Growing up in the South, corn and tomatoes were frequently served together in several of my mom’s recipes. She would serve this tasty veggie combo in soups, stews, and casseroles. To pay tribute to my Southern roots, I put a new spin on the traditional salsa recipe, which you can serve over your favorite protein or with tortilla or pita chips.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Ingredients
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup whole kernel yellow corn, drained
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, chopped
½ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste (optional)
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, corn, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, ground cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt, if using.
2. Toss to combine, and serve with tortilla chips, tortillas, or your favorite protein, as desired.
Notes
This recipe can be prepared up to one hour in advance. Cover tightly and stir gently before serving. Use no salt added canned tomatoes to further reduce sodium levels.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1 cup Amount Per Serving:Calories: 118Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 309mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 67gProtein: 2g
Recipe by Andrea Mathis, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Owner of Beautiful Eats & Things. Author of The Complete Book of Smoothies.
Looking to level up your pasta game? These healthy pasta recipes are dietitian-approved and are sure to impress!
Whether it’s baked pasta recipes, vegetarian pasta recipes or vegan pasta recipes, you can’t go wrong by making one of these classic dishes. While you can make pasta a thousand different ways, we think it’s best when served with tomato sauce (or canned tomatoes) because it provides an added nutrition bonus!
Cooked tomato products (found in canned tomato products like pasta sauce) contain an ingredient called lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has been proven to protect the body against many chronic diseases. Similar to most nutrients, it’s more natural to obtain lycopene from foods rather than supplements. In order to achieve maximum health benefits associated with lycopene, it is recommended to consume tomato products with a heart healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado. That’s why we recommend enjoying lycopene and its health benefits through delicious foods such as these healthy pasta recipes. So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy some canned tomato products today!
Healthy pasta recipes that are dietitian-approved
Looking to level up your pasta game? These healthy pasta recipes are dietitian-approved and are sure to impress!
If you’re craving pizza and pasta, who says you can’t have both? This Instant Pot Pizza Pasta combines the flavors of two Italian classics, and can be finished cooking in only 10 minutes. What’s not to love?
This simple Italian comfort casserole really is the perfect meal when you need something easy, healthy, and homemade that everyone will love. Easily customize it by using gluten-free pasta and adding some chopped veggies to the Baked Ziti with meat.
Tired of the same old spaghetti and meatballs every week? Shake up your pasta routine with this quick and easy Puttanesca Pasta. Puttanesca is a classic Italian sauce consisting of anchovies, tomatoes, olives, and capers, creating the perfect balance of salty and savory.
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.
This lasagna will fool dairy lovers with its rich tofu ricotta and bold flavors. With high protein ingredients it'll satisfy active individuals while repairing muscle, too!
This tofu tomato pasta sauce is packed with veggies, fiber, and plant-based protein! It's such a quick, go-to weeknight dinner idea and is an awesome way to clear out the fridge.
This delicious, no-fail Vegan Baked Mediterranean Lasagna is rich with the warm, sunny flavors of the Mediterranean—onions, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, basil, artichokes, olives, herbs and tomatoes, layered with home-made cashew ricotta and plant-based cheese.
This Healthy Ground Turkey Pasta Bake is easy to make, balanced and delicious. Made with whole grain spaghetti, no-sugar-added pasta sauce, lean ground turkey & with veggies added, it makes a great meal prep meal or weeknight dinner option! Also makes great leftovers for work lunches & easy to customize.
Turn to marinara sauce and a cornucopia of vegetables—summer squash, eggplant, bell peppers, and onions—to make this Pasta with Marinara and Roasted Vegetables sing with rustic simplicity.
Who doesn’t love a big warm pan of comfort food on a cool and dreary day? This Creamy Tomato Baked Mac and Cheese is a new twist on an old classic. There are a lot of different variations of Mac and Cheese, but this is one that is sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
Toasted ravioli is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, side dish, or the main course. Whip up this decadent and creamy Vodka Dipping Sauce, and it will taste just like going to a fancy restaurant, but without the added cost.
Tomatoes (and their canned varieties) are one of the most versatile produce items available, and while they are beloved by many, there may be some things that you didn’t know about them. From their origin to classification, here are some fun facts about tomatoes.
5 fun facts about tomatoes
Tomatoes originated in South America.
Researchers have recently discovered a tomato plant that originated 80,000 years ago. By using genetic testing, they were able to trace it back to Ecuador and determined it was a wild variety that produced a cherry sized fruit. Around 7,000 years ago the plant was domesticated and it evolved into the tomatoes we are familiar with today (1).
Tomatoes are technically a fruit.
While nobody would ever claim that tomatoes are as sweet a melon or berry, botanically they are classified as a fruit. Tomatoes contain seeds which puts them in the fruit category, along with cucumbers, peppers, squash, and many more. However, to make things more confusing, in 1893 the US Supreme Court ruled that they are in fact a vegetable (2).
