Tomatoes boost nutrition
Champion, Green Zebra, Dad’s Sunset, Sun Gold, Cherokee Purple, Chef’s Choice and Black Beauty are just a few of the more than 10,000 tomato varieties that exist. Summer is the perfect time to experiment with the endless ways to enjoy tomatoes.
Tomatoes are in season, and many residents are plucking them right off the vine in their own backyards or taking them home from the farmers market or grocery store. Tomatoes have antioxidants such as vitamin C and carotenoids like lycopene. Lycopene is associated with many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
There are more than 10,000 tomato varieties available, so why not seek out a different color from the usual red such as yellow, orange, green or purple? Why not try a differently shaped tomato than the usual round shape, or try a different technique than the usual sliced tomato?
For breakfast, tomatoes are delicious cooked in a frittata, omelet or tart. Nestle tomato slices into avocado toast. At lunch, cherry tomatoes are easily added to any salad, whether it includes greens or pasta. Tomatoes work well on any charcuterie platter or in a picnic lunch. Grilled cheese and tuna melts are elevated with the tart addition of a tomato slice, or better yet, a sweet and savory tomato jam.
Surprisingly, tomatoes work well with other fruits in a salad such as peaches, plums and watermelon. Add herbs and ricotta cheese to balance the sweetness. There are endless salsa and bruschetta recipes to try on crusty baguette slices all summer long.
Toss tomatoes with other roasted or grilled vegetables and top with feta cheese for an easy summer dinner. While tomato soup is always a good idea, try gazpacho, a cold tomato soup on a hot summer’s evening.
A homemade tomato sauce is brighter and fresher than anything in a can or jar. An easy rustic sauce can be made by roasting tomatoes with onion, garlic and basil or by simmering all the ingredients on the stove.
Either way, the sauce can be served over pasta, chicken or fish. Blending the ingredients is optional. The next level is using a machine to separate the skins and seeds from the juice of par-cooked tomatoes to create a sauce that can be preserved. A winter meal made with this sauce will bring back memories of summer.
Another benefit of eating a tomato is that it boosts the skin’s natural sun protection. Due to the high vitamin C and lycopene in tomatoes, there are many tomato-based supplements and skincare products on the market that claim to brighten skin and protect against free radicals and UV damage.
Do you have a green thumb? Send us your photos of your tomato plants in the garden or on your deck to editor@castlepinesconnection.com for a chance to win a $50 gift card.
Article and photo by Lisa Nicklanovich
