Vegetation

So after eating the ice cream all afternoon (cause my busy and ever growing bee hind couldn't keep out of the freezer for more than 3 seconds despite the growing tummy ache) I decided on a "junk food trying to be healthy" dinner. Junk food cause let's face it, puff pastry is far from healthy but trying to be healthy because of the tomato (and the vegetables I served it with!). But these were pretty yum anyway, at least I'll have enjoyed eating my way to the next size up in pants huh? :P

These were pretty quick and easy and look fairly impressive. This ratio will serve 1 large serve (if you eat a lot like Mr Un-Veg, less for other people....) It's another one from here but I adapted it to single serve portions.

Tomato and Pesto Tarts:

1/2 sheet Puff Pastry
2 tsp Pesto (I used prepared stuff, 1 had Wild Rocket and 1 had Basil)
1 Roma Tomato, sliced fairly thinly
1 Tbsp Marscapone

Cut pastry into 4 squares (or 2 if using half a sheet but that just means you'll have already cut it in half :P)

Score with a sharp knife a 1cm border around each square of pastry.

Spray a non stick baking tray with non stick spray and place pastry squares into a preheated 200C oven for 15-20 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden brown.

Remove from oven and press with the back of a spoon around the inside square inside the scoring to collapse it. In this collapsed bit spread about 1 tsp of pesto, 1/2 Tbsp of marscapone and top with the tomato slices.

Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes or until baked nicely. Serve with salad in summer or veggies in winter.

I made ours with Mashed Potato with sour cream and chives (again junk food masquerading as healthy), corn on the cob and boiled carrots (yup, I like the daylights boiled of them if I'm cooking them!). These can easily be veganized. I know Bryanna Clark Grogan has a recipe for Tofu Marscapone (and I believe a soy free non dairy version also but I think it's in one of her books. I'll do some googling later and update with a link if I find it).

And now I am going to go and die of food overload!

(ETA:

Cashew Mascarpone (makes 1 cup)

1 cup plain commercial Rice Milk
1/4 cup Raw Cashews
4 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Cornflour or 3 Tbsp White Rice Flour
2 Tbsp light-flavoured Oil
1/4 tsp Salt

Blend the rice milk and cashews together until extremely smooth with no graininess at all. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour into a small, heavy-based pan and stir constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and boils. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 1 min, stirring occasionally. (Or alternatively pour the mixture into a microwave-proof bowl and microwave for 2 mins. Whisk well.) Scrape into a container and let cool to room temperature. Whisk with an electric mixer until smooth, then cover and refrigerate. Whisk again before serving, adding a little rice milk if the mixture has thickened too much.

(Taken from Nonna's Italian Kitchen by Bryanna Clark Grogan, ISBN 1570670552))