Summer Tomatoes and a Recipe for an Open-Faced PB & Tomato Sandwich (Podcast #116)

Tomatoes are at their peak in New England right now, which means endless good eats as far as we’re concerned. Janice’s husband, Don, has a green thumb that just won’t quit, and his backyard garden is brimming right now with the sweetest, juiciest tomatoes you’ve ever seen.  As for Liz’s garden, well, let’s just say she’s shelling out hard cash for her tomatoes this summer!

We celebrate the beautiful flavors and nutritional prowess of summer tomatoes this week on our Cooking with the Moms podcast. During the show, we serve up a new recipe creation for an Open-Faced PB & Tomato Sandwich (yes, it sounds weird, but it is soooo good), take you behind the scenes to Pumpkin Pond Farm on Nantucket where Liz sampled just-picked tomatoes, still warm from the sun, and share lots of fresh, new ideas for preparing tomatoes, inspired by our Twitter friends and Facebook fans.

When we asked our Facebook fans to share their favorite summer tomato recipes and stories, here’s what Shannon H. had to say:  I saw a recipe recently where you put peanut butter on a slice of bread, put a few thick slices of tomato from your garden on top, and sprinkle it all with a little sea salt. It sounds pretty gross to me, but it had tons of positive reviews. Maybe I’ll be brave and give it a try. I’d love to know if either of you has tried this?

We couldn’t resist Shannon’s challenge, so we gave it a go. The results were surprisingly good. While we wouldn’t serve it to our kids as an after-school snack (unfortunately, none claim to be tomato lovers), we thoroughly enjoyed it. The cracked pepper and kosher salt on top balanced the slightly sweet tomatoes and the creamy, nutty peanut butter. Overall, we’d have to say the sandwich was quite refreshing!

Open-Faced PB & Tomato Sandwich

Makes 1 Serving

  • One whole grain English muffin, sliced in half and lightly toasted
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter (use your favorite kind)
  • 2 slices fresh, juicy tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on one English muffin half and a tablespoon on the other half. Top each with a slice of tomato (make the slice thin, thick, or anywhere in between) and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Print Recipe


While on vacation on Nantucket, Liz entertained friends with this family-friendly appetizer made with thin slices of French (or Italian) bread topped with olive tapenade, slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, extra virgin olive oil, diced tomatoes (just a few … so the kids happily ate them!), and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.


In between long bike rides and trips to the beach, Liz stopped by Pumpkin Pond Farm on Nantucket where she toured the nine-acre organic farm.

“The Walk of Thyme” divides the garden, bursting with vegetables, herbs, and fresh greens.

Owner, Marty McGowan and Liz’s friend, Debbie, pose in front of the farm stand.

Hooray for summer tomatoes!

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K — a bone builder, and they”re also a good good source of molybdenum (which helps prevent tooth decay), potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber. Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which research shows may protect against certain cancers. They’re versatile too as we found out when our Facebook fans and Twitter friends weighed in to “talk tomatoes.” Here are a few tomato tales and tips to whet your appetite (listen to the show for even more inspiration)!

> Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod: Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Artichokes, Zucchini, and Roasted Red Peppers.
> Chef Christine from Frederick Foodie: Panzanella.
> Alexandra from Delish Knowledge: Grilled Panzanella Salad with Baked Tofu Croutons.

> Kerry W.: I blanch and quick peel and chop fresh tomatoes (purple, yellow, red) and throw in measured portions in the freezer. When it’s time for fresh pizza sauce in the middle of winter, I pull out a bag or two and give it a whirl with red pepper flake, kosher salt and oregano. Fantastic!

> Pam T.: Last night I tossed penne pasta with some lightly sauteed yellow squash and tossed in some chopped garden tomatoes and feta. It was delicious and so easy on a night that I had no time to cook! I leave the tomatoes large enough that the picky kids can pick them out easily.

> Angela P.: Tomatoes fresh picked, wiped clean, and still warm from the sun with a little salt. You’ve picked a good one if the juice drips down your chin.

> Theresa P.: Fresh picked tomato sandwich — sliced tomato on squishy bread with salt pepper and mayo. Or just eat them in the garden (we did this when we were kids but my grandfather would get so angry when we picked his plants clean!! Good memories…).

