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.

These are my favorite Greek Chicken recipes you’ll want to add to your dinner plans.

Greek Chicken Kabobs

In this recipe, I alternated chicken with summer yellow zucchini. Feel free to switch the vegetables and for a twist try add fresh peach slices.

These only take about six minutes to grill. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice. RECIPE HERE

Greek Chicken Thighs on the Grill

Grilled Greek Chicken Thighs can be done either reverse sear (my choice) or direct grill. Reverse sear is longer, but worth it. RECIPE HERE

Ingredients for Greek Chickenb Marinade

This marinade is so good. I suggest you do use the honey at the end and don’t skip the dill. You will marinate chicken in half, and reserve the other half for the end.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Fresh Oregano (dry if you don’t have)
• Fresh Thyme
• Fresh Garlic
• Fresh Dill (DON’T SKIP THE DILL)
• Honey (optional, put on in marinade that is used for serving).

Grilled Spatchcock Chicken with Greek Chicken Marinade

You can grill the chicken or roast in the oven. You can either prepare a whole chicken spatchcock style or buy it at already prepared (Bell and Evans sells spatchcock chicken at Whole Foods). If you prepare it yourself, you cut the backbone out with a sharp knife, press down and flatten the chicken. Rinse in cold water. Dry with paper towel before marinating. RECIPE HERE

Serve with this delicious Greek inspired cauliflower.

Summer Vegetable Recipes

• Grilled Zucchini
• Honey Baked Goat Cheese Salad
• Green Salad Blackberry Corn
• Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad
• Triple Crunch Cabbage Salad
• Olive Feta Salad

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Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, Greek Style

Greek Style herbs and honey marinated Spatchcocked Chicken on Grill

Course Entree

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Greek Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Marinade Time 3 hours hours

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 1 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon honey (use at end)

Instructions

Marinade

• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and all herbs except the fresh dill.
• Use 1/2 marinade to marinate chicken for up to one day or at least one hour. Reserve the other half for once chicken is cooked.

The post Greek Chicken Marinade with Recipes for the Grill appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

There is a good reason to be picky because the caprese must be made with fresh mozzarella and the freshest tomatoes. This is truly a summer dish; however, in the off season, grape tomatoes like wild wonders will work fine.

Prosciutto Caprese Party Sandwich with Pesto

Prosciutto Caprese Party Sandwich with Pesto is a total crowd pleaser.

Caprese Salad with Pepperoni

This sandwich toasts the bread and mozzarella and tops it with pepperoni.

What is a Caprese Salad?

This idea of mozzarella, tomatoes and basil comes from the island of Capri, this simple dish is referred to as insalta caprese.

It presents the colors of Italy, and must have good extra virgin olive oil and salt. Adding a drizzle of balsamic is not typical, but if your tomatoes aren’t sweet enough, a small drizzle of GOOD balsamic (syrupy) can help.

• Red – Tomatoes
• White – Mozzarella
• Green – Basil

There are several myths as to its origin, one as a patriotic sandwich, one from a hotel, and one simply as a smart, peasant combination of ingredients. What is actually true is its popularity here in Italy and here in the States. The best we ever ate in a restaurant was during our first trip to Italy. I got the salad and my husband got the sandwich. To this day, he talks about that sandwich. Why? Because simple recipes must be made with the best of ingredients and balanced just right.

These are the actual pictures of our lunch in Chianti, Tuscany, at a very casual cafe. I like that they added some olives in and used buffalo mozzarella.

Lettuce Wrap Caprese Salad

Lettuce wrap caprese salad has no formal recipe. It’s an idea. After enjoying a large Sunday brunch, we only wanted and needed a very small dinner. Thus, the caprese lettuce wraps were born.

Summer Caprese Salad with Fresch Corn

Summer Caprese Salad with a southern twist. Here’s a twist on caprese salad, adding in fresh corn and using pesto. You could just use torn basil leaves.

Creamy Burrata and Heirloom Tomatoes

Burrata with summer tomatoes over arugula is a dream dish. Don’t forget to use lots of fresh basil, and if you have homemade sourdough bread, you have dinner.

