Tomato

photo by [OP]

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K, plus the antioxidant benefits of lycopene*. They are a fruit, but they are usually served as a vegetable.

*Lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red. The redder the tomato, the more lycopene it has.

Season: Available year-round but tomatoes are at their peak June-September

How to select: Choose firm tomatoes, richly colored and noticeably fragrant. photo by babybee

How to store: Ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature and used within a few days.

photo by Pieter Pieterse

Tip: Don't store tomatoes in the refrigerator, cold temperatures kill the flavor and turns the flesh grainy.

Tomato Salad

6 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 orange or yellow bell pepper, sliced in strips (de-seed)

1/2 cup basil, cut into strips

Hemp oil (or your favorite oil)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Sea salt, to taste

1. Place tomatoes in large salad bowl, add slice onions on top.

2. Layer with bell pepper and basil.

3. Drizzle hemp oil and vinegar over the top of salad. Sprinkle with sea salt and gently toss.

Fun Facts:

The tomato is in the same family as the potato, pepper, eggplant, and petunia (nightshades).

Tomatoes are also known as the 'apple of love'

There are at least 10,000 varieties of tomatoes