Tomato Basil Tart {Food Matters Project}

Happy Monday and Food Matters Project recipe day!  This week's recipe was chosen by Nicole of The Giving Table!

I was really excited about this recipe but wished it was chosen later in the summer so that I could use fresh tomatoes from my garden instead of store-bought.  We planted 6 tomato plants this year of various shapes and sizes and most of our plants are FULL of flowers and small green tomatoes waiting to ripen.  Although I thought this recipe was delicious, I can't wait to see what it tastes like with tomatoes grown in my own back yard!

And this was a great opportunity to try out my new tart pan and a recipe for whole wheat pie crust.  This is my first time (ever) making a pie crust and I was amazed at how easy it was!  I hope you get a chance to make this recipe, especially when tomatoes are at their peak....delicious!

Tomato Basil Tart
crust:
1 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 tsp salt
8 tbsp cold unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp ice cold water

filling:
2-3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 c basil, shredded
2 tsp garlic, pressed
6 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
salt & black pepper to taste

First you need to make your crust or pie dough.  Either in a large bowl, or a food processor, combine the flour and salt.  Then add your cold (important that it is cold) butter in small pieces.  Pulse it into the flour (or use a pastry blender or fork to cut it in).  Then add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time and pulse or mix until a dough ball starts to form (in my kitchen, I used 3, it depends on the humidity and temperature that day).  Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and use the wrap to form a ball and enclose the ball in the wrap.  Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle a large cutting board or counter top with whole wheat flour and roll your dough out into a circle (you will also need to sprinkle the top with flour so it doesn't stick to the rolling pin).  Then, gently roll the dough over the pin and lift it into your tart or pie pan. Gently push the dough into the shape of the pan and remove the excess dough at the top.

Preheat your oven to 375. Spoon the finely diced or pressed garlic onto the tart shell and top with 2/3 of your Gruyere cheese.  Then arrange your sliced tomatoes in a circle and top with the basil and remaining cheese.  Sprinkle the tart with salt and pepper.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly brown.  Enjoy!

 Click here to see what the other members of the project made this week!

Blueberry & Nectarine Cobbler {Whole Wheat}

I have three blueberry bushes off the front of my back porch and they are covered in little tiny berries, slowly starting to grow and ripen!   Waiting for them (already waiting for about 2 months since they started to fruit) has felt like an eternity already....I can't wait for berry picking season!

And while I'm drooling over my bushes I thought I would make a light and easy summer dessert inspired by them!  You may think of cobbler as a winter dessert, but let me tell you that it is PERFECT for a slightly cool spring evening, especially with homemade whipped cream or frozen yogurt on top! PERFECT!

Blueberry & Nectarine Cobbler
adapted from Eating Well Magazine
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c skim milk
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ripe nectarine, cut into thin slices
1 c fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 7.5-by5-inch baking pan. Heat in the oven until melted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, sugar and vanilla and oil; stir to combine. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Spoon peaches and blueberries evenly over the batter. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the top of the cobbler is browned and the batter around the fruit is completely set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

Homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

 
My hubby got me an ice cream maker attachment for our 4th Anniversary this year and I was a little intimidated because I LOVE ice cream!  Ice cream is one of the things I miss the most since starting my diet...and I am so glad that I won't be missing it anymore!

I've been searching for the perfect recipe to start with and found this one on the Tasty Kitchen site added by Day Dreamer Desserts. And all I can say is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
adapted from Day Dreamer Desserts

12 oz, weight, fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 c reduced fat sour cream
1/2 c half-and-half
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c light agave nectar
1 pinch salt
1/2 c dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

In a food processor, puree the strawberries, cream cheese, sour cream, half-and-half, agave nectar, lemon juice and salt.  Pour ice cream base into your forzen ice cream maker and churn for 25-30 minutes.  While ice cream is churning, chop up either dark chocolate chips or a 85% or higher dark chocolate bar.   When ice cream is done churning, add the chopped chocolate and mix to combine.  Put ice cream into a freeze proof container and freeze for 1 hour (or serve sooner if you like a soft-serve ice cream).  Enjoy!