As you can see, there are many versions of caprese salad, and you might have a few of your own. Let me know in the comments.

Caprese Skewers

These caprese skewers make serving at parties easy, and everyone loves them. Check out the cute toothpicks.

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Tips for Caprese Salad

• Only use ripe tomatoes at room temperature. (Do not refrigerate tomatoes unless already cut).
• Take mozzarella or burrata out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Cold mozzarella has no taste when cold.
• Use a good extra virgin olive oil. Simple recipes need good ingredients.
• If you don’t have a nice syrupy vinegar, skip this.
• Top with fresh basil or Italian herbs and don’t forget the salt and pepper.
• Do add in some olives or cucumbers for a twist.
• Avoid raw onion (in my opinion, this ruins the salad.)

More Salad Ideas for Summer

Summer Salad Ideas can be found HERE.

The post Seven Caprese Salad Ideas appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I am republishing this 20 minutes RECESSION DELICIOUS recipe (initially posted in 2012) because grocery prices are crazy right now. This is fast, delicious and can be altered.  We love this ground peas and peas just as is, but you can add in pasta, potato or rice.

One day in the past, I stumbled upon a video of a 91-year old Italian-American grandmother, cooking pasta and peas just the way her mother cooked them nearly every night for her family during the depression.

She used an onion, a potato, and a can of peas,…. all items that didn’t need refrigeration and cost mere pennies.

This took me back to a year ago when I attended a pot luck at the Italian Club in Nashville. Someone had brought this dish that I couldn’t stop eating.

It was a sauté of ground beef, peas, onions, and olive oil. Out of all the things I could have treated myself to, this dish took my plate back for three helpings.

I am not hear to talk about socio-economic times, discuss politics or to depress you. I’m not a complainer, but I am a dreamy realist. I see the world through food. (that statement was written in 2009 during the recession, and here we are today in 2024), in strange times for different reasons.

Can I be brutally honest with you?  While I count my blessings every day to have a warm bed and good food to eat, I am in sticker shock every time I go to the grocery store.  I shop daily because it’s convenient for me. I can walk to my local Publix and I make myself walk almost daily to the Whole Foods (3.5 miles one way).

I try to choose grass fed beef which is healthier, but let’s face it, at $8 a pound, sometimes I choose something else.

As a food blogger, I probably do cook in my kitchen more than most and am acutely aware of how the prices have gone up. I’m also aware of how diseases related to fast food are on the rise, and how families no longer sit at the table the way they probably did for that Italian grandmother.

Ground Beef and Peas is Budget Friendly

If we need to adjust our budget (and we do), my first concern is my food budget.  What do I need to sacrifice?

That’s why I have easy, healthy, real food choices, that are fast, and practically brainless.

The grandmother in the video made me think of my grandmother, who lived through the depression, but was like me, in that she liked good food good. And, she knew how to make a five minute meal taste like a new culinary invention.

Today is my grandmother’s birthday. She would be 105 years old. She would still be cooking the exact same way…healthy, flavorful, uniquely fast, perhaps influenced a bit by the depression. Don’t try to picture the little Italian grandmother standing at the stove for hours cooking for her family.

My grandmother owned her own beauty salon, and cooked exactly once a week on Sunday night, only after all her clothes and sheets were pressed, and her newspapers were read. She was a rare beauty that never stepped foot in town in a “uniform.” She was a fashionista, donning heels, hat and gloves and threw her curvy body on a bus every day to get to down town, making a scene as if the paparazzi were following her.

Her allure and charm weren’t cut out from her Sunday night quick fires. Everything she made was authentic, such as spinach fritters, chicken and olives, or crabs and spaghetti, but it was fast, quick, earthy and a bit sexy, always hitting the senses with a surprise.

Italian Ground Beef with Peas and Onions from an Italian Grandmother

There would be lecture that “americanos” pronounced “ameriganos” don’t know how to eat. I look at their skin and I can smell their hair and know the garbage they are eating. But, you my Angela (pronounced Ahngela) have a grandmother that knows about food. Just look at me and you can see that I eat right.” Yes, she said that.

