As we approach a Thanksgiving that may look very different, in a year that has been unprecedented, to say the least, we wanted to just take one moment to give thanks for a few of the things that make us who we are and that never get enough credit. Here is what we’re thankful for!
We take a lot of pride in working with the best-registered dietitians in the world, and nothing is as cool as bringing them out to the tomato fields and watching them experience the harvest for themselves in person. We couldn’t do that this year, but here’s a sweet summary from the great Leslie Schilling RD. We really count on these nutrition experts to help spread the message about not only the simple process from field to sealed, but also the truth about canned tomatoes. (This story from our buddy Toby Amidor, RD)
We hope you already know this, but just a reminder: tomatoes are actually grown in the summertime. That’s when they’re at their best. To capture those summer flavors you have to wait until they’re at their red ripe peak! Often people are surprised to learn that the freshest, ripest and most flavorful tomatoes you’re going to get all year long come from cans and jars. That’s because they’re picked at that peak and sealed within hours, locking in all that flavor and nutrition.
Fun Fact: You can actually thank Napoleon for the invention of canned foods:
Napoleon offered 12,000 francs to improve upon the prevailing food preservation methods of the time. Not surprisingly, the purpose was to better feed his army “when an invaded country was not able or inclined to sell or provide food”. Fifteen years later, confectioner Nicolas François Appert claimed the prize. He devised a method involving heating, boiling and sealing food in airtight glass jars — the same basic technology still used to can foods.
Restaurants
Every industry has been hit by 2020’s wild ride, but few as harshly as the hospitality industry. We all love restaurants because they feed us, and are where we celebrate so many of life’s milestones. Another thing we all learned very quickly through this pandemic is how much they really are an economic driver in our communities. Not only do they support so many jobs, but they are the end of the supply chain from the many food companies, canneries and plants, all the way back to the farmers. If there are no restaurants, everything gets backed up and we saw many farmers losing their crops. For all these reasons and more, we encourage everyone, safely, however they’re able, to remember to support restaurants. Everywhere is different right now, but if you can safely enjoy, or carry out, delivery or even buying gift certificates to save for the future, every bit helps. #SaveRestaurants
Even though people often think about Thanksgiving being a home-cooked feast, this year might look a lot different. Many restaurants are offering premade Thanksgiving feasts to go. Or if you are going the traditional route of cooking up a huge feast, maybe take a few days before and after to get carry out and take a break from the kitchen.
Final Inspiration
If you’re still figuring out some Thanksgiving sides, or just want to try some new healthy variations on classics, check out a few of our favorites from our buddy, and registered dietitian Sharon Palmer.
This easy casserole bake can be whipped together in minutes! Plus, this completely plant-based (vegan) Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake is based on foods you can keep on hand in your pantry: spelt (an ancient form of wheat kernels), canned chickpeas, canned marinated artichokes, marinara sauce, and olives. It’s savory, hearty and a one-dish meal. And with only 8 ingredients (not including pantry staples), this healthy, no-oil, no-salt, no-sugar whole foods, plant-based recipe is a cinch to turn to on your busiest nights of the weeks.
With the Mediterranean flavors of chickpeas, ancient grains, artichokes, olives, tomatoes, and herbs, this recipe is powerful in flavor, and packed with important nutrients, such as plant protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. Whip it up for a one-dish meal, and pack up the leftovers for work the next day. You can swap out the ingredients easily, too—try quinoa instead of spelt (which makes this recipe gluten-free), white beans instead of chickpeas, and green beans instead of peas, for example.
Yield: 6 servings
Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake
This completely plant-based (vegan) Easy Mediterranean Artichoke Chickpea Bake is based on foods you can keep on hand in your pantry.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups cooked spelt (according to package directions)
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
1 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup olives, drained (i.e. Spanish, Kalamata)
½ cup marinara sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Mix all ingredients together and place in a medium casserole dish.
Place in oven, on top rack, uncovered, and bake for about 30 – 35 minutes, until golden brown and heated through.