> Kelly G.: I love them with basil and cucumbers from my garden, mixed with thinly sliced red onion, olive oil, and a little balsamic vinegar and fresh ground pepper.

Thanks for all the great ideas. We’d love to hear from our blog readers, so feel free to post a comment with your summer tomato faves!

September 2, 2010 | Filed Under CulinaryAdventures, Snacks, Sustainability, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment 

Favorite Food Photos & a Giveaway for a Hoover FloorMate!

As all of our wonderful readers may know by now, we’ve spent the better part of this summer finishing the manuscript for our new cookbook, NO WHINE WITH DINNER. As a result, we’ve  been blogging and podcasting quite a bit less than usual (boo hoo). Our deadline for the book is August 9th, so we hope to be back on track very soon!

Last Sunday while our families were out enjoying a glorious summer’s day, we cooked half a dozen recipes from the new book and photographed each one for an inside photo spread. As dietitians, we never considered ourselves “photographers,” but the photo shoot went well and we think we’re finally beginning to get the hang of food photography (though admitedly we still have a lot to learn). Below are a few of our favorite shots from the day.

Simply Delicious Shepherd’s Pie, featured in our
Crazy About Casseroles chapter

Grab-and-Go Granola Bars, featured in our Snack Attack chapter

Mom’s Mango Smoothie, featured in our Sips & Smoothies chapter

It was a chaotic day, and we made a big mess in Janice’s kitchen. Her sink was filled with dishes, her dining room (AKA photo studio) was covered in props, and we couldn’t see a single kitchen counter top. The mess got us thinking about an “appropriate” July giveaway for our Meal Makeover Moms’ friends and fans. What we came up with — a Hoover FloorMate 3-in1 Hard Floor Cleaner — is something we think every home owner and busy cook will certainly appreciate.

A vacuum cleaner you say? Actually, it’s a whole lot more … and something Janice certainly appreciated after our photo shoot (when her kitchen floor had more crumbs and spills than it had ever seen). This vacuum is pretty cool because it eliminates the need for a mop & bucket or a broom & dust pan. It vacuums, washes and dries wood, vinyl, grout, or tile flooring … all with one machine. Ah, if it could only suck up dirty dishes too!

To enter our Hoover FloorMate giveaway all you have to do is post a comment on this blog post with your worst kitchen disaster story, or just tell us why you want to win it (US and Canada residents only please).  The giveaway ends on Friday, August 13 at noon, and we’ll use random.org to pick our winner. We Will Enter You into the Giveaway a second time if you Tweet about it (just be sure to leave us a new comment if you tweet).  You may also want to check out the Hoover FloorMate Summer Spills Photo Contest on Facebook.

As for our kitchen disasters ….
> A couple of years ago Janice opened a can of tomato sauce that may have been in her cupboard for too long and as soon as the can opener punctured the can it sprayed tomato sauce all over her, the ceiling, floor, and even on the couch in the family room!

> Liz recently went to grab something out of the fridge only to have her half-gallon pure maple syrup accidentally topple over. The lid opened and the maple syrup was splattered all over the floor. Talk about a sticky spill.

It’s time to share your messiest kitchen stories!  We can’t wait to hear from you … and laugh with you.

July 30, 2010 | Filed Under Dinner, Giveaways, Snacks | 141 Comments 

Nutrition for Young Athletes & a High-Energy Recipe for Date Bars

In celebration of the World Cup (go USA … but please, would somebody tell the fans to stop blowing those vuvuzela horns) it is with great pleasure that we welcome guest blogger, Nancy Clark, MS, RD. Nancy is a sports dietitian and author of the much-beloved athlete’s nutrition bible, Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook — among many other books!  In her most recent venture, Food Guide for Soccer, Nancy and her co-author, Gloria Averbuch, address a wide range of challenges associated with feeding your own avid athletes.  Without further adieu, here’s Nancy!

***

Calling all soccer parents.  If you are a soccer mom (or dad), you undoubtedly have questions on how to best fuel your young soccer players:

  • What should they eat before a game?
  • Should I give them a sports drink during games?
  • What’s best for recovery foods?
  • How can I manage family meals when soccer is in the middle of dinnertime?

