Rainbow Pepper salad
- 3 medium bell peppers choose your favorites
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped substitute your favorite herb
Slice the tops and bottoms off the the peppers. Cut into quarters and remove all seeds and membranes. Slice into 1/4 inch strips. Place all pepper slices into a bowl and add sliced red onion.
Make the dressing. In a small mason jar, add the extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil or other herbs and shake well. Pour over the peppers, add the salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
Serves 2
Let’s Get Cookin…Tomatoes-the jewel of summertime…6-18-18
The tomato. A summer staple and one of my top five favorite foods. Is it a vegetable or a fruit you ask? Well according to https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/explore/is-a-tomato-a-fruit-or-a-vegetable/, the answer to the question is that a tomato is technically the fruit of the tomato plant, but it’s used as a vegetable in cooking.
Either way its a delicious nutrient dense veggie/fruit bomb. Tomatoes come in all colors these days such as ruby red, yellow, green, and too many heirloom varieties to count! So what makes the tomato a healthy addition to your diet?
“The tomato is a juicy, nutritious fruit commonly eaten as a vegetable, is another wonderful gift of the Mayans to the world. This humble vegetable of Central America has seized the attention of millions of health seekers for its incredible nutritional properties. Interestingly, it has more health-benefiting compounds than that of some popular fruits like apple!”.
“Tomatoes contain antioxidants found to be protective against cancers such as colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic tumors. They also contain lycopene, a flavonoid antioxidant, is a unique phytochemical compound found in the tomatoes. Lycopene may help protect cells and other structures in the human body from harmful oxygen-free radicals. Studies show that lycopene protects the skin from ultra-violet (UV) rays and thus offers some defense against skin cancer.”
So now how to use this healthy beauty? I think one of the most popular ways is in a fresh salad. Whether cherry, grape or the larger variety, the tomato loves to hang with lettuce cut up in your favorite salad. I like to make my own fresh tomato sauce from my local tomatoes. Great in a fresh and spicy salsa or topping on a pizza! As a vegetarian I use them as the mainstay of my sandwiches with a schmear of mashed avocado on a whole wheat roll.
So hit your favorite farmer’s market or grow your own beauties! I offer a program on how to grow your own wellness container garden. Visit my page here for more info https://kimgerhardt.com/event/grown-food-make-meal/. Here’s my fave easy, peasy salsa recipe:
- 2-3 large roma tomatoes
- 1/2 large onion
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1/4-1/3 cup fresh cilantro
Chop tomatoes, onion and garlic finely
Place in a bowl with the juices
Rinse and rough chop the cilantro to release the oil, you can use the stems as well here
Add the half lime juice and mix well
Add salt to taste, it should be slightly salty. The tomatoes will absorb much of the salt.
Place in a covered container at least an hour before eating. Serve with your favorite chips or veggie sticks.
Serve 2
Enjoy
Contact me for more information on my coaching services and enjoy the bounty of fresh summer tomatoes. 🙂
*Disclaimer:
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Kim Gerhardt, Certified Health Coach, does not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/tomato.html
Read MoreFresh Salsa Kim Style
- 2-3 large roma tomatoes
- 1/2 large onion
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1/4-1/3 cup fresh cilantro
Chop tomatoes, onion and garlic finely
Place in a bowl with the juices
Rinse and rough chop the cilantro to release the oil, you can use the stems as well here
Add the half lime juice and mix well
Add salt to taste, it should be slightly salty. The tomatoes will absorb much of the salt.
Place in a covered container at least an hour before eating. Serve with your favorite chips or veggie sticks.
Serve 2
Enjoy
Black Bean Salad
- 2 ears fresh corn steamed, cut off the cob and chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh black beans or 1 15 oz can drained
- 1 medium tomato chopped in 1/2 inch dice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro fresh parsley can be substituted
- 2 scallions 1/4 inch dice
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!
Serves 2
Let’s Get Cooking.. Fresh Corn, golden nuggets of yum…6-11-18
What’s the first thing you think of when you see an fresh ear of corn? Summer! Not much else screams “it’s summer” at you quite like an ear of golden nugget goodness. No matter how you eat it, it’s a delicious treat that’s got some great health benefits too.
As today, 6/11/18 is National Corn on the Cob today, I thought I’d salute our yellow friend with it’s own blog post!
This time of year we are seeing more and more fresh ears of corn at our local farm stores and farmer’s markets. As with all fresh food, using corn as soon as you can after purchase is best for the most flavor. Here’s a bit of nutrient info on the lovely ear of corn:
Fresh corn is gluten free, it contains ferulic acid which may help to contribute to cancer prevention, B complex vitamins, iron and copper! If you’re not sure where your local farmer’s markets are, I’ve attached my 4/18 blog post with a link to ones in your area!
So how do you like your corn? My guess the most popular ways are boiled and grilled. Both delicious option to get your corn on! I like to boil fresh ears for my homemade green corn tamales and add into salads, vegetarian tacos and black bean-recipe to follow.
When storing your ears of corn, be sure to keep it in the husk if you don’t use it that day in the refrigerator. Some early corn has higher levels of natural sugar so be aware if you have sugar intake issues.
No matter how you make it, corn is going to taste great. Here’s my black bean/corn salad. If you’d like more ideas to make corn your own and some purchase tips, contact me to set up a smart shopping/cooking demo program. Let’s get our corn on early and all summer long! 🙂
- 2 ears fresh corn steamed, cut off the cob and chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh black beans or 1 15 oz can drained
- 1 medium tomato chopped in 1/2 inch dice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro fresh parsley can be substituted
- 2 scallions 1/4 inch dice
- Salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!
Serves 2
ttps://www.nutrition-and-you.com/sweet-corn.html
Let’s Get Cookin! Fresh foods at the farmer’ markets! 4-11-18
*Disclaimer:
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Kim Gerhardt, Certified Health Coach, does not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
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