Vegetable Christmas Toast

Who said tasty can’t be healthy! These little veggie bites really pack a flavor punch along with a fiber punch. Using Lima beans as the base, I pureed them up to make a creamy sweet spread. Add some roasted tomatoes and a sprinkle of cheese and you have the makings of a very good and healthy appetizer. Put a little hard boiled chopped up eggs, and this would also make a great breakfast.

Vegetable Christmas Toast
1 frozen package of baby Lima beans
1 onion diced
3 cloves of garlic diced
8 plum/Roma tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 roasted garlic
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs oregano
1 garlic salt
1/2 cup Pecorino cheese grated
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
1 loaf Multigrain baguette cut on the bias
salt & pepper

Heat oven to 425°F.

In a small stock pot sweat the onions and garlic, (reserve the roasted garlic for later). Add the Lima beans and half the chicken stock to the pot. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

On a sheet pan, coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices and lay out on the sheet. Top with oregano, garlic salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top and roast for 18 minutes making sure not to burn.

Remove the lima beans from the stove and blend with the cream cheese, parsley and salt & pepper. Add more chicken stock as needed to create a creamy consistency.

Toast the bread and top with the vegetable mixture, some roasted tomatoes and a sprinkle of the grated cheese. I also lightly fried some fresh basil for garnish.

Enjoy!