Since her day, the American diet has changed in that on one hand it has gotten worse, and on the other hand it has gotten much better. There are two different kinds of kitchens cooking (or microwaving) in America today. I’m grateful my grandmother Rose Dee (mother of Retro Rose) pointed me in her direction and never owned a microwave.

How to Make Ground Beef with Peas and Onions

Ground beef with peas and onions may not exactly be a “depression” dish, but perhaps a bit reminiscent of the peas and pasta dish that blanketed many Italian Americans during the true depression era and even my grandmother’s table.

A sauté of peas and onions is very Italian. You must use olive oil for the right flavor and a good sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Simplicity always requires great ingredients. Peas and onions are good alone, or combined with rice or with potatoes, but with ground beef, it’s dinner.

I will not tell you to mix three kinds of ground meat together to make it more “foodie” or to pretend this is restaurant fare. It’s not. It’s meant to be Sunday night home cooking.

You can use whatever ground meat you desire, even ground lamb would be quite tasty, but this is just ground beef and not extra lean. You want good (I mean animal-treated right) good, ground beef that has some fat in it, because that is where the taste is.

Ground Beef Ideas from Spinach Tiger

I would eat this any time, though because it’s just good food and so would you. Don’t you dare call it hamburger helper or ground beef casserole or I will come and put tape over your mouth and eat this in front of you. It’s rustic, but that doesn’t mean it’s a compromise.

It’s good food, in fact, it’s delicious food that will stretch your budget and your view of ground beef and what fast and affordable can be. Just serve with a nice loaf of crusty bread to sop up the juices, and don’t forget that glass of red wine.

Here is a different version of this recipe, with added greens.

More Ground Beef Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Hamburger Steaks 
• Burger Steak Recipe with Mushroom Sauce
• No Beans Chili
• Ground Beef Taco Meat
• Eggroll in a Bowl
• Ground Beef and Cabbage Decontructed
• Stuffed Cabbage with Ground Beef
• Ground Beef Cabbage Stir Fry
• Picadillo

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Recession Delicious – Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions

An easy delicious way to eat ground beef with an Italian twist, green peas, onions.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion diced
• 1 pound ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 – 2 cups frozen peas
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• red chile flakes
• freshly grated parmesan or pecorino optional
• fresh herbs mint, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme…they all work

Instructions

• Heat olive oil and butter. Add onions, saute until soft.
• Add ground beef that has already been flavored with salt and pepper. Cook until medium rare.
• Add in frozen peas, right at end and allow them to defrost and heat up, while the meat is on its way to medium-well done. Toss in fresh herbs, red chile flakes. Season to taste.

Notes

This is an EASY recipe. You may be tempted to keep adding other ingredients, but the simplicity is what gives this dish it’s proper structure and flavor. More is not always more.

The post Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

How Can Chicken Thighs Bake in 30 Minutes?

First, I took the thighs out 90 minutes before baking to take the chill off.

Second, these are Bell & Evans chicken thighs (not sponsored) which are air chilled, not soaked in water. I’ve tested different brands and this brand always cooks the best. Always look for air-chilled chicken. It cooks faster, and crispier because it’s not water logged and the skin contains a lot less moisture.

Third, they are baked at a high temperature of 425 degrees F. (215 C). Do not let this high temperature scare you. I do it all the time, especially with roasting whole chicken.

Why You Should Make Olive Oil Chicken Thighs

It’s easy. And you get a big return for such little work. You can season with your favorite Italian seasoning (or not). You can just use salt and pepper and they are still crispy, tasty and have umami satisfaction.

• Dry the chicken.
• Leave out at room temperature (salted).
• Season as desired.
• Generously pour high quality olive oil over each thigh.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until temperature reaches 175 – 195 F.

Temperature for Chicken Thighs

Chicken breasts (white meat) should be cooked to 165 F. However, you want to increase this for thighs. Thighs have a lot of internal/external fat and a lot of connective tissues that needs to be thoroughly cooked. This is important. Your thighs will bake crispy and be so much better.

