Mediterranean Tomato Salad

This past weekend we were invited to our friends house for a little get together; to catch up, have some laughs, alongside with delicious food and wine. I took upon my self to bring a few appetizers. I love bringing food when getting together with friends, little less for our hosts to think about and to do. After all, getting together should be fun not stressful and time consuming. Having a busy day myself, I was looking forward to making something easy, delicious and something that wouldn't keep me in the kitchen for too long. One more restriction, Celiac-friendly.

I was still in a mood for something Mediterranean, to transport me to a warm and sunny place, this winter has been too long. As a result I felt like making my wonderful Escargot Stuffed Mushrooms and a delicious Mediterranean Tomato Salad with gourmet tomatoes. My local supermarket sells pre-packaged "Gourmet Tomatoes", my inspiration for this salad. Inside the plastic container are countless varieties of tomatoes; some are very small, some are larger, they include cherry and grape varieties, some are green, orange and the list goes on. I'm not sure of all the different kinds but one thing is for sure, they all are delicious, sweet and taste as if kissed by the sun. Unlike some other tomatoes that are tasteless, green from being picked to early and stored in the fridge for who knows how long.

Buying such a delicious product makes making a delectable salad very easy. I combined the tomatoes with some good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil and sage leaves, seasoned with some sea salt and black pepper and garnished with good Romano cheese.... My friends loved it!! They said they never had a better tomato salad, I can't take all the credit, hat's off to tomato farmers where ever they are.

To view a full recipe click here.

The Making of a "Good" and "Good for You" Recipe

I really like the taste of watercress, its crisp and tender and a little peppery. A very tasty green that can take center stage in a dish such as in my wonderful mango-watercress salad. With all that research into the benefits of watercress, I'm looking to create a new recipe with watercress. This time I am hoping to compose a recipe where this green plays a supporting role. This should be easy as firstly it's yummy, and secondly it has a delicate flavour so it should be perfect for sharing the dinner limelight.

The result. Sage Scallops on Watercress.

I apologize for using references to actors and movie making, however assembling a recipe is like producing a movie. If the right actors are picked for the dish and the ambiance (screen play) is right, the Academy (your guests) are happy and you are left with deserving praises. Unlike in the movies, your guests can't go to their local video store and simply replay your award winning dish. You might have a surge of guests coming back for a re-screening - unless of course you share with them your culinary secrets.

Thinking about the health benefits of watercress I instantly realized that the perfect leading role partner for watercress is the sea scallop. Scallops contain omega-3 fatty acids that have been linked to lowering heart disease. A perfect recipe, healthy and delicious! Furthermore scallops are tender, a little sweet, and they are also fashionable in that exclusive expensive way. For those of us who don't have the luxury of not thinking about how much things cost; scallops do go on sale. If they are not on sale, for an appetizer dish such as this you don't need that many. They are a wonderful treat and if purchasing a small quantity they make a perfectly elegant appetizer, without breaking the bank.

As a result Sage Scallops on Watercress recipe comes to life. Taking a few quality ingredients such as scallops, watercress, adding a few sage leaves and topping with hazelnuts is what makes this dish complete. A delicious and good for you recipe. Sometimes a few good quality ingredients make perfect culinary creations and with healthy inspirations the results are always praiseworthy.

The information about the study indicating the potential health benefits of eating watercress can be found on the following page, click here. It may not be realistic to eat watercress day after day, yet the health benefits of eating watercress are a motivational force to include this green in everyday meals.

For the details of the recipe click here.