This month, produce aisles overflow with a mouthwatering cornucopia of fruits and veggies, and at the top of the heap reigns summer’s queen: the mighty tomato. Revered through the ages as an aphrodisiac, the luscious fruit’s sweet-tart nature conceals some knockout nutrients—notably the antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene. When using fresh tomatoes, simply slice, drizzle with quality extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and torn fresh basil. Or try these red-hot picks.
High Desert Foods Smoke Dried Tomatoes. Imagine summer in a jar: Organic tomatoes smoked over apple, cherry, peach, and plum woodchips, then packed in organic olive oil and lemon juice. Serve atop crostini with goat cheese—and use the oil for salads.
Seeds of Change organic pasta sauces. Tough to pick a fave, but you can’t go wrong with Modena Balsamic and Onion … or Sicilian Spicy Eggplant … or the kid-pleasing Tuscan Tomato and Garlic.
Walnut Acres Fiesta Cilantro Salsa. An organic, racy blend for dedicated cilantro lovers. Swirl a bit into homemade guacamole, too. Or try Walnut Acres’ Sweet Southwestern Peach Salsa with tomatoes—an excellent, off-the-beaten-path dip.
Wholemato Organic Agave Ketchup. A low-glycemic, perfect-for-kids classic, bottled in glass and flavored with agave nectar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Heaven on burgers and fries.