Variations

The whole point of this recipe is to have a minimal dish with maximum flavor. However, you can easily boost the flavor profile with these ideas:

• Sun-dried tomatoes placed in olive oil.
• Flavored Olive Oil – soak garlic cloves in oil for a few hours, while chicken is coming to room temperature.
• Zest citrus in olive oil before using.
• Sprinkle umami powder on thighs before pouring olive oil.
• Place garlic cloves all around the chicken, which will roast in the olive oil.

Add Cauliflower Rice

Once the chicken thighs are done, remove from pan, leaving the juices in the pan. Add frozen cauliflower rice and cook until rice is cooked through. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

• Greek Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower
• Stove Top Chicken Thighs with White Wine
• Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes
• Italian Chicken Thighs with 40 Garlic Cloves
• Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Turmeric and Sweet Potatoes

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Crispy Olive Oil Chicken Thighs

Delicious Tender Chicken Thighs with Crispy Skin with Olive Oil. Skin is crispy and done in 30 minutes.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken thighs

Prep Time 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4 chicken thighs

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Italian Herbs
• salt, pepper

Cauliflower Rice

• 1 package cauliflower rice

Instructions

• Salt chicken thighs and refrigerate for a few hours to overnight, if you have the time. If not, salt and season. Have chicken sit out for an hour, before baking.
  
• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange chicken in large cast iron pan or baking dish so that chicken pieces are not touching.
• Pour olive oil generously over each chicken thigh. Add more seasoning if needed.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Check temperature. You want 190 degrees F. This will ensure crispy skin and all the tendons in the thighs will break down.
  

Cauliflower Rice

• Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the juices. Cook frozen cauliflower rice, turning frequently for about 10 minutes or until it's cooked through.
  

The post Crispy Olive Oil Chicken Thighs in Only 30 Minutes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Try this for your next fancy spring dinner, or maybe even part of your Easter holiday.

Grilled lollipop lamb chops using the reverse sear method opened up a whole new way for me to approach meat. It was spectacular.

What is a lollipop lamb chop?

There are three types of  lamb chops. The lollipop chop cut off of what we know as the rack of lamb has the long thin bone, is the most tender, and most expensive chop. You want to cook this right! You can find an affordable rack of lamb at Costco.

The average price is around $18 and will feed two or make four lollipop lamb chops with double bones. I know that’s expensive, but this same dish out in a restaurant will cost an average of $30 per person, and I promise you, if you follow this recipe, it will rival any fine dining.

What is a reverse sear?

A reverse sear means you cook the meat first up to a certain internal temperature low and slow or on indirect heat, and sear the outside on high heat at the end. I had no idea it would make such a difference, but it does. The chops were tender and juicy, and perfectly seared. I’ll never go back to my old way of doing things.

How do you prepare the lollipop lamb chops for the grill?

The first thing you need to do before you cut the chops on the rack is trim all the fat and remove the silver skin, that very thin transparent sheath. Then salt the lamb and if you choose, marinate. 

Should I marinate my lollipop lamb chops?

• If you have the time to marinate, use some chopped garlic and olive oil, perhaps some herbs like rosemary and thyme.
• Salt your chops first to increase their flavor.
• Marinate up to three hours. I’ve made successful chops marinating for only twenty minutes using this method.
• Cook to medium rare to medium. Anything past medium and the lamb tastes gamey.

What is mint pistou?

Mint pistou is made with only garlic, mint, parsley,  and olive oil. Pistou is different from pesto which contains nuts, as I did here with a pistachio mint pesto. Either of these would be great with this lollipop lamb chops but I prefer the pistou for simplicity.

Recipe for Mint Pistachio Pesto here. Notice the nuts. Leave those out and you have pistou. 

How do you reverse sear grilled lollypop lamb chops?

• Once you are ready to grill, heat only one half of the side of the grill.
• You will be placing your chops on medium indirect heat, the side with no fire. Leave your lamb chops there until the internal temperature reaches 115 Degrees F.
• Turn that other side of the grill up to high and move the chops over to the direct heat.
• Grill about one minute per side.

What temperature should we eat lamb at?

We want a pink inside with a well done, seared outside, either medium rare or medium.  

• Lamb is done medium rare when the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F. and is my preference.
• Lamb is medium when the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. 

Allow to rest for ten minutes. Top with Mint pistou. 

