Tomatoes

We had a ton of extra tomatoes this week so we got to put some of favorite recipes to work including Fresh Tomato Bruschetta, Gazpacho and Ratatoullie.
Keep reading for a new take on a pasta salad with pesto and summer veggies.
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Did you know that tomatoes are actually a fruit? It’s true! Tomatoes are the edible fruits/berries on the tomato plants.  Although tomatoes originated in the South American Andes Mountain region, they have spread throughout the world. We now consume them in a variety of dishes, sauces, salads and drinks.

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Storage

Nutrition Info

You may have heard that tomatoes should not be stored in the fridge. Here's why: Z -3 hexanel is the compound that gives tomatoes their lovely flavor and aroma. When tomatoes are stored in cold temperatures pro- duction of Z-3 hexanel is decreased leaving a bland, tasteless tomato. While we do refrigerate boxes for a short time before they get to you, as long as you take them out and let them finish ripening on the counter (away from direct sun- light), they should still retain their flavor. Place under-ripe fruit in a warm spot or in a brown bag to ripen. If tomatoes are red and soft, they will keep for 2-3 days at room temp.  

​Tomatoes are an excellent source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, min-erals and vitamins. They are also fat free and low in calories. One cup of fresh tomatoes contains only 35 calories! Tomatoes are also known for their high lycopene content. Lycopene is a phytonutrient (a nutrient found in plant material) that acts as an antioxidant which helps prevent skin damage and protects against cancer.

Preperation Ideas

Tomatoes are quite versatile in the kitchen and can be prepared several ways. Fresh sliced raw tomatoes are great with oil, vinegar and fresh herbs like oregano, basil or dill. Roasted tomatoes also make an easy meal. Coat roughly chopped tomatoes in olive oil and spices and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in a 425°F oven until slightly shriveled and blackened (about 18- 20 minutes). Serve on top of whole wheat pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.   

Warm Pasta "Salad" with Pesto and Roasted Summer Veggies

This recipe combines your pasta dish and your salad all in one and is chocked full of veggies.  Pretty much all of the ingredients for this dish can be found in the FreshFix webstore during summer.  You can even get basil and garlic and make your own pesto.  Veggies can be cooked in the oven, on a grill or in a sautee pan.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pesto (store bought or try our favorite classic pesto recipe) and more for serving
• A mix or your favorite summer veggies cut into bite sized pieces:  I like using 1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 2 peppers and half an eggplant
• 2-3 tablespoons or olive oil
• approx. 1 tsp. of salt
• 1 lb. spaghetti, linguine or your favorite pasta
• 8 ounces of fresh mozarella, diced
• 2 large tomatoes (chopped) or 1 pint cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
• 4- 6 ounces of mixed baby greens, rinsed and dried (the spicy salad mix from Dirt Rich Farm works great.

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425F
Spread out the chopped veggies on two baking sheets.  Cover veggies with about 1-2 tablespoons of oil and about 1/2 tsp. of salt per baking sheet and mix to coat.  Roast veggies for about 10 minutes and then take them out and mix them.  Return to the oven and roast for about 10 more minutes.
NOTE: If you prefer not to turn on the oven,  you can grill all of the veggies (be sure to coat with oil and salt first) or you can just sautee all the veggies in a large pan, but we don't recommend this if you are using eggplant as it is better roasted or grilled.
2. While the veggies are cooking, boil water and cook the pasta accoding to package instructions (be sure to keep about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid when you drain the pasta).
3. When pasta is done, drain and transfter to a large serving bowl.  Add the pesto and reserved cooking liquid and mix until pesto coats the pasta.  Add the veggies, tomatoes, mozarella and salad greens and serve.