Mom's Fried Green Tomatoes with Manchego Blackberry Cheese Sauce

One of Mom's favorite recipes.

Admittedly, this is not exactly a healthy recipe. In my journey through health I've learned that a diet is a healthy diet is about finding something you can maintain long-term. For me that is a mostly an extremely healthy, vegetable rich, low-carb (50-80g net carb) per day with the occasional homemade fried foods, and even a cookie every once in a while. I think sometimes being in balance means acknowledging that we are all imperfect - we must give ourselves the space we need to follow our unique journey of health. With hopes and open mind that we can improve our health throughout the course of our lives. Be you...be healthy.


Mom's Fried Green Tomatoes

While picking up a few items at our local Farmer's Market yesterday. My mother's face lit-up with excitement at the sight of beautiful, plump, fresh green tomatoes. So for dinner last night she made her classic recipe - but gluten-free so it fit into Tanner and my diet.

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Ingredients:

2 large green tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

1 c. gluten-free all purpose flour

Sea salt and pepper to taste

2/3 c. cooking oil (we used a blend of coconut, grapeseed, and olive)

Directions:

1. Mix flour, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Coat tomatoes on both sides with flour mixture. Set aside on plates or wax paper and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Re-coat tomato slices in flour again. 

3. Heat oil in large iron skillet at medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add first batch of tomatoes to skillet. Simmer tomatoes for 1-2 minutes or until brown around the edges. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook tomatoes until fully browned (approx. 5-8 minutes per side).

4. Remove tomatoes from skillet and place on paper towels to absorb some of the oil.

* Recipe of Tammy Goben.

Manchego Blackberry Cheese Sauce

This sauce is rich, savory, and full of sharp cheesy flavor. It pairs so nicely with the flavor of the tomatoes. Some varieties of Manchego cheese are made with sheep's milk and some with cow's. So be sure to read the labels if you need a dairy-free version.

We served with chicken and roasted vegetables.

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Ingredients:

1 tbl. coconut oil

4 blackberries, finely chopped 

1/3 c. unsweetened coconut milk

4 oz. plain goat cheese

1-1/2 to 2 oz. Manchego cheese

1/2 tbl. fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

juice of 1 wedge lemon

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Melt coconut oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add berries and cook 1-2 minutes until softened. 

2. Add coconut milk and cheeses and reduce heat to medium low. Let simmer until cheese is melted. Stir frequently.

3. Add in parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Stir to combine. If sauce is not thick enough, make a slurry with 1 tsp. arrowroot power (or cornstarch) and 2 tbl. cold water. Whisk powder/starch and water together and add to sauce.
4. Drizzle over fried-green tomatoes.
*Recipe by Keri Rogers.

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Creator of Yoga Props, and Nutrition/Wellness Educator.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Education Services.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!

Contact for details: Website  BAYAWellness@gmail.com or 864-430-1275