This is a delicious, easy recipe, one I know you will make over and over, once you get the love for the reverse sear as I have. 

You may also love this post: Seven Scrumptious Lamb Recipes You Need to Make Now

What sides go well with lamb chops?

• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cider Vinaigrette
• Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette  
• Lemon Dijon Roasted Potatoes
• Dijon Garlic Roasted Potatoes
• Smashed Buttery Fingerling  Potatoes

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Grilled Lollipop Recipes, Reverse Sear, Mint Pistou

How to do a reverse sear for a medium rare grilled lollipop lamb chops.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Keyword lamb, lamb chops, lollipop lamb chops, mint, pistou

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 1 hour hour

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

Lollipop Lamb Chops

• 1 rack of lamb about 8 bones
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Marinade (optional)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rosemary chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped

Mint Pistou

• handful fresh mint
• handful fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lemon juice and zest
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Prepare Lamb Chops

• Trim the fat off of the lamb. Lamb rack is covered in thick fat and silver skin. It will take about 15 minutes to carefully trim. I leave the meat around the bones on.
• Cut rack into 4 lollypop chops (two bones each).
• If you decide to marinate, mix marinade ingredients together and set lamb in dish with marinade. I only marinated for twenty minutes and chops were very tender. Marinate up to three hours.

Reverse Sear Grill Lamb Chops

• Take lamb chops out of refrigerator 30 minutes in advance to take the chill off of them.
• Light one half of gas grill on medium heat. Place lamb on indirect heat until the internal temperature is 115 F. degrees.
• Turn the other side of grill up to high. It's time to sear. Place chops on the hot side of grill for one to two minutes per side until the internal temperature is at 135 degrees for Medium Rare. Or if you prefer, 145 degrees for medium.
• Allow to rest for at least five minutes before eating.

Mint Pistou

• Mix all ingredients except salt and pepper in blender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lamb.

The post Grilled Lollipop Lamb Chops, Reverse Sear, Mint Pistou 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.

The good news here is you only need the oven for about twenty minutes. The dough for overnight focaccia is made the night before (while you’re watching TV) and baked the next day.

This is an overnight focaccia recipe, because when the dough ferments and proofs in the refrigerator (slowly) it is benefited by added flavor.

I have made focaccia before, but never an overnight version. I like doing bread overnight because it breaks up the time and gives the dough a chance to ferment longer and taste better.

The Night Before

(2 Hours, 20 Minutes, 5 Minutes Active Time)

You will need more than two hours at night available.

• First Twenty Minutes: Prepare the dough.
• 1. Mix yeast with water. Add remaining flour. Mix till incorporated..
• 2. Add remaining flour. Mix for two minutes.
• 3. Add salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
• 4. Add olive oil. Mix. Rest, covered, 10 minutes.
• Next Two Hours:
  • Stretch and Fold. Cover for one hour.
  • Stretch and Fold. Cover for one hour.
  • Stretch and Fold. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.

The Next Morning (1 hour, 20 minutes)

• Take dough out and put on baking sheet (with parchment paper). Cover for one hour.
• Bake Time: 20 minutes.

Baked with some salt and rosemary, it is so good, and a family favorite no matter how you eat it. Pulled into pieces at the counter, served with dinner or made into sandwiches, you will make this over and over again.

What Kind of Flour Do You Use for Focaccia?

I like a combination of bread flour and all-purpose flour in a 1-1 ratio. The bread flour gives structure and all purpose flour keeps it fluffy. I always use organic unbleached.

How Do You Know When the Focaccia is Ready to Bake?

The focaccia dough should spring back slowly. If you look below you might see the pattern of me hands pushing the dough to fit the pan. The dough was full of bubbles and you and you want that.

Trust me, this overnight focaccia recipe is perfection. It’s easy and so good for sandwiches for game day or any day.

Game Day Party Sandwiches

I will come back with another post on how to make the perfect Italian focaccia sandwiches, so be sure to subscribe and never miss a recipe.

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More Recipes You May Love

• USA Baking Pan (this is the perfect size for this recipe)
• Plastic Bowl with Lid for Dough
• Organic Bread Flour

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Overnight Focaccia

Make focaccia dough tonight and bake it in the morning.

