Here’s a suggestion for a delicious, super easy, and healthy snack. Its primary ingredient is tomatoes, and as you know, tomatoes are good for us. They’re packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin K1, folate and potassium. Moreover, they’re also a rich source of antioxidants such as Chlorogenic acid (proven effective helping to lower blood pressure).\

You add some chopped fresh basil and minced garlic and you have a flavor combination that is an antioxidant-filled delight. And, this yummy concoction can pair up with just about anything. As you might have guessed, I’m talking about an Italian favorite, bruschetta.

Besides making a scrumptious topping for toasted baguette slices, it’s also marvelous with poached eggs and gorgonzola. Cut 8 (1/2” thick) slices of baguette. Toast, rub with garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Then top your bread with nuggets of Gorgonzola or other creamy cheese, 2 poached eggs and your bruschetta spread. This is a favorite summer breakfast!

Another unique way to use bruschetta is as a mini tartlet filling. These little bruschetta tarts are made by baking 18 frozen (2”) mini tart shells as per package directions. Let them cool to room temperature. Then crumble a 113g log of goat cheese into small pieces. Fill each shell with cheese, packing it in. Top it all off with the bruschetta spread, filling each shell slightly over the top. Bake your tarts at 350 degrees until they’re heated through, about 12 minutes.

Another take on the idea above is to fill and entire cooked pie crust with goat cheese and top the whole thing with your bruschetta (about 3 cups-worth). Then bake this pie at 350 degrees until entirely heated through and the filling is bubbling (maybe 15 minutes).

My favorite way to enjoy bruschetta is to pour it over cooked pasta (especially rigatoni) along with a healthy dollop of pesto. Sprinkle some freshly grated cheese over it and oh my—this is one delicious and hearty meal!

One last idea calls for an open mind. Truly, you won’t regret giving this a chance. We top dill pickle slices with bruschetta and a little grated Parmesan cheese. In fact, we’ll often use this combo on our grilled burgers. And I like bruschetta so much that I dip my French fries in it.

If you don’t already have a recipe for bruschetta, then give this one a try. Well, it’s actually a “method,” rather than a recipe. This is a snack that’s 100% made to taste preference—and you can’t go wrong. Most recipes call for olive oil; you can add it if that’s your preference. I go for fat-free. See what you think:




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    Alice Osborne
    DVO Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com