Baked Eggs in Whole Roasted Tomatoes

Eggs are more than often a go-to dinner for me.  They are a great source of high quality protein that cook quickly…which means it’s a perfect dinner for me when I get home late from the studio.  Midnight asparagus with creamy eggs are a staple in my diet, but these eggs baked in tomatoes are giving them a run for their money! 

I save time by pre-roasting the tomatoes.  Then, when I’m ready to eat them, I reheat the tomatoes (in the oven or micro) and continue with the recipe. 

This would be a great side dish for brunch, but I eat it as a meal (dinner)…so I have 2 servings.  A slice of whole wheat toast works perfectly to soak up the yummy juices from the tomato and the runny yolk of the egg (don’t over cook the yolk!).

As a sidenote…follow me on Instagram (@blairburas) and pinterest (@deliciouslygold) to see what I’m eating everyday and see recipes I can’t wait to try.

Baked Eggs in Whole Roasted Tomatoes
adapted from Whole Living

makes 6 servings

6 large tomatoes 
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried) 
2 ounces of feta (6 tablespoons)
6 large eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the top off each tomato and use a small spoon to remove core and seeds (I used the spoon to scoop around the edges, then with my hands “twisted” the cut portion until it detached from the base).  Don’t cut too close the the sides…you need the outsides of the tomato to hold their shape during baking.

Arrange in a baking dish, drizzle each tomato with 1/2 teaspoon of oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme. Roast until tomatoes are tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes*.  Remove tomatoes from the oven.  If a substantial amount of juice has accumulated in the tomato, carefully drain it out (right into the baking dish is fine).

Crumble the feta into each tomato then crack an egg into each and season with salt and pepper. Bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 9 minutes more…pay attention to the white…you want it to turn white but the yolk to still be runny!

Notes – Some of my tomatoes didn’t hold their shape very well (the walls split)…so, before adding the egg, I propped these mis-shaped tomatoes against the wall of the baking dish for extra support…this way the egg didn’t run out…once the egg sets it will hold the tomato together; For better aim, crack the egg into a teacup first, then pour it on the tomato

* I used Italian seasoning (actually Zoe’s kitchen seasoning) in place of the thyme

Per serving – 148 calories, 8 g carbohydrates,  2.2 g fiber, 8.6 g fat (3 g saturated), 9 g protein (exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1.5 fat, 1 protein)

Creamy Feta-Red Wine Vinegar Dressing

Making salad dressing is one of the easiest things you can do in the kitchen…all you need is oil and an acid (citrus or vinegar) plus a little salt and pepper and you have a delicious vinaigrette.  Want it sweet?  Add a little honey, sugar, or jam/jelly.  Want it creamy?  Add a little Dijon, mayo, or in this case feta.  Creamy feta-red wine vinegar dressing is one of my all time favorite salad dressings.  I’ve already posted the recipe in the past, but no pictures!  Time for an update!

I’ve said it before, why get stuck with a whole bottle of dressing (and the same monotonous salad) day after day, when you can so easily change it up?  I just read a similar post over at Christie’s Corner…couldn’t have said it better myself.

Creamy Feta-Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
adapted from davidlebovitz.com (he wrote the ice cream book that I love, The Perfect Scoop)

Makes about 1 cup (or 8 2-tablespoon servings)*

4 ounces feta cheese
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely-chopped fresh oregano (or a pinch or two of dried oregano...Italian seasoning would work too)
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons water
salt and black pepper

Mash the feta, vinegar, and oregano with a fork until fairly smooth.

Mix in the olive oil and water, until smooth. Taste first (because the feta is already salty) and then season with salt and pepper. This dressing will keep for four days in the refrigerator. (After mashing the feta and red wine vinegar, you could add all ingredients to a jar and shake it to combine).

Per serving (2 tablespoons): 69 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated), 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 2 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat; WW points: 2)

* The original recipe says it makes 3/4 of a cup, but I ended up with about 1 cup

Lagniappe...

