Tomato Tuesday

Hey all, so some of you may have heard of 'Meatless Mondays' I've stated previously that meat is not bad, I love it, but don't need to eat it at every meal!  Well I decided how about a Tomato Tuesday!  My lunch showcased tomatoes in a simple caprese salad I did myself, its super easy, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella (the good stuff), some fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  It was light, but filling and the tomato was a star on the plate.

For dinner I decided to do the same.....showcase the tomato.  In a recipe I snagged from Allrecipes.com, and a minor swap in the bread, I got a bright, beautiful plate packed with tons of flavor.  The ingredients list is pretty short, and is as follows:

• 6-8 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced         
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil            
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese        
• 2 cloves garlic, minced  (I used one big one)    
• 1 tablespoon reduced balsamic vinegar       
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 loaf French bread, toasted and sliced

I tossed everything in a bowl; tomatoes, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. I placed about 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in a pan and reduced it down, put it to the side to cool.  Drizzle olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper, toss. Serve on toasted bread slices, and top with the now cooled sticky syrupy goodness that is reduces balsamic vinegar.

Not the prettiest plating, but you get the idea.  Is yummy, colorful, a punch of flavor....What's not to love?!  Now I told you I made some minor changes.  I bought some garlicky toasts from my local supermarket, and I reduced the balsamic to be a sauce and less of a dressing.  The original recipe is HERE

You can also find it on the Recipe page of this blog in the Appetizers section.  Hope you enjoy it!