Advanced Recipes
Roasted Tomato Marinara
It may seem silly to make your own marinara sauce when you can buy it at the store, but the homemade flavor makes it well worthwhile. There is nothing quite like a slow-roasted tomato taste.
INGREDIENTS | MAKES 2 CUPS
- 8 medium tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon muscovado sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the tomatoes and remove the stems. Cut into quarters and place on a baking sheet.
Coat the tomatoes with the olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and stir again. Add more oil if necessary, as the size of tomatoes can vary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the tomatoes become shriveled and are cooked through.
Transfer the tomatoes and garlic to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour the mixture into a saucepan on medium heat. Add the sugar, basil, and oregano. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt if desired.
PER ½ CUP SERVING Calories: 150 | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 1177mg | Carbohydrates: 14g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 3g
Adding Spices
If you prefer, you can add the spices to the tomatoes before roasting. Be sure to have extra on hand, because you may decide that your sauce needs some more flavor once you purée the roasted tomatoes. If you like a spicy marinara, add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper when heating the sauce.
Vitamin C Salad
This bright and colorful salad combines some of the best sources for vitamin C. A sprinkle of nuts and seeds adds a little vitamin E. Try topping it with the orange vinaigrette from the Spinach Salad with Strawberries.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
- 1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, sliced
- ½ green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced into segments
- 1 kiwi, sliced
- 2 tablespoons almonds, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Toss together the lettuce and spinach and divide equally on 2 plates.
Top with the sliced bell peppers, followed by the orange segments and kiwi slices.
Sprinkle on almonds and sunflower seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste, and top with your favorite vinaigrette before serving.
PER SERVING Calories: 190 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 17mg | Carbohydrates: 24g | Fiber: 7g | Protein: 6g
Other Fruits Rich in Vitamin C
When you need a change, but don't want to miss out on valuable vitamin C, there are plenty of fruit substitutions you can make in this salad recipe. Grapefruit segments, sliced tomatoes, sliced strawberries, and cantaloupe chunks all contain vitamin C, and provide fresh flavor mixed with a little creativity.
