Viva Italia!

Well, hello there! Another Monday has come & nearly gone & in true Italian fashion, it is the day families congregate & celebrate over food! & I am Italian so I like to incorporate these lovely traditions where I can! (Plus, my husband called & said we MUST have pasta for dinner tonight! How could I refuse??) This week's pasta night was utterly simple AND I didn't even make my own pasta this time - I know I know, bad vegan, very bad vegan! But every so often I indulge & buy a box of the yummiest store bought pasta you can get around here - Eden Organics Parsley Garlic Ribbons- mmmm they are true deliciousness! Garlicky goodness, if you will! They need no dressing up or disguising, just a splash of olive oil & a sprinkling of sea salt & pepper. They are pretty freaking awesome & I will soon be giving you a recipe to make your own because I am going to make them myself!

Mamma Mia Bruschetta

serves 4 -5 

-5 to 6 Roma or heirloom tomatoes, chopped & diced (ya i couldn't get my hands on either of those tomatoes today but, trust me, sooo good with Roma's or heirlooms. Plus with heirloom, you get different & gorgeous colors) 

-1 red onion, chopped & diced (I had to go with one of my sweet Maui onions since the red onion I got was moldy in the middle - uuuggghhhhh)

-3 to 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (if you can, use your best, special occasion olive oil because it is right for this simple, lovely bruschetta)

-2 tbsp minced garlic

-1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp finely, finely chopped fresh basil

-sea salt & pepper to taste

2 options: For a bite, add 1 chopped jalapeno (my FAV!) or fry up a handful of capers & throw on the top before serving!

Throw all ingredients in a large bowl & mix gently. Serve asap alongside garlic toasted crostini (recipe follows) - tomatoes should send no time in the refrigerator since they start to break down quickly in there.

     

   

Green's Garlic Toasted Crostini

-1/2 loaf sourdough bread (baked by YOU, if possible!)

-Earth Balance Buttery Spread

-Garlic powder

-Onion powder

-Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler. Cut small slices from the loaf to make small toasts. Spread a small amount of Earth Balance on toasts. Sprinkle toast with mostly garlic powder, followed by a little onion powder, sea salt & freshly ground black pepper. Stick those babies in the oven & toast until golden brown & fragrant, about 5 - 7 minutes. Devour!! 

   

Typically, I like to add some blanched green beans but there were none left from the market - I'm a pig, I admit it! I can't open the fridge without wanting to eat everything GREEN that's in it!!

Simple. Delicious. Perfect.

Long day!