Not-So-Fried Green Tomatoes

So just a disclaimer to everyone: I have NEVER, I mean never ever made fried green tomatoes before and have really only eaten them once in my life at one of the best restaurants I've been to in Baltimore (Miss Shirley's...so great!). So this was my first attempt at them after seeing some great looking green tomatoes at the farmers market a couple weeks ago...and my attempt to make them healthier. 


Ingredients:

• Green tomatoes, sliced into about 1/2" thick slices
• Low fat butter milk, q.b.
• Italian Bread Crumbs, q.b.
• Sugar, q.b.
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced thin
• Pesto (homemade or store bought!), q.b. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soak tomato slices in buttermilk for just a few minutes (I did this while slicing the mozzarella and getting out my bread crumbs, preparing my cookie sheet, etc.).


Mix breadcrumbs (I used about a cup) and some sugar (I used about a teaspoon just to give it a hint of sweetness to add to the tomatoes and help caramelize them a bit).


Shake off excess buttermilk from the slices as you lightly coat them in the bread crumb mix (usually I use whole wheat bread crumbs but didn't have any left and just used regular today).  Placed on a well greased cookie sheet in the top 3rd of your oven (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. I turned mine a few times to make sure both sides were golden brown.


Layer slices with fresh mozzarella and top with a few teaspoons of pesto. Voila! Can be served as an appetizer, main dish or side. Kind of a twist on a caprese salad :) I didn't realize until it was all on the plate how "green" my dinner turned out to be....kinda missed the rainbow on this one but still good for you ;)