Tomato recipes from Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury

It’s time to take that colorful harvest of tomatoes and put them to good use. Try out a few new recipes, do your own sun-drying and simmer some savory sauces. Rachel Larson of Ways to Wellness at Woodwinds Health Campus says tomatoes are a low-calorie food filled with water, fiber and nutrients such as lycopene. Tomatoes, she says, can protect the body from free radicals and may offer protections from skin cancer. “They’re great when you’re trying to maintain a healthy waistline,” Larson says. For time-crunched cooks, Larson suggests throwing an everything-tomatoes party. Gather a few friends and spend the evening canning, jarring sauces and creating fresh homemade salsas. Here are her recipe recommendations:  Gazpacho Salad (The American Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook)Serves 6 Ingredients3 cups cherry tomatoes (about 1 lb.), stemmed and quartered 1 cucumber (about 8 oz.), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut (1/2 inch) Salt and pepper 5 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 4 tsp. sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar) 1 shallot, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut (1/2 inch pieces) ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro To makeToss the tomatoes, cucumber and ½ tsp. salt together in a colander and let drain for 15 to 30 minutes. Wisk the oil, vinegar, shallot, and garlic together in a large bowl until well- combined. Add the drained tomatoes and cucumber, bell pepper and cilantro; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let sit until the flavors have blended, about 15 minutes, before serving.  Chunky Tomato-Avocado Salsa (Fresh Food Fast – Weeknight Meals)Serves 4 Ingredients1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, minced 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved ½ cup (2 ozs.) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes 1 ripe peeled avocado, chopped To MakeCombine first four ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add tomato halves, cheese and avocado; toss gently.    Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato and White Bean Spread (Fresh Food Fast – Weeknight Meals) Serves 4 Ingredients8 (1/2 inch thick) diagonally-cut baguette slices 1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1½ Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper 2 garlic cloves, crushed ¼ cup coarsely chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes To MakePreheat oven to 350 degrees. Place baguette slices on a large baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. While baguette slices toast, place beans and next four ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Spread 2 Tbsp. bean mixture on each baguette slice; sprinkle each with ½ Tbsp. chopped tomatoes.   Everyday Paleo Spaghetti (Everyday Paleo) Serves 5 Ingredients2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef ½ medium red onion ½ Italian flat-leaf parsley 3-4 cloves garlic 3 Tbsp. fresh rosemary 3 large tomatoes 2 tsp. sea salt or to taste 2 Tbsp. dried basil Pinch of cayenne pepper Splash of red wine 5 medium zucchini squash, sliced with a julienne slicer or 1 spaghetti squash 2 Tbsp. coconut oil To MakeBrown the meat in a large soup pot. While the meat is browning, combine the onion, parsley, garlic and rosemary in a food processor; blend on low for about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes and process again until the tomatoes are broken down but still chunky. Once the meat is cooked through, add all of the dry spices to the meat and mix well. To the cooked meat, add the tomato sauce from the food processor and the red wine; mix well and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes. If using zucchini, heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the julienned zucchini and quickly sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the zucchini is just tender. Remove from the heat immediately and serve the spaghetti sauce over the zucchini. If using spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. In a large baking dish, place the squash cut side down and add 2 inches of water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the squash is easily removed with a fork.