The season for planting and harvesting has begun. Flowers are blooming. Plants are sprouting, growing and flowering.
Vegetables are on their way and soon will be ready for collecting and eating. One common garden plant is the tomato plant.
These plants produce fruit, which come in various colors and sizes.
Tomatoes are not only delicious, but have many benefits and various products.
Tomatoes can be processed or made into sauces, pizza, soup, ketchup, sandwich fillers and much more.
They are also good sources of vitamin A and vitamin C.
They provide an excellent source of lycopene, which is an antioxidant that assists in the prevention of certain cancers.
Ketchup happens to be a top source of lycopene.
Tomatoes, once ready for consumption, can be added to salads and sandwiches or eaten as a snack.
Below are two simple, quick and fun recipes to appreciate tomatoes.
Tomato & Basil Sandwich: Combine together the ingredients of slices of fresh tomato, leaves of basil (whole or sliced), sliced or shredded cheese, two slices of bread and butter or oil as a condiment.
If you would like to make a salad, simply slice tomatoes and top with sliced or chopped basil, and seasons like salt, pepper, oregano or others.
Salad dressing and grated cheese can also be added.
Chunky Garden Tomato Sauce with Fresh Basil: First, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan before adding 3/4 cup of chopped onion.
Once the onions are tender, stir in:
2 cloves of garlic (crushed and minced),
6 cups of chopped tomatoes (canned or about six fresh, peeled tomatoes),
3/4 cup of dry red wine, 1/4 cup of shredded carrots, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley,
1/3 cup of chopped fresh basil,
1 teaspoon of sugar and
1 teaspoon of salt.
When the sauce boils, reduce the heat to simmer for one hour with stirring.
Then add 1 cup of sliced zucchini and 1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms.
When the sauce is thick, cook for another 20 minutes.
This sauce serves four and is great with pasta.
Irene Holak is a Program Educator of Environmental Issues at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County
These plants produce fruit, which come in various colors and sizes.
Tomatoes are not only delicious, but have many benefits and various products.
Tomatoes can be processed or made into sauces, pizza, soup, ketchup, sandwich fillers and much more.
They are also good sources of vitamin A and vitamin C.
They provide an excellent source of lycopene, which is an antioxidant that assists in the prevention of certain cancers.
Ketchup happens to be a top source of lycopene.
Tomatoes, once ready for consumption, can be added to salads and sandwiches or eaten as a snack.
Below are two simple, quick and fun recipes to appreciate tomatoes.
Tomato & Basil Sandwich: Combine together the ingredients of slices of fresh tomato, leaves of basil (whole or sliced), sliced or shredded cheese, two slices of bread and butter or oil as a condiment.
If you would like to make a salad, simply slice tomatoes and top with sliced or chopped basil, and seasons like salt, pepper, oregano or others.
Salad dressing and grated cheese can also be added.
Chunky Garden Tomato Sauce with Fresh Basil: First, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan before adding 3/4 cup of chopped onion.
Once the onions are tender, stir in:
2 cloves of garlic (crushed and minced),
6 cups of chopped tomatoes (canned or about six fresh, peeled tomatoes),
3/4 cup of dry red wine, 1/4 cup of shredded carrots, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley,
1/3 cup of chopped fresh basil,
1 teaspoon of sugar and
1 teaspoon of salt.
When the sauce boils, reduce the heat to simmer for one hour with stirring.
Then add 1 cup of sliced zucchini and 1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms.
When the sauce is thick, cook for another 20 minutes.
This sauce serves four and is great with pasta.
Irene Holak is a Program Educator of Environmental Issues at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County
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