Course Bread

Cuisine Italian

Keyword focaccia

Ingredients

• 350 grams bread flour
• 350 grams all purpose flour
• 500 grams water
• 30 grams olive oil
• 1 teaspoon yeast (I used instant yeast)
• 25 grams salt
• Mixture olive oil/water as needed for top
• 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt

Instructions

Day 1 – The Night Before

• Mix yeast and warm water (85 degrees).
• Add half of the flour. Mix with wooded spoon until creamy.
• Add remaining flour. Knead in mixer for two minutes on low or until fully incorporated.
• Add salt. Mix another minute, making sure all salt is incorporated.
• Add olive oil until completely absorbed.
• Cover, rest 10 minutes.
• Stretch and fold. Rest for one hour.
• Stretch and fold. Rest for another hour.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, 12-18 hours.

Day 2 – Baking Day

• Remove from refrigerator.
• Focaccia should be more than doubled by this time.
  
• Oil a large baking sheet (13 x 9.5) with olive oil. Place dough on baking sheet. Do not stretch out yet.
• Cover for one hour. Set the oven 500 degrees on bake mode.
• After one hour, stretch dough out to fit the pan.
  
• Pour water and olive oil mixture over the focaccia (about 1/4 cup).
  
• Use finger tips to make the focaccia holes all over.
• Sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
• Reduce heat to 480 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. After ten minutes turn around in oven for more even baking.
  
• Focaccia makes great sandwiches. Cool. Cut into squares and use bread knife to cut crosswise.
  

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The Good News about Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

• Leftovers – Make a big batch. Send it for lunch, or have it for another dinner. We work from home, so lunch from the night’s before dinner is always welcome.
• Delicious – Thighs are tasty. I used the za’atar seasoning and lemon slices, but you can use your favorite herbs. And, who doesn’t love potatoes.
• Affordable – We keep hearing about the prices of meat. So far, chicken thighs are still affordable but get the best quality you can. I love Greenwise at Publix and Bell Evans at Whole Foods. Costco organic is another good choice.
• Easy – One sheet pan is all you need. You will have to peel the potatoes, but you can peel and cut and place in water the night before, to make this easy if you’re getting off work and are rushed for dinner.
• Family dinner friendly. Add in the green beans in the last half hour of this one hour bake. A family that eats dinner together (sans phones) is a happier family. Food bonds people, so take advantage of that.
• Healthy Dinner – Need I say more. Chicken, potatoes, green beans, olive oil, lemons are real foods.
• Looks Good – Yes, food should look good.

Easy to Make

• Peel and cut potatoes into quarters.
• Slice lemons
• Dry thighs and sprinkle with salt, pepper, za’atar or Italian seasoning.
• Arrange in sheet pan and douse with olive oil.
• Variations: Add in pieces of green bell pepper or olives.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
• Add green beans in last 30 minutes.

Low Carb Option

Replace potatoes with cauliflower pieces.

More Easy Dinners

• Parmesan Chicken Cutlets
• Twenty Minute Macaroni Bean Soup
• Greek Chicken Kabobs
• Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls
• Salmon Kabobs on the Grill

As always, let me know if you make this dish. Would love to hear from you and Happy Back to School Time if this fits your life.

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Kitchen Tools for this Recipe

• USA Sheet Pan (the BEST pans in my opinion)
• Stainless Steel Potato Peeler
• Za’atar Seasoning

Print

Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Za'atar Chicken with lemon and olive oil. Keto Friendly, Paleo, Whole 30 friendly.

Course Entree

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs
• 4 tablespoons olive oil more if needed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 potatoes peeled, cut into quarters
• 1/2 cup za'atar
• 2 lemons sliced thinly
• 1 package green beans trimmed

Instructions

• Salt chicken pieces one day in advance if you have the time.
• Take chicken out one to two hours in advance of baking.
• I tend to leave the salt on the chicken. If you didn’t do this step, salt chicken.
• Place on bottom of pan. Drizzle olive oil over the pieces.
• Drizzle olive oil over the chicken pieces.
• Sprinkle za’atar over chicken generously.
• Place lemon slices on top.
• Add potatoes in between chicken pieces, making sure they also are covered with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  
• Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken has internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Add in green beans in last 25 minutes. Toss with olive oil first.
  

