Category Archives: tomatoes

Quinoa Stuffed Eight-ball Squash

Quinoa-Stuffed Eight-Ball Squash: A Farm Share Recipe

by gluten free, grains, recipes, tomatoes, vegetables, vegetarian

Our farm share included some neat vegetables I hadn't seen before like eight-ball squash.  They are a type of round zucchini. Fun to cook with and delicious.

 
 As I've mentioned in a previous post zucchini are great and have a lot of health benefits.  They are also a versatile vegetable and can be served a number of different ways.  The eight-balls seem ideal for stuffing because who would want to cut them up and cook them, destroying that cute shape?  Having some leftover quinoa from when I last made quinoa taboule (I always double quinoa when I cook it because we eat so much of it) I decided to create a quinoa stuffing to fill these little beauties.   This turned out to be so delicious that we can't wait to get more of these squash to make it again.

If you don't have eightball squash you can substitute acorn squash. The recipe will still be delicious.

Quinoa Stuffed Eight-ball Squash

Quinoa Stuffed Eight-ball Squash

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Ingredients
  

  • 4 eight-ball squash, washed
  • 2 C. cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 C. roasted tomatoes in oil, diced
  • 2 scallions, diced
  • 1 clove garlic diced
  • 2 T. chopped basil
  • 1 t. salt
  • 2 T. olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 F
  • Cut tops off of squash and set aside
  • Scoop out inside of squash being sure to leave a layer of flesh to maintain the shape
  • Place hollowed out squash into oven proof dish
  • Roughly chop squash 
  • Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan
  • Add squash to pan and saute until starting to soften
  • Add tomatoes, scallions, garlic, and basil and saute 2 minutes
  • Add quinoa and toss to mix well
  • Add salt and toss again
  • Turn off heat, fill squash with mixture
  • Place tops back on squash and place in oven
  • Bake 20 minutes

 

The Benefits Of Lycopene: Why You Should Eat More Red Foods

by tomatoes, vegetables
In my recent post on peppers, I briefly mentioned lycopene, but I’d like to dive a little deeper into its benefits because it’s such a powerful nutrient. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant and carotenoid pigment responsible for the vibrant red color found in many fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit. While it’s known for giving these foods their striking color, lycopene also offers numerous health benefits supported by scientific research.

Lycopene-Rich Foods

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant found in vibrant red and orange fruits and vegetables, including:

  • Guava
  • Tomato
  • Watermelon
  • Grapefruit
  • Papaya
  • Red bell peppers
  • Persimmons
  • Red cabbage
  • Mangos

Health Benefits

Lycopene is renowned for its antioxidant properties, which effectively neutralize harmful free radicals in the body. This action helps reduce oxidative stress, a factor implicated in various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular conditions and certain cancers. Emerging research suggests that a diet high in lycopene may also contribute to cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure, reducing LDL cholesterol oxidation, and offering anti-inflammatory benefits, which collectively support heart health and potentially decrease the risk of heart disease.

Additionally, there is some evidence that lycopene may help protect against certain types of cancer, including lung cancer. Studies have observed a correlation between higher lycopene intake and a reduced incidence of lung cancer, possibly due to lycopene’s ability to modulate the immune system, reduce cancer cell proliferation, and induce apoptosis.

In Conclusion

Incorporating lycopene-rich foods into your diet may improve overall health and well-being, offering protection against oxidative stress, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and possibly certain cancers. All of these benefits make eating more lycopene-rich foods a valuable and delicious part of your diet.

As we approach the peak of tomato season (and move away from the tomato-looking things currently in grocery stores), consider making fresh salsa, homemade tomato sauce, gazpacho, and other delicious dishes to boost your lycopene intake. And if you haven’t tried guavas or papayas yet, give them a chance—they’re tasty and packed with nutrients.

Sources:

Shafe, Mercy Omoye, et al. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, vol. 2024, no. 1, Jan. 2024, doi:10.1155/2024/6252426.

Cheng HM;Koutsidis G;Lodge JK;Ashor A;Siervo M;Lara J; “Tomato and Lycopene Supplementation and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Atherosclerosis, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28129549/. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.

Bin-Jumah, May Nasser, et al. “Lycopene: A Natural Arsenal in the War against Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Diseases.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022, www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/2/232. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.

Puah, Boon-Peng, et al. “New Insights into Molecular Mechanism behind Anti-Cancer Activities of Lycopene.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 25 June 2021, www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/13/3888. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.

Ratatouille

by crockpot, recipes, tomatoes, ,

Not the movie, the food.  Even though we are slated to have a high of 75 F today it's a great day to make ratatouille.  In part because I have a lot of running around to do and my crock pot makes it very easy to get dinner on the table in spite of that.  The other reason is that eggplants were particularly beautiful at the grocery store yesterday so I bought one.  Glossy, firm, no wrinkles, that's the way to pick a good eggplant.  

 
Eggplants are related to the nightshade family (along with potatoes, tomatoes, and sweet peppers, so those who are sensitive to nightshades should avoid them) and are actually fruits because their seeds are on the inside.  They have many wonderful health benefits including a fair amount of fiber (if eaten with the skin), lots of potassium and vitamin B1, also known as thiamin.  
 
To be honest, in our house making ratatouille is an inexact science.  The base ingredients are: eggplant, onion, tomatoes, sweet peppers, garlic, olive oil, pitted olives, basil, salt, pepper, and parsley.
 
How much of which ingredient depends on what we have available.  I know that's not really helpful so here are the proportions I used today.  
 

Ratatouille

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium size eggplant diced
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 zucchini cut into 1/2" rounds
  • 2 peppers (one red one green) chopped medium
  • 2 large tomatoes diced
  • 1 t. dried basil
  • 1 t. dried parsley
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Layer it all in the crockpot
  • Pour a 14.5 ounce can of diced organic tomatoes over the batch
  • Let it cook on low for 7-9 hours until it is done

Notes

I plan to serve this ladled over freshly made polenta with a generous shaving of fresh parmesan on top for a delicious, filling meal.

Polenta

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 C. fresh ground cornmeal
  • 1 t. salt
  • 3 C. water

Instructions
 

  • Bring water and salt to a boil
  • Reduce water to a simmer
  • Very slowly add cornmeal (this is important to avoid lumps)
  • Cook approximately 20 minutes until mixture thickens
  • Remove from heat and pour into a pie plate (for triangles) or a cake pan (for squares)
  • Let polenta set for 10-15 minutes
  • Cut and serve
  • Enjoy and be well.