There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.
Beyond the various sizes (grape, cherry, plum, and beefsteak), there are many different varieties that are grown in a wide range of conditions. Heirloom tomatoes have been around for a long time and are considered pure (ie. no crossbreeding). Others have been crossbred to grow in small spaces or regions that have shorter growing seasons (3).
Tomatoes aren’t always red.
With so many varieties, it should come as no surprise that there would be different colors of tomatoes. They can be yellow, purple, green, orange, or white. In fact, some of the first tomatoes to arrive in Europe were a yellow variety that were referred to as golden apples (3).
Tomatoes have been to space.
Scientists sent tomato seeds to the International Space Station to grow in the Advanced Plant Habitat. They wanted to determine if they could grow and thrive for longer space missions. Along with this study, NASA scientists created a program where students can grow seeds that have been to space and report their findings back to the researchers (4).
Can’t get enough of tomatoes? Check out some of these recipes:
The history of tomatoes: How a tropical became a global crop. University of Illinois Extension. (2022). Retrieved from https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/garden-scoop/2020-07-25-history-tomatoes-how-tropical-became-global-crop.
Is a Tomato a Fruit or a Vegetable?. The Spruce Eats. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.thespruceeats.com/tomato-vegetable-or-fruit-1807061.
Vegetable Tomato Varieties. GardenersNet.Com. Retrieved from https://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/tomatovarieties.htm.
Astronauts might soon grow SPACE tomatoes. Phys.org. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2019-04-astronauts-space-tomatoes.html.
Could the secret to glowing, healthy skin be sitting in your kitchen pantry? Read on to learn more about what science has to say about lycopene and skin health.
Canned (and jarred) tomatoes are full of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids (like lycopene), and other vitamins. While some can be isolated and taken as a supplement, they are most effective when they come directly from foods. In their most natural form, the compounds work together, and have been shown to protect and promote healthy skin (1).
Lycopene has antioxidative properties, and while tomatoes contain a high concentration of this carotenoid, heating them during canning increases the bioavailability. In the body, the highest concentration of lycopene is found in the skin tissues, and studies have shown that regular consumption of lycopene rich foods such as tomato products can increase the serum lycopene levels as well as procollagen I. These studies also indicated a decrease in mitochondrial DNA damage (1). Beyond lycopene, tomatoes also contain vitamins A, C, and E, which decrease inflammation and protect from UV light.
Looking for ways to get that healthy glow with tomato products? Check out these recipes:
Fam, V., Charoenwoodhipong, P., Sivamani, R., Holt, R., Keen, C., & Hackman, R. (2022). Plant-Based Foods for Skin Health: A Narrative Review. Journal Of The Academy Of Nutrition And Dietetics, 122(3), 614-629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2021.10.024
There are a number of health benefits that come from the regular consumption of tomatoes and tomato products. Here’s what science has to say about the correlation between canned tomatoes and cancer prevention.
Cancer is a global health concern, and a leading cause of death worldwide. Billions of dollars are spent annually on cancer research, and a significant number of those studies focus on the effects of certain compounds found in food and their cancer prevention properties. The bioactive compounds of plant based foods have been thoroughly examined, with an emphasis on carotenoids and phenolic compounds.
One of the most potent antioxidants out there is called lycopene, which is the powerful pigment responsible for giving tomatoes their bright red color. It can also neutralize reactive oxidative species, and prevent damage to our cell’s DNA. According to several scientific studies, people who consume more tomato products have a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer, likely due to the powerful combination of lycopene, vitamin A, and vitamin C that occurs naturally in tomatoes. Along with being an antioxidant, lycopene can promote cancer cell apoptosis (ie. death), and interfere with cell signaling pathways to prevent cancerous cells from reproducing.
While fresh tomatoes are relatively high in lycopene, the compound becomes more bioavailable as tomatoes are cooked, meaning your body can absorb more and take advantage of its anti-cancer properties. Why is this? Heat changes the structure of the lycopene molecule, making it easier for the body to take in, and helps break down cell walls, which frees lycopene and allows it to be absorbed. A recent study found that men who ate cooked tomatoes five to six times per week had a 28% decreased risk of developing prostate cancer versus those who didn’t. Eating tomato products such as tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato soup, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and salsa is a great way to ensure you are getting in plenty of cancer-fighting lycopene.
To get the most out of your canned tomato products, try adding a little bit of oil to your tomatoes, as this can boost your ability to absorb lycopene even more. This is because lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, and the fat in oil helps lycopene get broken down to a form usable by the body. A serving of whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and a side salad with olive oil and vinegar is the perfect prostate-cancer-preventing meal!
Looking for ways to power up your lycopene intake? Check out these recipes:
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