Mediterranean inspired Baked Tomato and Feta

I love cooking, as you will see from this blog we are going to share lots of heathly but delicious foods.

  I think I got my cooking gene from my parents . They both loved to cook!  My father was a chef for the United States Army and my mother- she loved to make our nightly dinners and chat over a warm meal.

Our kitchen was where the magic happened, the food, the conversations, the love…it all took place in the kitchen.

While I use many old family recipes, I do enjoy finding new recipes that aren’t a typical dish. I also enjoy finding side dishes that can compliment any meat protein!

For a while now, I have been incorporating my recipes with Young Living essential oils. It has been a super  easy way to add fresh flavor to sides and snacks without purchasing fresh sprig of oregano or basil.

While I love fresh produce, spices and such; a lot of the time a recipe calls for a small amount of something but the grocer only has a large quantity. More often than not, I am throwing away items, which I hate!

Here is a delicious  Mediterranean-inspired dish that uses two extremely popular essential oils; oregano and basil!

It includes cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, feta cheese, and Vitality™ essential oils . I guarentee it will hit the spot when you’re craving something warm, tasty, and indulgent.

You can serve  on slices of toasted bread! I love using this side when I have family or friends around the dinner table or as a party spread.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 garlic clove, finely minced

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon dried basil

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 8–10 oz. block feta

• 2 drops Oregano Vitality™ essential oil

• 2 drops Basil Vitality™ essential oil

• Fresh oregano and basil to garnish

• Toasted pita or other crusty bread

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰ F.

2. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

3. Place the block of feta in the middle of a medium, shallow baking dish. Place the tomato mixture on top and around the feta. Bake for 15 minutes or until the feta has softened and the tomatoes are fragrant.

4. Take the baking dish out of the oven and remove 1 tablespoon warm oil from the dish. Add Oregano Vitality and Basil Vitality to the warm olive oil and gently stir to combine. Pour the oil mixture over the warm tomatoes and feta.

5. Garnish and serve warm with toasted bread.

• Recipe adapted from Young Living *