Tag Archives: tomato

Sauteed Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Onions

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s hard for me to label food as truly delectable if it isn’t smothered in cheese, slathered with a rich and creamy sauce, or encased in breading and submersed in piping hot oil. Indulgent foods have a leg up on everything else; that’s just the way it is. Few people prefer raw broccoli to golden, crispy french fries (and if you do, God bless you).

But is the idea that food can only be good if it is made rich and fattening simply a product of our fast food-eating, cookie-stuffed cupcake-baking nation? Perhaps we’ve become so brainwashed by the influx of indulgent eats in America that we’ve forgotten how delicious a simpler dish can be. Maybe it’s not true that richer is always better; maybe that’s just something we’ve been conditioned to believe.

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Judgement Time: Olive Garden’s Stuffed Rigatoni

I love Olive Garden. I don’t care if it’s not “authentic” Italian or if it’s laden with calories; it’s delicious. But I am very unfortunate, my little cookies, because my closest Olive Garden is 45 minutes away (no DQ, no Cheesecake Factory, no Wegman’s…how does anyone live here???). Luckily, when I make my monthly trek to the Wegman’s in Syracuse, I also make it a point to have a nice lunch with my mother. Where did we graze after we ventured to Weggie’s last weekend?

Olive Garden, of course!

You see, I just had to get to the Garden to try their new Cheese-Stuffed Rigatoni. They have 2 varieties: rigatoni with grilled chicken and a roasted garlic alfredo sauce or with sausage and a tomato-alfredo, plus an extra layer of melted cheese. I opted for the second, minus the sausage of course.

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3-Cheese Spinach & Tomato Melt

What’s easy, cheesy, and crazy delicious?

This 3-Cheese Spinach & Tomato Melt!

Is there anything better than mounds of gooey cheese sandwiched between golden brown, buttery bread? Probably not. But perhaps the typical American & white bread gets old for you from time to time. A classic, yes, but sometimes, you need a change! That’s when you whip up this baby. Packin’ triple the cheese & fresh veggies, it’s a toasty treat that’s sure to please.

When you’ve got three kinds of cheese stuffed into a sandwich (Mozarella, Cheddar, and Muenster), you know you’re in for something good. This trio works fantastically well together. It’s teamwork at its finest, like an elite team of Olympian cheeses, working together to win the gold medal of deliciousness.

Although the cheeses play a vital role in this sammy, we mustn’t forget the equally important veggies. You’ve got fresh spinach to give the sammy some bulk and add a nutritious advantage over the average grilled cheese. Then, you finish with that juicy tomato, adding a hint of sweetness that perfectly compliments the symphony of cheesy wonder. This melt is a prime example of great flavors working together in harmony to create something that’s simple but perfect.

Build this baby on a whole-wheat sandwich thin for an extra bit of healthiness and a slightly sweet flavor. It’s shape & size works perfectly for this melt. Then, add a touch of freshly ground pepper for kick and, you’ve got yourself a sammy.

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Healthy Cookie: Kickin’ Italian Veggie Skillet (140 Calories)

It’s been scientifically proven that we eat with our eyes first. Well then, it’s a good thing that this dish is so colorful. Your eyes will greedily eat up my Kickin’ Italian Veggie Skillet, and then your mouth will happily follow. You see, it’s not just this skillet’s appearance that’s colorful; there is a rainbow of flavors working together here as well. Wonderful garlic, sweet tomatoes, spicy red pepper flakes, robust onion, and salty parmesan. The elite Italian seasonings came together to make one incredible dish that sings with flavor. Your mouth will go nuts (in a very good way).

Perhaps as awesome as this veggie skillet’s flavor is its fabulous texture. The secret is the broccoli slaw upon which the recipe is built. It cooks down to acquire a slight softness, but still packs some crazy crunch in every bite. Then you get the smooth marinara sauce as well. It’s crunchy, tasty, and amazing.

And did I mention you can eat HALF of this entire ginormous pot of vivacious veggies for only 140 CALORIES?

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