Spicy Summer Bruschetta: Feed Your Body Friday

Happy Feed Your Body Friday, friends!

Summer is my favorite season, like many of you, I’m sure! I like everything that comes with it: festivals, being able to wear shorts, holidays, hot days and warm evenings.

One of the things I really loooove is the abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables, which are delicious and affordable! Tomatoes, zucchinis, field cucumbers, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, I love them all! Summer means we have perfect opportunities to make delicious, fresh, ultra-colorful salads… for less money.

There’s nothing better than sitting outside and snacking on fresh summer delights!

Our Summer Favorite: Bruschetta

Today, we are making a fresh summer treat with a twist: Spicy Tomato Bruschetta with homemade croutons. In just 20 minutes you will see all the flavors combined will explode in your mouth in an ultra-harmonious way! This freshness comes from the advantage of using fresh ingredients that peak in the current season.

Bruschetta originated during the 15th century in Italy as something simpler - when olive growers would sample their most recent olive press by putting it on a slice of bread with oil. Since then, it has gained global popularity for being a staple to any modern Tapas.

There are so many variations you can make to this traditional treat including vegetables, beans, meats, cheeses, and in our case - spices. I like to think of bruschettas like fancier chips and salsa - it’s perfect for parties or for solo snacking.

What Kind of Tomatoes Should You Use?

For the type of tomatoes, in principle and at the origin is big and crushed tomatoes. But now I see a lot of bruschettas made with the more “fashionable” cherry tomatoes. So feel free to put whatever tomatoes you like best, as long as they are good and juicy enough to soak into the delicious bread.

My favorites to use are:

• Roma tomatoes or
• Heirloom tomatoes

Another one of our summer snack favorites: The Perfect Summer Cheeseboard

Spicy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 8 Pieces

Ingredients

For the tomato mix:

• 3 fresh tomatoes.
  
• 1 shallot, dry, chopped.
  
• 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, thinly chopped.
  
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed & finely minced.
  
• 1 tsp. of sriracha sauce.
  
• 45 mL olive oil.
  
• 15 mL red wine vinegar.
  
• Salt and black pepper, to taste.

For the croutons:

• 1/2 day-old baguette for croutons
• Olive oil, for brushing.
• Optional: 2 Cloves of garlic, chopped.

Preparation

Crouton time!

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Cut a baguette into 2 cm thick slices and brush each side lightly with olive oil.
3. Place on a large baking sheet and toast them for about 10 to 15 minutes (until golden and crisp)
4. Let your bread cool for 5 minutes and reserve.
5. Optional: For more flavor, rub the tops of the bread with chopped garlic cloves.

Let’s make our bruschetta topping:

1. Wash tomatoes and cut into small cubes.
2. Place in a colander and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Mix gently and allow it to sit for 20 minutes over a bowl.
   
3. When the tomatoes are disgorged (water drained out), ensure that most of the juice and seeds have been removed.
4. Place your tomatoes in a bowl and add the other ingredients: shallots, garlic, sriracha, basil, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
5. Mix ingredients and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Time to assemble:

1. Spoon a little bruschetta on each crouton.
2. Serve and enjoy.
   

Skip The Oven, Enjoy the Heat

You will see, it’s fragrant and delicious!

Since it’s summer, we want recipes that are easily prepared and don’t involve using the oven or the stove. It’s hot enough! Bruschetta is great for that. Apart from roasting the slices of bread in the oven, the rest is raw and can be prepared in advance.

What better way to serve delicious bruschetta during a summer backyard barbecue than as an aperitif with a chilled glass of white wine, or as an accompaniment to grilled meat or fish on the BBQ? This recipe yields an amount that’ll allow you to have seconds (maybe even thirds?), or leftovers to enjoy during the week. The healthy, fresh ingredients are a guilt-free way to indulge, especially since this is a vegetarian-friendly recipe.

While you’re at it, pair this with a nice Summer Iced Drink for the perfect summer afternoon.