Frozen Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

 I usually don't have a problem with portion control with my desserts.  And don't misunderstand me.  My desserts are all MUCH better for you and MUCH lower in sugar so why do I care about portion control?  When you need to eat less sugar all together (eating a lower glycemic diet) then portion control is your number one rule no matter what the food or amazing dessert is.

Okay, back to my first point: I usually don't have a problem with portion control.  Usually.  This recipe by Turntable Kitchen makes it incredibly hard to only eat a few bites because it is THAT good.  And there are two stages of eating this cake: 1. right out of the freezer when it's texture is more crunchy like a hard frozen ice cream and 2. after it sits for a few minutes and has the most luscious mousse texture and is more like a soft mousse than a frozen dessert (that is my favorite stage).

And this recipe uses another magic ingredient: the frozen banana.  Have you used these yet?  I am amazed at the versatility and the texture of a frozen banana and it's resemblance to ice cream.  This is the KAPOW to this recipe that makes you think it is more decadent that it truly is (and you can't taste them at all!).  Prepare to be amazed by the simplicity and deliciousness....and prepare to struggle with portion control!  Enjoy!

The only thing I changed about this recipe was the use of 85% Dark Chocolate instead of bittersweet, but you choose what you'll like best!  Otherwise, head over to Turntable Kitchen for this delicious dish and some beautiful photos.

Serving Note: Make sure you take this out of the freezer at least 5-10 minutes before you want to eat it so that it has time (like an ice cream cake) to soften!  This will make it easier to cut and easier to enjoy!

Mini Cheesecake Bites

Do desserts in mini just taste better? 

Maybe it is because you feel like you can eat more because they are small? Or are you eating less because they are small...no? Just me? 

These tiny jewels are the perfect bite of cheesecake and fresh fruit topping in a cookie cup. The cup is a whole wheat shortbread cookie crust.  

And please don't let the words 'whole-wheat' scare you.  These are light, crumbly and just as perfect as a bite (or two) of full-fat and full-sugar cheesecake. These will make you a believer in 'better for you' baking and food choices.  I promise, you won't miss that full-calorie cheesecake with these!

Mini Cheesecake Bites
adapted from Clean Eating Magazine
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 stick (3 tbsp)
2 tsp lemon zest
8 oz low-fat cream cheese, divided
4 oz goat cheese
1/4 c + 2 tbsp honey, divided
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c diced strawberries
1/2 c halved blueberries
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp stevia or splenda

Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a food processor, blend 5 oz of cream cheese, the goat cheese, honey and vanilla, stopping to scrape sides of bowl, until smooth. Spoon mixture into a piping bag. (Alternatively, use a small re-sealable bag with a small piece snipped off 1 corner). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare Shortbread Cookie Crust: In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together.  Add the honey and lemon zest.  Then add the flour and mix until well blended and a dough is formed.

Form into tablespoon-size balls. Place balls in cups of a nonstick mini muffin pan. Use the back of a spoon or your thumb to press each ball onto bottom and partway up side of each cup (dough should be quite thin). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and firm. Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cookie cups from pan and let cool completely on rack, about 20 minutes.

Prepare the fruit topping: Combine the diced strawberries, blueberries, stevia (or splenda), balsamic vinegar and pepper in a bowl.   Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Pipe (or spoon) about 1-2 tsp cheesecake filling onto each cookie cup, then top with berries. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies & Whoppie Pies

How do you make a simple peanut butter cookie better?  Well, first I think we need to note that the peanut butter cookie is already awesome, but then again, we can always improve right?

Oh, I know.  Lets add some peanut butter whipped cream to the center and make them into miniature whoopie pies!  Yes, that is much better!

Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 c freshly ground chocolate peanut butter
1/2 c no sugar added, natural peanut butter
1/4 c stevia in the raw or splenda
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine.  Using small cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into a cookie sheet.  Using a damp fork, gently press down each of the cookies to flatten it.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until slighly browned.  Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.