David suggests serving it 1) over a Caesar-ish salad with romaine lettuce, red onions, and garlic croutons, 2) alongside tabbouleh, 3) mashed with canned tuna fish and chopped capers or green olives and scallions, 4) drizzled over a plate of seasonal tomatoes with fresh chopped oregano, 5) tossed with a mix of winter greens, slices of pear, and toasted pecans, 6) over grilled chicken breasts or tuna steaks, 7) with falafel, or 8) as a dip for toasted pita chips, radishes, or raw vegetables.

What am I going to use it on?  A Greek salad consisting of romaine lettuce, shredded carrot, diced    cucumber, oven roasted tomatoes, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, and crushed pita chips.

Chicken and Feta Tabbouleh

 

My “daughter” (Hilary) is going on her mini Spring Break this weekend and requested a few things to take with her:  chicken salad and tabbouleh.  Being the good sister that I am, I happily obliged.  Plus I’ve needed a good excuse to get out of this cooking/blogging slump.

Last summer I mentioned to one of the dance moms who was making tabbouleh for dinner how much I loved it!  Hers had chicken and feta…could it get any better??  She returned that night to pick up her daughter with some for me to try and the recipe.  How exciting!  It was amazing…and healthy, the recipe was from Cooking Light!

Later that month I brought the recipe with me on our family beach trip and it was a hit there as well.  Even our “extra-mayo”, “no-butter-please, country-crock-only" friend loved it! 
 

Tabbouleh is made with bulgur (a quick cooking form of wheat…which is a fiber-rich whole grain), tomato, lots of parsley, and mint.  I opted to leave the mint out.  Bulgur can be tricky to locate…you may be able to find it by the rice and other grains in a regular grocery store.  Whole Foods definitely has it.  In Albertson’s it was by the olive oil?!?

Other changes I made: 1) baked my own chicken…but rotisserie is definitely easier, 2) used a little more olive oil, and 3) doubled the recipe.

I would probably have a smaller serving (not 1 1/2 cups) and serve it over lettuce…yes, another salad!

Chicken and Feta Tabbouleh
adapted from CookingLIght.com

Makes 4 large servings (1 1/2 cups)

3/4  cup  uncooked bulgur
1  cup  boiling water
2  cups  chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1  cup  chopped plum tomato
1  cup  chopped English cucumber (or a regular one with/ the seeds removed)
3/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley
1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/3  cup  finely chopped green onions
1/4  cup  chopped fresh mint
2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
1  teaspoon  minced garlic
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

Place bulgur in a medium bowl; cover with 1 cup boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. 

Combine chicken and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add bulgur to chicken mixture; toss gently to combine.  Taste and re-season with salt, pepper, and cumin.

Per serving (1 1/2 cups) – 296 calories, 9.5 g fat (3.4 g saturated), 26 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 28 g protein (exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 3 protein, 2 fat; WW points: 6)

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

There are so many vegetables that I love...it's hard for me to pick a favorite, but eggplant is definitely in the top 5. And around this time of year they start appearing at the Red Stick Farmers Market. Last Thursday I bought 2 (for $1!) and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

There was a recipe from the 2005 July/August issue for Basic Roasted Eggplant with 3 accompanying recipes for eggplant salads: Curried Eggplant Salad with Peas and Cashews,

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta, and Eggplant Salad with Tomatoes and Basil...hmm, which one to try first??

I went with the chickpea-feta version...I'm a sucker for feta! But I'm sure eggplant will find its way into my kitchen again really soon (um, like tomorrow morning after I head to the market) and I'll have to try the others. See the July/Aug EDF recipe list for links to the other two.

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

adapted from MarthaStewart's EDF

Makes 6 servings

3 pounds eggplant (about 3 medium), cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup (2 ounces) feta, crumbled

1/4 cup finely shredded basil

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Divide cubed eggplant between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1/2 a tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then spread in a single layer.