In my new book, Food Guide for Soccer: Tips and Recipes from the Pros, I help parents and players alike understand how to eat for performance. The book is sprinkled with words of wisdom from members of Women Professional Soccer. Here are just a few tips from Nicole Barnhart, FC Gold Pride Goalkeeper:

“When I eat as healthy as possible, I feel better overall, and in the long run perform better.  My body is more resilient; I have rarely been sick since I started eating well-balanced meals throughout the day.”

“I like to make sure I get a good solid, well balanced meal about 3 to 4 hours prior to the game. Just prior to leaving for the game or in the locker room, I am a big fan of eating fruit (bananas and apples) with peanut butter, or I pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to take with me.”

“I enjoy creating my own smoothie for lunch.  I whip up some variation of fruit (strawberries, mixed berries, mango, bananas), peanut butter, ice, low-fat and low-sugar vanilla yogurt, and juice or soymilk.”

Food Guide for Soccer also includes winning recipes from all over the world. This recipe for Date Bars was contributed by Abby Wambach, Forward for the Washington Freedom.


Amy Wambach’s Date Bars (tested and tweaked a tad by The Meal Makeover Moms)
Makes 12 Servings

  • 1/4 cup butter or soft tub margarine (The Meal Makeover Moms used Smart Balance Omega-3 spread)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 10 ounces dates, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup flour, preferably half all-purpose and half whole wheat
  • ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside (you can also use a 7 x 11-inch baking pan).

2. Place the butter or margarine in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave, about 30 seconds, until melted.  Whisk in the eggs and sugar until well combined. Stir in the dates until just combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, walnuts as desired, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Gently stir into the date mixture until well combined.

4. Spoon the batter into the baking pan. Bake about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before slicing.

Print Recipe


For more recipes and tips, visit Nancy Clark on her blog or website.

June 25, 2010 | Filed Under Desserts, Fruits, Snacks | 5 Comments 

Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award: Mommy’s Kitchen’s Blueberry Banana Smoothie

A few weeks ago, my daughter Carolyn had all four of her wisdom teeth removed (just the thought of it makes me cringe). Around that time, our friend Tina from Mommy’s Kitchen sent us her Blueberry Banana Smoothie recipe.  It looked delicious, so I decided to make it for Carolyn as she sat crumpled on the couch recuperating from her ordeal.  As the blender was whirring, Courtney, Carolyn’s godmother, stopped by for a visit. After a few sips, both declared the smoothie a winner.

Carolyn, hidden on the left (hey, no one looks good after having four teeth pulled), and Courtney enjoying their smoothies!

Even though Carolyn is 17 years old and about to enter college (yikes!), it still breaks my heart to see her in pain. Tina’s cool, refreshing smoothie made her feel a little bit better … and I felt better too because Tina’s smoothie is packed with great nutrition thanks to the blueberries, bananas, yogurt, and milk. Given all this recipe has to offer, we are pleased to announce that Mommy’s Kitchen is the recipient of this month’s Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award!

Tina’s photo of her yummy Blueberry Banana Smoothie.

Testing the smoothie in The Meal Makeover Moms’ test kitchen.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Makes about 3 Servings

  • 1 1/2 cups ice cubes
  • 1/2 to 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1  cup low fat milk, plain or vanilla soy milk, or almond milk
  • 1  cup blueberry or vanilla yogurt
  • 1 to 2  ripe bananas

1. Add the ice cubes, blueberries and milk to the blender. Blend on ice breaker or icy drink to break up the ice a bit. Add yogurt and bananas and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy.

Print Recipe

When Leah got home from school, she tried the smoothie and gave it two thumbs up!

Tina’s little friend Gracie drinks her smoothie in a sippy cup!

What I like about the recipe if that it’s flexible. For example, you can add 1 to 2 bananas depending on what’s on hand and you can use soy milk, almond milk or cow’s milk. The kids don’t have to know that it is chock full of great nutrition — bone-building calcium and vitamin D from the milk and yogurt, vitamin C and antioxidants from the blueberries, and potassium from the bananas. Thanks Tina for sharing your recipe!  For more great recipes, head on over to Mommy’s Kitchen blog.

May 3, 2010 | Filed Under Awards, Fruits, PickyEaters, Snacks | 1 Comment 

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