

Instructions

• Cook Spaghetti Squash. Recipe here.
• Defrost shrimp. You can set a bag of frozen in ice cold water for about twenty minutes or sit bag on counter for about one hour. Drain. Place in bowl. Set aside.
• If using fresh tomatoes, cut an x on stem end and blanch for five minutes. Skin will slip off.

  You can, however, skip this part. I did. Or you can use a small can of diced tomatoes.
• If blanching fresh tomatoes to remove skin, chop once cooled.
• Heat olive oil in heavy bottomed pot.
• Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
• Add chopped or diced tomatoes. Add half of the basil and all of the thyme.
• Once spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, take a fork and shred it into strands.
• Add cooked spaghetti squash. Stir into tomato oil mixture. Add salt, pepper, and red chile flakes. Cook for ten minutes or more on very low. Add more olive oil as needed.

  This is when the squash will absorb the flavors.
• Stir in shrimp. Cook about five minutes more. At this point, you can cover with a lid.

  Shrimp do not take long. Don't over cook.
• Remove the thyme stems. Top with more chopped basil. Season again with salt as needed.
• Serve with grated pecorino or grated parmesan if desired.
• I added in some kalamata olives as an option. Spanish olives would be good too.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 4 | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g

The post Italian Shrimp Spaghetti Squash Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Broccoli is probably my favorite green vegetable and comes home with me every week, second only to greens for salad, The versatility of this beautiful, anti-oxidant super healthy vegetable is unsurpassed for many reasons.

Broccoli is the star here, but there are handfuls of basil and fresh spinach, which, of course, makes me grin from ear to ear.

I set out to show you a way to love vegetables, and while we are eating them here at home, I’m not reporting them back to you on a frequent enough basis. But, I guarantee you that if you like broccoli, you will love this soup, and if you don’t like broccoli, maybe you just haven’t had it prepared properly.

If the only kind of broccoli soup you’ve experienced is that thick, gooey broccoli cheese soup that restaurants purchase in large plastic buckets, then you haven’t had good broccoli soup.

Broccoli Comes to America Via Italy

My love affair with broccoli is probably genetic. Did you know that it was the Italians who brought this beautiful cruciferous to America? The D’Arrigo Brothers weren’t the first to plant it, but they popularized broccoli in the 1920’s, first in San Jose, California, then in Boston, under the name Andy Boy.

Broccoli was meant to be married with olive oil, salt and lemon, served at room temperature, after being cooked quickly so that it would remain bright green, or placed inside a frittata, or tossed with pasta. That is how I remember broccoli.

Broccoli Basil Soup Ingredients

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Lemon
• Organic Chicken Broth (or broccoli broth)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pine Nuts (optional pistachios or sliced almonds)

If broccoli is cooked too long, it will release a sulfur smell that makes it unappetizing. After being assaulted with overcooked broccoli that stuffed into too many casseroles, mashed beyond identity, it’s no wonder people sometimes mistake broccoli for a vegetable they don’t like.

This soup just might turn a hater around.

Broccoli Basil Soup, Clean Eating, Paleo

This soup can be made with organic chicken broth or it can be made with the broccoli water it is cooked in. I’ve done it both ways. I used handfuls of basil and spinach, olive oil, lemon and pecorino romano cheese. This really gives it the Italian flavors I was looking for and feels heartier than it really is.

By this time the broccoli was cooked and ready to drain. I kept the broccoili water and began to blend about 1 cup of water to 2 cups of broccoli to this mixture. You can use a Vitamix, blender, or immersion blender. Add a few toasted pine nuts or almonds for garnish.

You can use Frozen Broccoli

Some people enjoy a soup that you can drink. Sometimes I do too, but sometimes I want more tooth to my soup. I only blended it to a point where you can still have texture. For me this is like porridge and it’s just right.

Taste along the way, and feel free to add your own touch to your broccoli basil soup. I drizzled olive oil into the soup and placed a dollop of Greek yogurt on top.

More Soup Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Asparagus Detox Soup

Golden Cauliflower Soup

Cheap Hearty Soups

Homemade Chicken Broth

Tomato Bisque Soup

Spring Pea Soup

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Broccoli Basil Soup

This version of broccoli soup is extra healthy, with added spinach, garlic, olive oil and lemon.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 large broccoli flowers See Instructions for either fresh or frozen
• juice of half lemon
• 1 large pot of boiling water with sea salt
• 3 handfuls fresh spinach leaves washed
• 1 handful basil
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and some for drizzling into soup
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano grated
• 1/4 cup pine nuts optional (can use Pistachios or toasted almonds)
• olive oil for finishing off
• sea salt
• black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth (optional) You may use the broccoli broth.

Instructions

Using Fresh Broccoli

• Cut about 2 inches of stems off the broccoli and throw in a large pot of boiling water, with sea salt. Use a lot of water so there is so much heat that the broccoli will cook very quickly.
• Once broccoli is cooked, drain in colander. Save the broth or use added chicken broth.
• You can use frozen broccoli. Use chicken broth for broth.
• Squeeze lemon all over the broccoli.
• (Should be able to put a fork into easily enough, but don’t overcook)
• Put the broccoli in the Vitamix or blender with spinach, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper.
• Blend to your liking. I don't puree, but blend enough to have some heft remain I in the soup. Taste test to get the soup the way you like it.
• Add the broth or water 1/2 cup at a time, so as not to make too watery.
• Taste for seasoning.
• You may want to add more lemon, cheese, etc.
• Finish off with drizzle of olive oil, toasted pine nuts.

Notes

Buy very green dense broccoli. Use a very good cheese of choice.
You will be able to taste everything, so be sure you use FRESH spinach, FRESH garlic and very good extra virgin olive oil.

The post Broccoli Basil Soup with Pecorino and Pine Nuts appeared first on Spinach Tiger.