Ingredient of the Week

Before I get to this week's ingredient, let me display my goods for the week from the Farmer's Market:

{cantaloupe, tomatoes, corn on the cob, garlic, carrots, green beans, and kettle corn}

This week's ingredient is tomato!

Tomatoes, although commonly known as a vegetable, are actually a fruit. They're a great source of antioxidants and are specifically rich in vitamin C and lycopene, among many other vital nutrients. Lycopene has many protective health factors such as building bone mass (especially important for us women), making skin less sensitive to UV light damage and reducing risk of cancer. Tomatoes are also important for promoting immune health (vitamin C) and vision/eye health, and they can even make your hair stronger and more shiny (thank you vitamin A!).  

All in all, plenty of reasons to eat tomatoes. And another little known fact - unlike many vegetables, cooking and processing tomatoes can actually make the lycopene more bioavailable. So feel free to cook up your tomatoes in sauces, soups, and any other way you may want to. Here are three ways I enjoyed tomatoes this week.

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

4 beef steak tomatoes, halved horizontally

1/4c freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

1/4 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Pre=heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Wash tomatoes and cut in half horizontally. Place in a baking dish, cut side up.

3. Top with parmesan, oregano, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

(source)

**I didn't measure anything for this recipe, just sprinkled and drizzled until it looked right.

 {before going in the oven}

{served with couscous and greens}

Bruschetta
5 roma tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/8+ cup fresh basil, shredded
fresh bread

1. Boil a pan of water. Remove from heat and cook tomatoes 1-2 minutes, covered. Remove tomatoes, discard water. 

2. Let tomatoes cool slightly; chop tomatoes, removing skin if desired. Place in medium bowl. 

3. Add next 4 ingredients and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slice bread and bake until crunchy at 350 degrees, or brown in a sauté pan using butter on bread (similar to making a grilled cheese).

5. Top bread with bruschetta.

(I don't know where I got this recipe from originally.)

{step 1}

{step 2}

{step 3, after mixed well}

{step 4}

{step 5}

Caprese Salad

beef steak tomatoes

fresh mozzarella cheese

fresh basil

extra-virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar

salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into equally thick pieces.

2. Clip fresh basil into whole leaves, wash and dry well.

3. Layer tomato, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

 {pre-dressing drizzle}

{quick and easy lunch for work!}

Enjoy!