Mediterranean Baked Fish

Mediterranean Baked Fish

So easy, and yet so elegant. This recipe for Mediterranean Baked Fish allows your taste buds to travel the world, from the comfort of your own kitchen! #KitchenTravel

Your taste buds will be swimming in happiness with this Mediterranean Baked Fish recipe. Thanks to simple ingredients and a fast cook time, you can get this quick and healthy dinner on the table for any night of the week. 

The flavor of the fresh cod fillets mixes beautifully with the artichokes, canned tomatoes and kalamata olives, and the feta cheese crumbles on top helps complete the Mediterranean taste. For those whom follow the Mediterranean diet this will fulfill all the components; high protein from the cod fillet, and packed with vegetables and olive oil for a low carb nutritious meal!

The canned tomatoes marry all the flavors together wonderfully.  Canned tomatoes are a real powerhouse ingredient.  Adding the bright red color comes from the nutrient of lycopene.  Lycopene is rich in antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, and has been proven to protect the body against many chronic diseases. Similar to most nutrients, it’s more natural to obtain lycopene from foods rather than supplements. In order to achieve maximum health benefits associated with lycopene, it is recommended to consume tomato products with a heart healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado. That’s why we recommend enjoying lycopene and its health benefits through delicious foods such as this recipe. So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy some canned tomato products today!

Yield: 4 servings

Mediterranean Baked Fish

Mediterranean Baked Fish

So easy, and yet so elegant. This dish allows your taste buds to travel the world, from the comfort of your own kitchen! #KitchenTravel

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes
  • ½ cup fresh chopped basil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 (4 oz.) cod filets
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • 1 (15 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained
  • 4 oz. kalamata olives
  • 2 Tbsp. capers
  • 1 lemon, sliced

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
    2. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic and saute until the onion turns translucent. Then mix in the canned chopped tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to just a boil then remove it from the heat.
    3. Nestle the cod filets into the sauce and sprinkle the feta cheese on top. Add the artichokes into the sauce, in between the fish. Layer the lemon slices on top of the cod filets. Sprinkle the olives and capers on top.
    4. Transfer the pan into the oven and bake it for 15-25 minutes or until the cod is fully cooked. Enjoy!
For other delicious tomato-based recipes, check out some of our favorites:

Walnut and Mushroom Ragu
Sausage Tortellini Soup
Huevos Rancheros

Are canned foods the ticket to a healthy diet?

Are canned foods the ticket to a healthy diet?

Many people purchase fresh produce over canned due to an assumption that it’s better for health. However, this is not always the case! Including canned foods (like fruit and veggies) in your diet can be an affordable and easy way to bump up the nutrient content in your diet. Learn more about how canned foods can be the ticket to a healthy diet.

It is no secret that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is good for you, as it’s associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. However, purchasing abundant quantities of fresh produce may not be feasible for people and can be their biggest barrier to consuming a healthy diet. Additionally, many people view processed vegetables as less nutritious or even unsafe. However, this is a false notion. Processing foods does not automatically imply that it becomes healthy–in fact, it can improve digestibility, nutrient bioavailability, and food safety [1].

You may be asking yourself how canned tomatoes can be part of a healthy diet. After all, did you know that tomatoes are the second most consumed vegetable in the USA [1]? This could be due to their affordability, versatility, and nutritionally dense content from lycopene. This flavonoid provides many benefits, including anti-inflammatory and caner fighting properties. Canned tomatoes have a higher lycopene content than their fresh counterparts because of the canning process. When tomatoes are heated it increases the lycopene content thanks to the cells inside of the tomatoes exploding during the heating process [1]. This allows them to release their compounds which can then be absorbed by our body and used to fight disease!

The next time you stock up on canned goods, don’t forget to pick up a few cans of tomatoes to boost flavor and health! After all, canned foods can be part of a healthy diet.

Learn more about the health benefits of canned tomatoes here:

Lycopene and Canned Tomatoes May Help with Cancer Prevention
Health Connection Between Tomatoes and Lycopene
The link between canned tomatoes and higher nutrition intake

References:

  1. Wu, X., Yu, L., & Pehrsson, P. R. (2021, October 19). Are processed tomato products as nutritious as fresh tomatoes? scoping review on the effects of industrial processing on nutrients and bioactive compounds in tomatoes. OUP Academic. Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://academic.oup.com/advances/advance-article/doi/10.1093/advances/nmab109/6403479?login=true

 

Making Easy Meals Affordable and Healthy

Making Easy Meals Affordable and Healthy

Making healthy meals doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated. By using canned goods, you can actually get dinner on the table in no time at all without breaking the bank! Learn more about making easy meals affordable and healthy with canned tomatoes.

There are preconceived notions that suggest eating healthy is not affordable, but this is just a false rumor. Pre-cooked, pre-prepared canned goods (such as beans, tomatoes, fish, grains, and more) are quite cost-effective and easy-to-use in your kitchen. You can get a healthy meal on the table in no time with just using pantry ingredients, all without breaking the bank to do so!

