Pomodoro Tomato and Basil Orzo

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Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

p1020265p1020267Last night we made orzo with pomodoro tomatoes and basil. I realized at the end that I did not chop a thing thanks to the ingredients I found in the store - the Gourmet Garden basil and garlic tubes and the box of sodium-free chopped pomodoro tomatoes.The orzo is pasta that is shaped like rice and it cooks quickly. It adds variety to the spaghetti and macaroni that are staples in our kitchen.  Here is the recipe:

  1.  Saute 1 tablespoon minced garlic in 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil until nutty over medium heat in a sauce pan
  2. Add 2 cups chopped pomodoro tomatoes and juice along with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil and allow to cook briefly.  
  3. Stir in 3 cups cooked orzo. 

p1020270We paired the Orzo with a Light Caesar Salad that was very very lightly dressed with Light Caesar Dressing by Cardini's:p1020292p1020293We enjoy the flavor of Cardini's and this dressing is much lower in fat AND sodium than most other Caesar Dressings we have come across in the store.We also served Chicken Tenderloins with Key Lime and Cilantro:p1020284The chicken tenders were placed in a glass baking dish and topped with key lime juice and Gourmet Garden chopped cilantro and then baked for 20 minutes at 350. We have the leftovers for some chicken tacos later in the week. Some more menu ideas from our week:- Lowfat Lasagna with Egg Plant Parmesan, salad- Chicken Rice Tacos with corn, slaw, sliced avocado- Turkey Cutlets with fresh zucchini, mashed sweet potatoes- Turkey Mushroom Rice Pot (leftover chopped turkey cooked with brown rice and mushrooms), cucumber yogurt saladThis menu was inspired from the produce section of the store. I find it is very efficient to go home with 4 or 5 meal ideas that use some of the same ingredients.Note:  We have had a question on the Pomi brand Pomodoro tomatoes featured here.  They are a pomodoro or plum tomato that is diced and packaged without salt in an aseptic container. You can also use fresh diced plum tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes without salt. If using the  latter, a pinch of sugar will make them more similar to the plum tomatoes which are sweeter and have a more mild flavor.  Thanks to Janice Gregg from Oregon State University Extension for asking us to clarify this!

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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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