My family loves bruschetta (pronounced brus-ketta). We could eat this stuff by the platefuls!
One of the best things about bruschetta is the health benefits of the tomatoes used in this tasty appetizer. According to The World’s Healthiest Foods (2010) “lycopene from tomatoes has been repeatedly studied in humans and found to be protective against a growing list of cancers” (paragraph 4).
This is a simple dish to make with your kids, so naturally I rounded up my little helper to prepare this recipe.
The following recipe is a vegan version of this delicious dish!
Vegan Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 3 large, ripe tomatoes (diced)
- 6 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp basil (fresh is best)
- 1/4 tsp thyme (fresh is best)
- 1/2 Tbsp parsley (fresh is best)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 vegan (dairy & egg free) baguette
Instructions
- Preheat broiler.
- Prepare ingredients; mince garlic, dice tomatoes and herbs (if using fresh herbs)
- Over medium-low heat, cook the garlic for about 3 minutes in 2 Tbsp olive oil. Since olive oil is being used, make sure to keep the temperature medium-low.
- Add tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
- In the last 1-2 minutes, add basil, thyme, parsley and onion powder.
- Cut the baguette into diagonal wedges.
- Brush both sides of the sliced baguette with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle each piece of bread with salt and pepper.
- Top each slice with a generous spoonful of the tomato mixture.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes. Watch closely (time varies based upon the oven being used).
Do you like bruschetta? I encourage you to try this recipe. It’s easy and affordable… and certain to please even the most discerning of palettes!
References
Health Diaries. (2010) How to pronounce bruschetta. Retrieved November 2, 2010 from http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/how-to-pronounce-bruschetta.html.
The World’s Healthiest Foods. (2010). Antioxident benefits of lycopene. Retrieved November 1, 2010 from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=44.