TOMATOES are at their best right now and are great for salads, soups, sauces and sandwiches…they are often considered a vegetable but in fact they are a citrus fruit. One medium whole tomato contains around 22 calories, 0 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fibre, 1 gram of protein and 6 milligrams of sodium. It also provides 40% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, 20% of the RDA of vitamin A, 2% of the RDA of iron, and 1% of the RDA of calcium.
Here’s a few ideas for enjoying them…
- Eat on their own with a little salt
- dice and add to plain pasta and toss with a bit of olive oil, some basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese
- make homemade tomato soup to remind you of your childhood
- chop some tomatoes and cucumbers, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper…serve with fish or cold meats
- tomatoes on toast make a great quick snack
- make a batch of tomato sauce…great for pasta and pizzas
- make a tomato salsa and serve with tortilla chips
- add to both bread and toasted sandwiches
- what could be better than a BLT
- the perfect partner to cheese
- slow roasted tomatoes freeze well and are a great addition to casseroles and soups
- make tomato chutney ready for Christmas…it even makes a great gift
- great on the barbecue
- toasted french bread topped with tomatoes and olive oil make the great Italian treat Bruschetta and looks impressive too
- larger tomatoes are great stuffed with everything from rice to beef to cheese
- delicious in chilli
- a tomato omelette is a quick and easy meal
- a wonderful addition to any quiche or savoury pie
- a ratatouille is a delicious vegetable stew with tomatoes and can be eaten hot or cold
- tomatoes make great decoration if you’re entertaining
Fresh sweetcorn is also in season now and is a great accompaniment to tomatoes…or eaten on it’s own with a little butter!
