Roasted Mozzarella Basil Spinach Tomatoes

Another crowd pleaser in my house!  Anything I can sneak spinach into, or anyway I can get my kids to eat more vegetables, is a WIN for me.  I served these with my Turkey "Muffins" and afterward I realized the tomato slice would look even better stacked on top of the turkey muffin. This side dish can be served by itself, but lends itself to a variety of serving possibilities:

- For my kids, I put each tomato on a slice of toasted Ezekiel bread first drizzled with olive oil.
- Serve on top a baked flour or corn tortilla or toasted sandwich wrap.
-Serve on pasta.
- Stack them 4 high on one another, or stack layering with baked eggplant or zucchini slices.
- Serve on a pizza crust

If you make these, let me know how your served them and what you think of the recipe.

INGREDIENTS - Serves 6-8

6 large beefsteak tomatoes
6-7 slices of mozzarella cheese (I used part skim)
1 bag of baby spinach leaves
4 cloves minced or crushed garlic
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
About 30 fresh basil leaves
Balsamic vinegar (I keep my balsamic vinegar in a spray pump for more control)
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray (I use coconut oil cooking spray from Trader Joe's)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Slice tomatoes into thick slices, about 5 slices per tomato.
3. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray.
4. Place tomato slices in one layer on the baking sheet.
5. Spray generously (or drizzle) balsamic vinegar on tomatoes.
6. Spread crushed garlic over tomatoes.
7. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are brown at the edges.
8. Take tomatoes out of the oven.
9. Stack 4-5 baby spinach leaves on each slice of tomato.
10. Place tomatoes back into the oven for about 4-5 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
11. Remove tomatoes from the oven.
12. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
13. Break mozzarella slices into quarters.
14. Place one quarter of cheese slice atop each spinach topped tomato slice.
15. Return tomatoes back to the oven, just until cheese is melted.
16. Top each slice with a fresh basil leaf.

Photos of cooking instructions below:

Tomatoes placed on baking sheet sprayed with coconut oil cooking spray.

Topped with spinach, parmesan cheese, and starting to top with mozzarella quartered slices.

Taken out of the oven, just before topping with fresh basil leaves.

Served as a regular side, but would look so good atop the turkey muffins!