Bread & Tomato Salad

From EatingWell: Summer 2004, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005) — Subscribe Now!

When it's too hot to cook, just step outside and gather tomatoes and basil from your garden, cut up some day-old country bread and make this flavorful, easy salad, our take on the classic Italian bread salad known as panzanella.

6 servings

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups diced seeded tomatoes, (1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups cubed whole-wheat country bread, (5 ounces), crusts removed
1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
4 4-1/2-ounce cans sardines, (see Ingredient note), optional

Preparation

Whisk oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, bread, onion, basil and capers. Toss to combine. Let the salad sit for about 5 minutes to allow it to absorb the dressing's flavors, stirring occasionally. Serve at room temperature.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient Note: Our test kitchen is fond of Bela brand sardines from Olhao, Portugal. They are firm, lightly smoked and succulent.

Nutrition

Per serving: 168 calories; 17 g fat (2 g sat, 9 g mono); 107 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 3 g fiber; 657 mg sodium; 666 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (60% daily value).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 11/2 fat (mono)