quick-roasted garlic and tomatoes

I've been yo-yo dieting my way through life ever since college. I am generally an all-or-nothing kind of girl, which can be good or bad depending on the situation -- but when it comes to my diet, it's definitely not the best approach. I go a few months eating ridiculously healthy and clean, only to fall off the wagon and go for an all-out junk food fest for the next few months. After a while, I start feeling gross from all the unhealthy food (and from the extra pounds I put on), and then the cycle starts again.

I used to be the same way with exercise, too, but in the past year or so, I've gotten down a fairly consistent workout routine. Lately, I've been thinking it's about time I finally achieve moderation with my eating habits, too. I've been trying to do more cooking, focusing on whole, healthy, naturally good-for-you foods, and I'm already feeling the difference. Of course, since I'm aiming for moderation, my other goal is satisfy my cravings as well as my hunger. Because of this, I am now obsessed with scouring Pinterest, FoodGawker, TasteSpotting, etc. for delicious recipes that are either already healthy or that I can make healthy.

One of the tastiest things I've made so far is so easy, it doesn't even really need a recipe. This garlic-and-tomato combination is a perfect side "dish" and is a wonderful addition to pasta, warm salad, or sandwiches. I cooked up some chicken and toasted up some gluten free hamburger buns (Udi's from Trader Joe's and surprisingly good!), then treated the garlic and tomatoes as condiments on the bread -- after spending 20 minutes in the oven, they're super soft, so you can easily mush them up. So delicious, and they couldn't be easier to make!

INGREDIENTS:

> 8-12 roma tomatoes
> 1-2 whole heads of garlic
> 1 Tablespoon olive oil
> Salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 500° or as high as it will go. Cut each tomato in half lengthwise and evenly distribute in a baking pan. Break down the garlic into individual cloves (leave the skins on) and add in with the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle olive oil on top. Toss with hands to make sure everything is evenly coated. Arrange tomatoes cut side down. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tomato skins are wrinkled and slightly charred.

NOTE:

The roasted garlic should come out of its skin easily, and the cloves inside will be soft and almost creamy.