The post Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Potatoes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This spring season is very exciting for us. We are heading to Rome, Lucca and Paris in a week.

If you want to follow along, please follow my instagram account. We will either be waiting for a new pope or celebrating a new pope, and this is in the year of the Catholic Jubilee, something only traditionally executed every 25 years. There will be an extraordinary jubilee in 2033 to celebrate the resurrection.

Believe it or not, I don’t actually have a sweet tooth, even though I have a keto bakery and bring you many keto dessert recipes. However, I do love Italian desserts, as the baked goods are often made with almond flour and are not that sweet.

You can eat these muffins just as they are, or with a drizzle of vanilla glaze, which is how I sell them in my keto bakery. And, and I should mention that out of all of the the baked goods that come out of my kitchen, this is my husband’s all time favorite.

I really like using tart liners as opposed to cupcake liners for a flat, more shareable cake. You can use these or traditional liners. You can see below how much I filled the liners and with what result.

Top the Orange Muffin with A Glaze

The keto orange olive oil is topped with a simple orange-flavored glaze also made with Swerve’s Confectioner’s. On that note, when I ran out of the Swerve brand, I used the Lakanto brand of confectioner’s and it was equally good.

Macros

Don’t be too concerned that you are eating a lot of carbs because one orange with the skin (provides fiber) makes 12 servings. So you are only eating 1/12 of an orange with protein, fat and fiber.

• Net Carbs: 5 grams
• Protein: 8 grams
• Fat: 22 grams
• Calories: 260

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More Spinach Tiger Recipes

• Keto Creamsicle Cupcakes (Orange Cake, Vanilla Buttercream)
• Keto Coffee Cake Muffins
• Keto Meyer Lemon Budino
• Keto Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
• Keto Orange Butter Dutch Baby

Print

Keto Orange Olive Oil Muffins

Grain Free, Sugar Free, Low Carb Orange Muffiins

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword keto cake, orange cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Muffins

Calories 260kcal

Equipment

• Muffin Liners
• Vitamix Blender (Or super blender)
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

Preparation for Bundt Pan

Bundt Cake

• 1 large navel orange

Dry Ingredients

• 260 grams blanched almond flour 2 1/2 cups
• 28 grams coconut flour 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Wet Ingredient Group

• 1 cups Granulated Swerve
• 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
• 6 extra large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Orange
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Orange Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups Swerve Confectioner's Sweetener see notes
• 6 tablespoons water
• dash orange extract

Instructions

• Spray liners with baking spray. This batter may make more than 12 depending on the liners you are using.
• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Keep on bake, not convection bake if oven has that mode to keep from browning, but it's fine to use a convection oven too.

Orange Mixture

• Wash Navel orange and trim off the bottom, if necessary.
• Cut into quarters. Put in cold water. Bring to boil for 30 minutes. Drain. Reserve 1/4 cup water.
• Add to Vitamix or super blender. Pulse until you have a texture of course puree, with a little bit of zest showing. Add orange extract. You may need to add a little of the reserved water in bottom of blender. Set aside to cool. This can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. It can also be made ahead and frozen.

Dry Ingredients

• Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, Swerve granulated. Set aside.

Make Batter

• Beat eggs for five minutes. I use my whipping wand.
• Slowly stream in oil.
• Add vanilla extract.
• Add orange mixture to batter.
• Add dry mixture beating on low.
• Use an Ice cream scoop to scoop batter onto each liner.
  
• Bake for 18 to 22 minutes depending on what liner you use. Use a food thermometer. It needs to be between 207 and 210 F.
• Cool completely before adding glaze.
  

Glaze

• Mix confectioner's with water and a dash of orange extract, until you have a pourable glaze you can drizzle.

Notes

Swerve Confection: You can also use another brand such as Lakanto.

You can skip the glaze and sprinkle with confectioner’s sweetener as an option.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 12 | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 22g | Fiber: 3g

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