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Fun Facts

Cherries, plums, beefsteak, grapes -- they're all different types of tomatoes! First discovered in South America and named after the Aztec word xitomatl which means plump thing with a belly button, tomatoes can be red, green, yellow, pink, black, brown, white or purple! Northern Europeans called them wolf peaches and assumed they were poisonous. Today people love tomatoes. They'll even throw them at each other! Every August people toss 150,000 overripe tomatoes in a giant food fight during La Tomatina festival in Buñol, Spain.

Star Power

Tomatoes and lycopene go together like PB and J! Heart-healthy and a body shield against disease, this powerful antioxidant not only destroys cell-damaging free radicals, it also helps keep the skin healthy. Vitamins A, B6 and C, plus minerals copper, potassium and manganese, work to keep the immune system, red blood cells and cardiovascular system in primo shape. Did you know that cooked tomatoes are more nutritious than raw tomatoes?

Quick Preps

PREPARE: Wash under cold water, remove stem and cut up as desired.

• Add tomatoes to pasta salad, green salad and grain salad.
• Eat sliced tomatoes on toast drizzled with olive oil and sea salt.
• Peel tomatoes and cook in a heavy pot with olive oil and spices to make tomato sauce.
• Eat sliced tomatoes with goat cheese.
• Add sliced or diced tomatoes to pizza, casseroles, mac and cheese, eggs and soups.
• Use cherry tomatoes to make veggie kabobs.