Herb Baked Tomatoes

Herb Baked Tomatoes

When tomatoes are fresh and in season there is nothing better to enjoy – and this is a perfect way to highlight their flavor. Roasting them really brings out their flavor, and it is also a good way to make even uninspiring winter tomatoes taste great! You can add more fresh herbs to this dish, but do so after roasting or else they will burn. I use an olive oil spray which reduces the amount of oil you need to use to coat the tomatoes, but brushing or drizzling the oil on works just fine – just watch the amount you use. I like serving these tomatoes piping hot with fresh Mozzarella cheese and a simple spinach or Mesclun salad to balance out the meal - but they are also good if you want to make them in advance and enjoy them at room temperature. I try to keep side dishes in the 50-calorie range (or even lower), and this one fits the bill well. Usually I will choose a pretty small tomato for myself and be even lighter with the olive oil for “my” tomato and give my family or guests the larger, more calorific ones.

6 medium ripe tomatoes (156 calories, 6 grams protein)
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or favorite herb mixture
1 tablespoons olive oil (119 calories)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a baking dish. Cut the tops off of each tomato, making sure to remove the entire stem. Place the tomatoes in the prepared dish and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, herbs, and the olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft, but still hold their shape. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

312 calories and 6 grams protein total.
52 calories and 1 gram protein per serving.

Tuna, Tomato, and Cannellini Bean Salad

Tuna, Tomato, and Cannellini Bean Salad

No-cook main dish salads are a staple in my household during the summer. Our kitchen is always the hottest room in the house, and using the oven or stove increases the temperature substantially. Which makes recipes like this one a blessing. It is quick, easy, and inexpensive to throw together. This recipe is one of my favorite dishes to serve during the summer, and I was thrilled that it worked so well for my post-op life. Even better, for family gatherings where they have enjoyed this salad in the past I can bring it and enjoy the family dinner without feeling like I am totally separate from everyone else, which at times is nice. I mix together the bean mixture ahead of time as it stores well for several days in the refrigerator, but have found that you should not mix it with the greens until right before serving.

7 ounce can drained and flaked tuna, with 1 tablespoon tuna juice reserved (for testing we used light tuna in water) (191 calories, 42.1 grams protein)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (10 calories)
1 tablespoons olive oil (119 calories)
Crushed red pepper to taste
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
15 ounces drained and rinsed cannellini beans (350 calories, 24.5 grams protein)
3/4 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes (28 calories, 1.5 grams protein)
1 bunch minced scallions (30 calories, 1.8 grams protein)
1/2 cup minced basil
4 minced garlic cloves (16 calories, .8 grams protein)
8 cups washed and torn salad greens (for testing we used spinach) (56 calories, 6.9 grams protein)
Mix together the reserved tuna juice, vinegars and oil in a small bowl. Season to taste with the red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add the beans, tuna, tomatoes, scallions, basil, and garlic and mix well. Add the salad greens and toss well before serving.

Makes 4 main dish servings or 8 bariatric or appetizer servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

800 calories, 77.6 grams protein total
200 calories, 19.4 grams protein per serving (based on four servings)
100 calories, 9.7 grams protein per serving (based on eight servings)

Spicy Chickpea and Arugula Salad

Spicy Chickpea and Arugula Salad

Yum! I love the peppery bite of arugula, and was very pleased that I was able to eat it and still enjoy the taste post-op. This Mediterranean inspired salad was one of my favorite summer dishes, and I was thrilled that with a little tweaking it became WLS friendly. I typically dice the onions and the eggs and make the chickpea dressing ahead of time, then just toss the salad before serving, but you can also toss the hot dressing over the arugula for a warm salad (although the arugula will not be crisp). You can adjust the flavors if you like and use different spices from the Middle East, India, or Africa, and any lettuce can be substituted for the arugula. If you want a lighter, less protein rich dish, you can cut the dressing and number of eggs in half. If you want a less-light dish with more protein, adding grilled or roasted chicken or turkey is great – and so is bacon if you want to completely indulge! Originally the dish used 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, and if you have the calories to spare or need to increase the fat in your diet you can saute the ginger and garlic in the olive oil and omit the chicken stock. This dish can easily be made into a vegetarian version simply by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup chicken stock or broth (for testing we used Kitchen Basics chicken stock) (5 calories, 1.25 grams protein)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cooked chickpeas (286 calories, 11.9 grams protein)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 packet Stevia or Splenda
½ diced medium red onion (20 calories, .5 grams protein)
4 cups arugula leaves (24 calories, 2.4 grams protein)
2 diced hard-cooked eggs (156 calories, 12.6 grams protein)
2 diced hard-cooked egg whites (108 calories, 5.4 grams protein)

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Liberally grease with non-stick cooking spray once hot. Saute the ginger and garlic for one minute, then add the broth and the spices. Bring to a brisk broil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chickpeas. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the liquid has been reduced by about half. Remove from the heat and mix in the vinegar and Splenda. Chill the dressing until ready to serve, for up to 48 hours. Before serving spread the arugula onto six salad plates and sprinkle with the red onion. Pour the dressing over top and sprinkle with the diced egg.

Makes six servings.

599 calories, 34 grams protein total
99.8 calories, 5.68 grams protein per serving