No-Guilt Pizza Bites: A Healthful Snack Idea from Cleo Coyle #Vegetarian

One of the nice things about this tasty and healthful snack recipe is how well it adapts to the produce of late fall, winter, and spring. 

🍅 When tomatoes are not in season, they’re often lacking in flavor. But even the blandest tomato can be transformed into something truly delicious with the simple addition of caramelizing heat. That's why I make these babies year round. So let's start cooking...

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This snack idea came to me a few years ago while I was enjoying a delicious pizza bianca from a local pizzeria. The Italian cooks put fresh ricotta on the "white" pie, and I absolutely loved the sweet, fresh cheese. When paired with the bright flavor of roasted tomatoes in this recipe, it's a match made in culinary heaven.

You've heard of tater skins? Well, just think of these as tomat'er skins. May you eat with joy and in good health!

~ Cleo

🍅 

No-Guilt Pizza Bites 

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Cleo Coyle's 

No-Guilt Pizza Bites

To make 8...

Ingredients:

4 plum tomatoes

1/2 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim)

Dried oregano (sprinkling)

Sea salt, to taste

(optional additions) dried basil, dried rosemary, or an Italian Seasoning mix

Grated finishing cheese like Pecorino Romano or Parmesan

Step 1 - Slice and prep tomatoes: I like to use plum tomatoes because they slice into little oval boats that remind me of potato skins. Roasting these babies will create a bit of a mess. To make clean up easy, simply line the pan with aluminum foil and coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Place the tomatoes on the foil and coat the them with non-stick spray, as well. (You won't need to add extra oil if you do this.)

  

Step 2 - Sprinkle on spices and salt: I use sea salt and plenty of dried oregano. Certainly dried basil and rosemary would be delicious, too. Or try a pre-made Italian Seasoning mix from the spice aisle, whatever evokes the flavor of pizza sauce.

Step 3 - Roast the tomatoes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and roast the tomatoes for at least an hour. Do not UNDER roast these babies. You are not simply baking them, you are roasting them to the point when they caramelize and become sweet. Trust me, I've done this many times. If you do not reach a point where the tomatoes' acidic nature transforms into something sweet (as you would taste in a well-cooked pizza sauce), the combo of ricotta and roasted tomato won't taste as good.

Step 4 - Finish with ricotta: Remove the sizzling, caramelized tomato halves from the oven. Plate them and add a tablespoon of fresh ricotta on top of each half. Garnish with another sprinkling of oregano (or Italian Seasoning mix) and your favorite salty, finishing cheese like Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, and...eat with joy!

Click here for the free recipe PDF.

☕

Eat (and read) with joy!   

~ Cleo Coyle

New York Times bestselling author
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The Big Popover

I confess that unusual recipes, those that claim to be magic or are made in some unlikely way, always attract me. In fact, they stop me cold. I scratch my head and wonder if they really work. Maybe it's because I like learning new techniques? Yeah, I'll go with that.

So when I saw a recipe that involved a big popover, I was surprised. Would it really come out like a giant popover? I thought popovers had to be made in special popover pans with tall, narrow cups so they would rise. Hmm.

Apparently this recipe began with Cooking Light. I found a variation by Grab a Plate and put my own twists on it.

Guess what? It worked. Not only that, we loved it. And this popover crust solves one of my biggest kitchen dilemmas - a crust in a hurry. Honestly, with the mozzarella, it tasted so much like a pizza that I was astonished. But the crust was made in less than half an hour. No rising necessary. Of course, there's no yeast in it, so it's not like a bread crust but it's totally satisfying and kind of fun. I can see using this in a lot of recipes.

The popover curls in strange artful ways. It was very cute, though – like it took on a life of its own.

Our garden is having a surprisingly good year. Please forgive me for using red Swiss chard in yet another recipe but we have so much of it! It will look like a huge amount of chard but don't worry, like spinach, it shrinks as it cooks. If Swiss chard isn't your cuppa, I think you could easily substitute spinach. I used white mushrooms but crimini would also be lovely. If you want it to taste more like pizza, substitute 1 teaspoon of oregano for the herbs and be sure you use mozzarella cheese.

I recommend cutting off the chard stems for this recipe, though it's not really necessary. If you do cut them off, freeze them, along with the "discarded" liquid to make soup. The chard, mushroom, and herb flavors in the liquid are delicious! In fact, it occurred to me that this might be a great base for a vegetarian broth.

This dish is surprisingly filling. Super for meatless Mondays or vegetarian family members. It will easily serve 3-4. And no guilt! The veggie to crust ratio is so good you'll feel entitled to dessert.

The Big Popover

with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms

1 8x8 inch pan

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
8-ounce package fresh white mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 bunch Swiss Chard
1 tablespoon butter + extra for greasing the pan
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup skim milk (whole probably works, too)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella (I used part skim)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil. Slice the onion and the mushrooms, and mince the garlic. Cut the stems off the Swiss chard and reserve for soup. Cut the chard and wash. Add the onion to the pan, when it begins to cook, add the herbs. When they are fragrant, add the mushrooms and garlic. Top with the Swiss chard and turn occasionally as it wilts. When wilted, turn the heat down and keep warm.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425. Grease the pan with butter and place 1 tablespoon of butter in the bottom of the pan.

Lightly whisk the two eggs. Stir in the flour, milk and salt until smooth. Set aside. When the oven is ready, place the pan in the oven for 2-3 minutes until the butter melts. Do not let it burn!

Pour the egg mixture into the hot pan and slide it into the oven. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until puffed up and slightly browned. Sprinkle the bottom with 1/2 of the mozzarella.

Pour the excess liquid off the Swiss chard mixture. Spoon the chard mixture into the baked popover. Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and then with the Parmesan.

Bake 10-12 minutes.

Melt butter in baking pan. 

Combine eggs with flour and milk.

Who'd have thought it?

Before second baking.

Ready to serve!

Surprisingly satisfying.