Who's ready for summer tomatoes???? I know I am. I remember when I was a kid coming home from camp in the summers and my mom would slice up red juicy tomatoes for me sprinkled with fresh herbs and seasonings and we would enjoy them together. Maybe it’s the nostalgia or maybe it’s the fact that I’m just a summer girl at heart but now I get so excited when tomato season approaches. It signals the start of all things summer: summer camps, summer sports, summer sounds, longer days, swimming, cold drinks, and, of course, fresh, bright juicy fruits and delicious sun-ripened vegetables.

I guess we had our first hint of summer the other week because all I wanted to do was sit outside in the beautiful weather for dinner and enjoy some of the foods that reminded me most of summer. The first thing that came to mind was tomatoes and so I did a search for bruschetta recipes from some of my go-to chefs and websites. To my surprise I found ZERO recipes that fit what I was looking for! All the recipes that I found had cheese or some other random ingredient thrown in there when all I wanted was a basic tomato bruschetta. I wanted fresh tomatoes that were the highlight of the dish served on perfectly toasted bread that was sturdy enough to hold the toppings but soft enough to bite into with ease. Since I couldn’t find what I was looking for I decided to create the recipe myself. I ordered fresh heirloom tomatoes from the store, found a good sourdough bread (from Whole Foods) and created a new favorite summer dish! I loved it and so did my husband. Since it was just my husband and I eating this there was enough for leftovers for one more night, which we were both excited about. I then made it a second time the next week so I could double check the recipe and it was still delicious! So, here is the recipe for my Tomato Bruschetta. Hope it brings as much joy to your Spring and Summer dining as it does to ours.

Happy Fueling!

Tomato Bruschetta

Makes about 6 to 8 toasts

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling over toast

• 4 cups diced heriloom tomatos (4 medium tomatoes)

• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic (about 1 large or two medium cloves)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt + more to taste

• Pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar + more, to taste

• About 1/4 cup julienned or torn basil, loosely packed

• 6 to 8 slices of fresh sourdough bread (or less if you don’t intend to use all of it now)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium-sized nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes and then add the minced garlic. Cook until garlic starts to brown and becomes fragrant about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the chopped tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Let simmer about 5 minutes, adding the 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar halfway through.

3. Remove skillet from heat, turning off burner, and allow to sit about 15 minutes.

4. Using a slotted spoon remove the tomatoes from the skillet and into a medium-size bowl. A good amount of the juices will be left behind in the skillet. Add the basil to the diced tomatoes and mix to combine with the spoon.

5. Taste and add more salt and balsamic vinegar as needed.

6. Toast your slices of sourdough bread to desired toastyness.

7. Remove from toaster and place on a cutting board. Drizzle each slice with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Then cut each slice in half and place on a serving platter or individual dinner plates. Spoon the tomatoes over the toast.

8. Serve and enjoy!

Serve It Again!

Remaining tomatoes can be stored in an airtight container and reheated to make more bruschetta later in the week! It’s just as good reheated.

Nutrition Note:

Tomatoes are packed with vitamin C, which helps the body absorb non-animal sources of iron. This can be a great side dish for anyone but especially the vegetarian athlete. Pair with with a salad or stir-fry with deep leafy greens and beans to get a boost in iron absorption!