Sausage Tortellini Soup

Sausage Tortellini Soup

Who said that soups can’t be filling and hearty? This sausage tortellini soup is a warming and filling meal that can be eaten on its own as an entire meal or served alongside your favorite dishes!

This soup combines the delicious flavors of Italian sausage, garlic, oregano, and parsley for an Italian style meal that can be made in under 30 minutes. This is the type of meal that only requires a few steps, which is perfect for busy weeknights since it cuts back on the cooking time while still adding nutrition and flavor.

One of the notable flavors in this dish is an herb called marjoram. It is a Mediterranean herb that has a similar flavor to oregano, and it is a perfect pairing with the other flavors in this soup. Additionally, this recipe calls for cannellini beans (which are a great plant-based addition that provides both extra protein and fiber) and three cheese tortellini to increase the heartiness.

In addition to these nutritious (and filling) ingredients, this Sausage Tortellini Soup calls for canned tomatoes. This is a great ingredient to add to soups and stews, as they provide a depth of flavor and added nutrition. Moreover, they add great color and flavor to the dishes as well as a powerful boost of nutrition through the antioxidant called lycopene. This has powerful health benefits like preventing chronic diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease, so grab a few cans of diced tomatoes to pop into your weeknight soups and stews!

Get the full recipe for Sausage Tortellini Soup by visiting our friends at Red Gold Tomatoes.

For other delicious soup recipes, check out some of our favorites:

Creamy Tomato Soup with Popcorn
Fideo Soup
Santa Fe Chicken Soup

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

Have you ever tried Huevos Rancheros? It is a Mexican breakfast recipe that consists of eggs served atop tortillas, refried beans, and salsa. While there are many different variations that exist, this one features canned tomatoes for extra flavor and nutrition.

Between the refried beans, eggs, and olive oil, the ingredients found in this recipe make it easy for you to acquire the recommended amount of nutrients for breakfast. In fact, one of the stars in this recipe for Huevos Rancheros is the canned tomato products, as they are easy-to-use and add a juicy touch to the entire plate.

Not only do canned tomatoes taste delicious in various recipes, but they are also great for your health! The fire roasted tomatoes included in Huevos Rancheros provide a delicious, savory, sauce for the tortillas and eggs to be dipped into, while also adding anti-inflammatory properties to the meal. Lycopene (a cancer-fighting nutrient found in tomatoes) is abundant in canned tomato products. This is due to the canning process, since when tomatoes are canned, they must be cooked first. Cooking allows the lycopene to be better absorbed in the body, thus maximizing its benefits. So, what are you waiting for? Whip up this recipe for a tasty weekend brunch that will surely impress your friends and family!

Get the full recipe for Huevos Rancheros by visiting our friends at Pacific Coast Producers.

If you’re looking for other delicious breakfast recipes, check out some of our favorites:

Zesty Tomato Smoothie
Breakfast Egg Bake
Muhammara Walnut Shakshuka

Walnut and Mushroom Ragu

Walnut and Mushroom Ragu

Looking for a filling, plant-based meal to switch things up? This walnut and mushroom ragu is sure to impress you and your family! Filled with flavor and bursting with nutrition, this recipe is one that you will turn to again and again. Plus, it’s easy to whip up, as you can get it on the table in under an hour.

Pasta dishes, like this one, are great ways to utilize vegetables, canned tomatoes, and other add-ins. For example, walnuts and cremini mushrooms are both great plant-based ingredients to use when bumping up the hardiness factor of a dish. They are easy to add, and enhance both the flavor and nutriton content to keep you full and satisfied. Additionally, these ingredients add a fun textural element to your pasta dish, which provides a different spin on a family favorite.

This recipe also includes canned tomatoes, which are a great source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Plus, canned tomatoes actually have a higher lycopene content than fresh, as the cooking and canning process enhances the availability of the nutrient, making it easier for your body to absorb. Additionally, canned tomatoes are a great shelf stable product that is affordable and also good for the environment. What’s not to love about that?!

You can feel good about serving this Walnut and Mushroom Ragu to your family, and they will delight in the complex flavors. To make this meal extra special, serve with a simple side salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Whether you’re enjoying it for a Sunday family dinner or a simple weeknight meal, you’ll be satisfied.

Get the full recipe for Walnut and Mushroom Ragu by visiting our friends at California Walnuts.

For other delicious pasta recipes, check out some of our favorites:

Puttanesca Pasta
Pasta with Marinara and Roasted Vegetables
Antipasto Salad with Pasta

Can tomatoes lower high blood pressure?

Can tomatoes lower high blood pressure?

Can eating tomatoes really help lower high blood pressure? Some studies say yes! Keep reading to learn more about the ways in which canned tomatoes have a profound effect on health.

Commonly known as high blood pressure, hypertension is a major risk factor for chronic disease such as heart attack, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, aortic aneurysm, and chronic kidney disease [1]. Additionally, hypertension is associated with diabetes and high cholesterol, as research shows that hypertension is correlated with oxidative stress [1]. When antioxidants are used in the body, the damage of oxidative stress is lessened.

So how do antioxidants reduce hypertension? It all starts in our endothelial cells (the cells that line our blood vessels). For our blood vessels to relax, these cells secrete a substance called nitric oxide [1]. Unfortunately, harmful compounds called free radicals can attack the nitric oxide and destroy it [1]. Many chronic diseases can occur when there is an imbalance in free radicals and antioxidants. Antioxidants can remove the free radicals and stop more harmful oxidation reactions from occurring.

Studies have found, that while antioxidants can have a positive effect on hypertension, it is only seen when the antioxidants come from diets high in fruits and vegetables, but not from antioxidant supplements. It’s theorized that this is because fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of antioxidants that work together and create a powerful chain of antioxidants [1]. That’s why we love canned tomatoes! They are rich in antioxidants, and contain lycopene in addition to  other phytochemicals (like beta carotene) that can work together to prevent disease.

So, go ahead and boost your health with canned tomato products! They are shelf stable, easy to use, and contain a more bioactive form of lycopene compared to fresh tomatoes. What’s not to love?

Learn more about the benefits of lycopene with these resources:

Lycopene and Canned Tomatoes May Help with Cancer Prevention
Health Connection Between Tomatoes and Lycopene
What is Lycopene?

References:

  1. Baradaran, A., Nasri, H., & Rafieian-Kopaei, M. (2014). Oxidative stress and hypertension: Possibility of hypertension therapy with antioxidants. Journal of Research in Medical Science19(4). Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4115353/.