Panzanella - Enjoy it Year-round

Panzanella salad is bread salad and is one of my favorite meals in summer. When garden-fresh tomatoes are available, I omit the canned, but the rest of the year, they work nicely. Just be sure to use the no-salt canned tomatoes. It is a great way to enjoy some fresh flavors in the colder months.


Year-round Panzanella Salad

Serving Size: makes 4 1 1/4-cup servings

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 slices french bread, stale or toasted and torn into pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup (1/2 can) diced tomatoes
1 cup cucumber diced (1 small to medium cucumber)
1 avocado, peeled and diced
10 basil leaves torn or sliced into fine ribbons
2 oz. fresh mozzarella (either small perlini balls, or diced)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Combine first 7 ingredients (bread through mozzarella) in large bowl. In small bowl combine remaining 5 ingredients and mix well. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe: 4
Serving Size: 1 serving

Amount Per Serving:
Calories 255.3
Total Fat 13.4 g
Saturated Fat 3.0 g
Poly. Fat 1.4 g
Mono. Fat 7.8 g
Cholesterol 8.2 mg
Sodium 441.5 mg
Potassium 398.1 mg
Total Carb. 27.6 g
Dietary Fiber 5.6 g
Sugars 2.2 g
Protein 8.2 g

The Pros of Probiotics

With cold and flu season upon us, we all think about vitamin C and possibly zinc when it comes to protection against infection.  We drink OJ and suck on zinc lozenges, but did you think to reach for the yogurt?  Numerous studies have shown probiotics to reduce the rate of upper respiratory infections by up to 12%.  Obviously, we're not talking about a cure for the common cold here, but every little bit helps.  Benefits of probiotics include:

• Improvement of symptoms in irritable bowel and Crohn's disease
• Reduction of diarrhea when taking antibiotics
• Treatment/prevention of yeast infections
• Protection against upper respiratory infections

So where do we get this multi-tasking microorganisms?  Yogurt, cheese, tempeh, miso, kefir & probiotic supplements - to name a few.  The most readily available sources for most  people will be yogurts with live cultures or supplements.  When choosing a supplement shoot for one that contains multiple strains from different bacteria and contains at least 1-10 billion organisms.  When incorporating probiotics from food sources, remember that the bacteria are killed by heat, so anything cooked will no longer provide the same benefits.

Although the complete story on probiotics is still emerging, they are generally considered safe as they naturally occur in our digestive tracts.  So with many pros and no cons - why not give probiotics a try?  Add a little bacteria to your breakfast with this tasty recipe from Cooking Light Magazine: Cinnamon Crisps with Blackberries and Yogurt

Fried Green Tomatoes

This time of year when the garden is facing the imminent threat of frost, grab a few of those green tomatoes while you're in the harvesting mode.  Not only do these tangy delicacies deliver great flavor, but vitamin C, potassium and beta-carotene as well.  Here's my favorite fried green tomato non-recipe (it's so simple you don't really need to measure anything).

Fried Green Tomatoes with Spicy White BBQ Sauce

2 -3 green tomatoes sliced about 1/4 inch thick

• Flour Mixture: 1/2 cup white flour + couple dashes of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper
• Egg wash: 1 egg + 1/4 cup milk (truly, nice pour will suffice - no need to measure)
• Breading mixture: 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs + 1/2 cup corn meal

One you have your three bowls ready - flour, egg, breading - heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add a small amount of olive oil, then a few slices at a time, fry the floured, egged, and breaded green tomatoes.  Fry each side for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned.  You can also finish off the cooking process in a 350 degree F oven - just place the pan-fried tomato slices on a baking rack set atop a cookie sheet. 

Spicy White BBQ Sauce:

Mix equal parts greek yogurt and barbeque sauce, adding a few drops of tabasco or hot pepper sauce. 

Enjoy!