What a great summer we've had thus far. I have enjoyed many vegetables from my garden this year, in particular, tomatoes.
I, like many others, was hesitant to plant tomatoes for fear of losing my crop to late blight. But I planted six plants anyhow and have had great success. I strive to have a few varieties of vegetables in my garden each year and had to cut back some because of the lack of time that I was able to devote to my garden. I have a whole counter full of tomatoes and cucumbers, though, and my daughter is loving every minute of it.
Here are some tips on freezing tomatoes as well as some of their health benefits to encourage you to take advantage of the growing season, too.
HEALTH BENEFITS
It is widely known that tomatoes contain lycopene — but what else do they have to offer us? Did you know that tomatoes are considered to have more healthy qualities than an apple? Tomatoes belong to the same family as chili peppers, potatoes and eggplant, in the nightshade family. There are now thousands of varieties available in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some common ones that I see in the market include: Roma, Heirloom, cherry and Big Boy.
Tomatoes are very low in calories and fat and are a great source of dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Lycopene, one of the latter, has been shown to protect against many different types of cancer, including colon, prostate, breast, lung and pancreatic.
They are also a good source of vitamin C. A serving of tomatoes (1 cup) contains 21 percent of the recommended daily levels. Fresh tomatoes are also very high in potassium, which helps control blood pressure and heart rate.
Make sure you choose tomatoes that have a bright red color (if they are supposed to be a red), and make sure they have no wrinkles or soft spots. Store them in a cool, dark place. Only keep tomatoes in the refrigerator if they have been cut or are overripe.
FREEZING
I found a nice fact sheet on freezing tomatoes from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension that describes the process in a variety of ways. If you'd like a copy, don't hesitate to e-mail or call and I will send one to you. I have never preserved tomatoes myself, but the fact sheet makes it seem pretty easy and practical.
Tomatoes can be frozen whole, sliced, chopped or pureed. You can also freeze them raw or cooked, as juice or sauce, or prepared in a recipe. My mother makes zucchini sauce to freeze for use in the winter. It's by far one of my favorite comfort foods during the long, cold months. Keep in mind that once you freeze a tomato, it will become soft and mushy, so plan to use them in soups, stews or mixed dishes. Always select firm, ripe fruit or vegetables to be preserved — making sure, of course, they are disease free. Wash and dry them using a towel and blot them with clean paper towels. Similar to the way other vegetables are frozen, simply place the cored tomatoes on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer to freeze. They do not need to be blanched beforehand — which is a huge time saver. Once they are frozen, you can place them in the desired container, making sure that they are sealed tightly.
I hope that you will take the time to savor some of the North Country's harvest this summer, and take some simple steps to preserve some fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy all year long.
Jenna Jones is a registered dietician at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Clinton County. For more information, contact her at 561-7450 or jej35@cornell.edu.
