Superfoods - Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most popular fruit in the world. Americans eat about 23 pounds of tomatoes annually, and more than half of that in the form of ketchup or tomato sauce. On this episode of Superfoods, we're going to show you healthy and delicious ways to get more tomatoes into your diet.

Tomatoes have high levels of lycopene, a powerful source of antioxidants that's been proven to help prevent heart attacks. They also are good sources of vitamins A, C and K, as well as potassium.

Many tomatoes are artificially ripened with ethylene gas a few days before being sold. To get the best taste possible, opt for vine-ripe or canned tomatoes.

When picking tomatoes, look for a fruit that's heavy and dense for its size. The color of the tomato should be relatively consistent throughout, and it should smell sweet and earthy, not bitter or stale.

Tomatoes can be frozen for up to a year; their skin might crack, but they'll stay fresh much longer and will be easy to peel.

Recipes:

Panzanella Salad
• 1/2 pound day-old crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, trimmed and cubed
• 1/2 cup cucumber, cubed
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 10 fresh basil leaves, shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste
◦ Throw all the ingredients in a bowl, toss well to combine

Gazpacho (Spanish tomato soup)
• 3 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into rough 1-inch chunks
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
• 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into rough 1-inch chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 3 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• Chopped chives
◦ Add all items except pepper, extra olive oil and chives to a blender or food processor
◦ Blend until smooth
◦ Pour some soup into a bowl
◦ Sprinkle pepper, olive oil and chives on top

Tomato Salsa
• 6 ripe red or orange tomatoes
• 1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
◦ Mix everything in large bowl

ABOUT SUPERFOODS:

This weekly show spotlights super healthy foods and shows viewers how to incorporate them into their everyday diets. Get the skinny on everything from kale to pomegranates, learn delicious and easy recipes, and pick up tricks on how to add these super foods into the dishes you already love.