Roast, turning once, until golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely on sheets.

In a jar (or bowl) combine lemon juice, 2 remaining tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shake (or whisk) to combine.

To a large bowl, add cooled eggplant, chickpeas, feta, and basil. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine.

Per serving - 218 calories, 10 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 28 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch)

Compared to original recipe - My version saves about 6 grams fat and 40 calories per serving (36 g fat and 240 calories per recipe)

Notes - The changes I made from the original recipe were 1) using less oil for roasting the eggplant, 2) cutting the amount of feta in half, and 3) swapping basil for the mint; I made extra vinaigrette and saved some to use for salads (I shredded romaine and radicchio, tossed them with a TINY bit of the saved dressing, and then topped the whole thing with the eggplant salad); I think it's a good idea to make the salad ahead of time, so that the flavors can blend for a while

Lagniappe...

Notice in the pic of the vinaigrette how there is about the same amount of lemon juice (bottom layer) as oil (top layer)...that's how I always make my salad dressing. I do a 1 to 1 ratio of fat to everything else. I usually don't even measure...squeeze the lemon (or pour vinegar), then match that amount with oil, add seasonings (salt, pepper, Dijon, garlic, etc), and done! This ensures that the dressing is "light" (i.e. without too much fat). Here is a previous post on making your own dressing.

Feta Chicken with Yellow Squash

I admit, I do not try all of the recipes that I post...those that I list with nutrition information, notes, and a link to the recipe are ones that I think sound good, but have never actually made. This one, however, I made Sunday night and it's so good. This is when a camera will come in handy...if I had a picture to post, I'd be more convincing!

I love chicken...its easy, inexpensive, and very lean. I always have it in my freezer. My mom cooked chicken all of the time when we were growing up...I remember saying with my brother and sister "chicken again?"...my kids will definitely say the same one day!

I love feta....salty, creamy, delish! And like most soft cheeses, it's lower in fat (75 cals and 6g fat per 1 oz serving).

I love squash...during the summer I like it grilled and in the winter I like it roasted. I like that the vegetable side is incorporated into the main dish...one less side dish to prepare!

So this recipe is perfect for me! It originally called for zucchini (which would be just as good), but I had yellow squash in the fridge so yellow squash it was. I served it with a side salad (just butterleaf lettuce and a Dijon vinaigrette) and sourdough toast.

Feta Chicken with Zucchini
adapted from realsimple.com

Makes 4 servings

3 teaspoons olive oil
2 lemons
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds or 6 oz each)
salt and pepper
4 medium yellow squash
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced (or pressed)
1/2 cup crumbled Feta

Preheat oven to 400° F. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the oil in a roasting pan (or spray with cooking spray). Thinly slice the lemons. Place half the slices in the pan.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels (I actually like to use coffee filters because they don't stick to the chicken). Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place it on top of the lemon slices.

Slice each squash in half lengthwise, then slice each half into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. In a bowl, combine the squash, Italian seasoning, garlic, remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, remaining lemon slices; season with salt and pepper and toss. Spread the squash mixture around the chicken.

Roast 15 minutes and then remove from oven and sprinkle the feta over the top of the chicken. Return to the oven and continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes (at the very end I turned on the broiler to brown the cheese a little...just for a few minutes). Serve.

Per serving - 293 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 43 g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 6 protein, 2 vegetables)

Notes - The original recipe called for 2 medium zucchini and so I used 4 small yellow squash. But once everything cooked, the squash really shrunk and I wished I had used more. That's why I'm calling for 4 medium. So, even though it may look like alot of squash when you are spreading it around the chicken, go with it. I also cut each breast in half before serving...6 ounces of chicken (and 43 g protein) is alot in 1 meal for a girl (my dad ate the whole breast). The lemon slices aren't meant to be eaten...just for flavor and moisture.

Enjoy!