This is not cooking - Bruschetta

I usually make this is as a small bite before dinner, to make sure my guests aren't starving while I'm cooking. I just use smaller slices of bread. Last week however I was just too tired to cook properly so I ate it for dinner while watching Monte Carlo (with Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy and Leighton Meester). Which is a tip if you like horrifying chickflick as much as I do.

I have to warn you about one thing, I'd recommend eating this when you're by yourself or with people who are close to you and don't mind you eating like an apeman. Not very suitable for first dates, I think. It's just impossible to eat this in an elegant manner! When I was done eating this I didn't have to moisturize anymore - my face was completely covered in olive oil. I couldn't stop thinking about SATC and overeating. Ieuuww...

Final note: if, like me, you don't like raw onion and intend on skipping this - you really don't have to. Because of the bread and the mozzarella it's really not as dominant as it can be in a salad. It's also a little less sharp because you marinate the onion a bit in the olive oil and tomato fluids. I cheated though, I left some of the onion on my plate. 

Summer ratatouille out of the oven

The reason I'm calling this 'summer ratatouille' is because I make ratatouille a lot and find new ways to prepare it each and every time I eat it. In winter I'll make it a bit heavier, using canned tomatoes and lot's of thyme and maybe some red wine. In the summer, I try to keep it as pure as possible, giving the fresh ingredients (tomatoes!) the spotlight they deserve. When I ate this it was 30 degrees outside and I wanted to keep it fresh and light. I planned to eat this with couscous but I sinned big time by eating half a bag of crisps before cooking and completely ruined my appetite. So I just ate it by itself. I love this way of preparing ratatouille. Tomatoes have a habit of becoming even better when put in the oven for some time, you really get the best out of them this way. I have a few more recepies in store involving baked tomatoes, so if you like this, stay tuned.

Tabouleh with Eastern spiced meatballs

 

This is tasty, fresh and healthy. Might not look that special... But it is. Take a chance on me.