Making Easy Meals Affordable and Healthy

Preparing basic, healthy meals with canned foods is more nutritious than you may think. These affordable foods are preserved at nutritional peak when they are being canned and processed. This means that they are filled with tons of vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly, and can help boost energy and reduce risk of certain diseases. That’s we love canned tomatoes, as they are one of the most accessible, affordable, convenient, and sustainable products that you can buy! In fact, studies have shown that canned tomatoes are even more nutrient-rich and environmentally-friendly than fresh tomatoes. The popularity of canned tomatoes is continuing to increase as people become more aware of its usefulness for cooking easy, nutritious meals from the comfort of their own homes. From soups and lasagnas to dips and smoothies, canned tomato products can be used for just about any meal.

To prepare a well-balanced meal, all you need is a can of tomatoes, and your favorite grains, protein, vegetables, and spices. The sky’s the limit from there. That’s why we love this recipe for Chipotle Tomato Rice Power Bowl; it’s a pantry-friendly recipe that’s also affordable and nutritious! You can also make this recipe ahead of time and have it for leftovers throughout the week. You’ll save both time and money, all while feeling your best! 

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake from Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, for Tomato Wellness
 
This easy casserole bake can be whipped together in minutes! Plus, this completely plant-based (vegan) Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake is based on foods you can keep on hand in your pantry: spelt (an ancient form of wheat kernels), canned chickpeas, canned marinated artichokes, marinara sauce, and olives. It’s savory, hearty and a one-dish meal. And with only 8 ingredients (not including pantry staples), this healthy, no-oil, no-salt, no-sugar whole foods, plant-based recipe is a cinch to turn to on your busiest nights of the weeks. With the Mediterranean flavors of chickpeas, ancient grains, artichokes, olives, tomatoes, and herbs, this recipe is powerful in flavor, and packed with important nutrients, such as plant protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. Whip it up for a one-dish meal, and pack up the leftovers for work the next day. You can swap out the ingredients easily, too—try quinoa instead of spelt (which makes this recipe gluten-free), white beans instead of chickpeas, and green beans instead of peas, for example.

 

 

 
Yield: 6 servings

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake

This completely plant-based (vegan) Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake is based on foods you can keep on hand in your pantry.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups cooked spelt (according to package directions)
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
  • 1 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup olives, drained (i.e. Spanish, Kalamata)
  • ½ cup marinara sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Pinch black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
    2. Mix all ingredients together and place in a medium casserole dish.
    3. Place in oven, on top rack, uncovered, and bake for about 30 – 35 minutes, until golden brown and heated through.

Notes

To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute a gluten-free grain (quinoa, sorghum, brown rice) for spelt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6 servings

Serving Size:

1 serving

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 312mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 14gSugar: 9gProtein: 12g

 

Ratatouille with White Beans

Ratatouille with White Beans

Ratatouille with White Beans from Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, for Tomato Wellness
 
A harvest from your summer vegetable garden or trip to the farmers market—and rummage through the kitchen cupboard—never looked so delicious! With one large saucepan and a few simple ingredients, this mouthwatering plant-based Ratatouille with White Beans is sure to satisfy any hearty appetite. The classic tradition of ratatouille takes full advantage of summery, sunshine-loving vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. The roots of this dish come from 18th century France in the Provence and Nice area. This Mediterranean recipe follows along with the principle of “making something of nothing.” Essentially, you create cuisine out of all of the beautiful things that grow in the region during a particular season. And those vegetables when paired together create absolute magic, though this is considered a humble, plant-based dish. But the best things in life are simple, rustic, and unassuming. Such as ratatouille!
 
 
I’m a huge fan of this dish, as I live in a Mediterranean grown region myself. I always have an abundance of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and herbs in my garden every summer. So, it’s a cinch to whip up this recipe a couple of times a month during the season. I added a flourish of pine nuts and a can of white beans to boost the nutrition value of this dish. It is essentially a one dish meal, balanced with protein, healthy carbs, and nutrients. Pair it with some crusty, whole grain bread.
 
Yield: 4 servings

Ratatouille with White Beans

Ratatouille with White Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1  small onion, sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced
  • 1 small eggplant, sliced
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (may use 2 cups fresh, chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed well (or 2 cups cooked)
  • 1/2 cup olives, drained
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped or dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • Salt to taste (optional)
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

    1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onion, zucchini, and eggplant, and sauté for about 8 minutes.
    2. Add tomatoes, white beans, olives, and oregano, stir well, and cover.
    3. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes (longer if using fresh tomatoes), stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, and mixture is thick and bubbly.
    4. Season with salt (optional) and pepper to taste. Garnish with pine nuts.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 serving

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 165Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 192mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 7gSugar: 4 gProtein: 5g