Enjoy more ‘super foods’ to beat the heat
CHICO » It’s a great time to be seeking out fresh, raw vegetables to add more flavor and variety to your refrigerator in the north state.
Maybe it’s just the season this year, but as anyone cruising through the Chico Certified Farmers Market can see, local fat and colorful tomatoes and glorious zucchini are everywhere. Some of us have more than we know what do with.
It’s time to find more to do with them and use them while they’re at their best! And if you’ve never been a fan, it’s the season to find more ways to incorporate them into your favorite meals.
Here are the health benefits of these vegetables, which are both rich in antioxidants and multiple vitamins.
Tomatoes
• Raw tomatoes are hydrating at 95% water and 4% carbs
• A good source of fiber at about 1.5 grams per medium tomato
• A major source of antioxidant lycopene, linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer and improving skin
• A great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K
• Raw tomatoes give more vitamin C, while cooked tomatoes release more lycopene.
Zucchini
• Rich in water and both soluble and insoluble fiber • High in manganese, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins A and C, so good for heart and eye health • Good for blood sugar levels due to fiber and carb combination
• Eat raw for less vitamin A and more vitamin C
• Just three grams of carbs per cooked cup of zucchini
Some wonderful ways to use these vegetables:
• Roast them— sheetroasting vegetables like these with olive oil and lemon juice alone taste amazing next to any meal or as its own. Try balsamic vinegar and oregano for another flavor profile.
• Bake them — there are all kinds of ways to dress up a baked tomato and squash for lunch (see below).
• With pasta. It goes without saying that these are two vegetables that make a bowl of pasta more colorful and hearty, whether served hot or cold
• Cold soup. Now I know those two words together don’t sound good, but gazpacho definitely does on a hot day and where would it be without big fresh tomatoes and plenty of zucchini? Make a big batch with tomato juice and your choice of other veggies, and store it in the fridge for a refreshing meal for days • Colorful raw bowls. Both super foods go well with greens, onions, cucumber, celery, kidney or garbanzo beans and even some grains if you desiremore protein. Or try cooking the squash but not the tomato for a mixture of temperatures and textures
Baked Stuffed Tomatoes
This is one of my new favorite ways to consume tomatoes while they’re big and ripe, stuffed heartily with grains and squash and well-spiced.
This recipe makes one serving per tomato.
• 1bigger boy or beefsteak tomato, ripe
• 1⁄4 cup quinoa or rice • 1⁄4 zucchini
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chop zucchini and mix with cooked quinoa or rice. For heat, add smoked paprika and chili powder (I use Trader
Joe’s chili lime seasoning).
Carve tomato like a pumpkin, gently taking off the top and removing majority of the insides (save these). Add salt and pepper inside once carved for flavor.
Gently spoon in zucchini and quinoa mixture, piling on top as tomato sides will allow.
Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or roast at a higher temperature for a more robust flavor.
Let cool for about three minutes after removing from oven. Serve with ex