Looking for a vegetarian dish that is both healthy and delicious? Look no further because this Chipotle Pumpkin Black Bean Chili is a sweet and savory dish that is a must-try! The thickness of this chili mixed with numerous seasonings will make it seem like a “comfort food” when in reality it’s actually full of nutrients, making it a healthy, nutritious meal. This recipe calls for not one, but TWO tomato-based products—canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste—providing you with double the nutrition content associated with tomatoes. Once you saute the vegetables, add the tomato products, protein of choice, seasonings, and garnish with green onions, you will have yourself a heart-warming dish in no time!
What’s so special about canned tomato products? They contain lycopene, which is a plant compound (carotenoid) that gives tomatoes their vibrant red color and when it’s cooked into meals, the nutritional value is increased. In this recipe, a healthy fat (olive oil) is mixed into the pot, which increases the nutritional value of the dish because studies have shown that consuming tomato products with a healthy fat enables you to achieve maximum health benefits. When you increase the amount of tomatoes in your diet, you are also reducing your risk of certain diseases and cancers due to the positive correlation between lycopene and health benefits. In addition to its numerous health benefits, canned tomato products are easily accessible and affordable for the general public. They have a long shelf life, which enables you to stock up your pantry and reduce your grocery store runs—especially when time is of the essence. So make sure to grab some canned tomato products on your next trip to the market and create a delicious meal that your whole family is guaranteed to enjoy!
Canned tomato products have gained pandemic popularity for good reason. Give these tried and true pantry staples a fresh look.
In the early days of the pandemic, it threw a shock to the food supply system.
Canned tomato products are more popular than ever! All it took was a pandemic to clear every last can—diced tomatoes, tomato puree, sauce, salsa, marinara sauce—from supermarket shelves across the country. It’s no surprise really. Our reality has been shaken—especially the way we eat. Our new normal is cooking in and shopping less frequently, which means we rely on longer-lasting, shelf-stable foods—like canned tomato products—more than we ever have. So just like that, the wallflower of supermarket shelves is now the darling, helping us dish up delicious and nutritious meals that are not only convenient but economical. Of course, this has been true for generations of families who have relied on them, just like an old friend. Now is the perfect time to take a fresh look at what canned tomato products have to offer and enjoy what’s new again.
Preserving tomatoes and other produce is a part of our history. For generations we’ve preserved tomatoes and other produce, capturing the season’s harvest to enjoy all year! It’s no surprise that the largest surges in U.S. canning history came in times of crisis—the two world wars. This history and tradition of canned tomatoes continues today as we rely upon and enjoy their long shelf life, convenience, and versatility.
Not only is it much easier to purchase canned tomatoes straight off supermarket shelves, it’s the best way—shy of picking them fresh from the summer garden—to enjoy them in terms of flavor and nutrition all year long. Farmers harvest them at peak ripeness in the field, then whisk them to a nearby processing plant where they are canned within four hours’ time, preserving and intensifying sun-ripened flavor and all those healthy nutrients.
We’re eating at home more, which means we have complete control when it comes to eating healthier. One of the places Americans fall short in terms of nutrition is the amount of fruits and vegetables we eat. A healthy eating pattern, according to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, includes a variety of vegetables from all of the subgroups—dark green, red and orange, legumes, starchy, and other—and recommends tomato products as a source of intake for red and orange vegetables. Tomato products are the easy vegetable; it’s so easy to pack in a serving of veggies with tomato sauce, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes.
Tomato products play a key role in a Mediterranean-style diet—a way of eating that’s been linked with lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, certain types of cancer, obesity, and more. Med up your diet with tomato products—canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce are a part of so many Mediterranean dishes from pasta and pizza to ratatouille, beans, soup, and fish.
Get Back to Basics
A surplus of time has stirred a curiosity in the kitchen that’s taken many of us back to the basics. Cooking from scratch, like baking, churning butter, and making pasta, has not only rescued many of us from boredom, it’s taught us how simple and superior these foods can be. When it comes to canned tomatoes, they have saved many a meal during this pandemic. Canned tomato products open the door to homemade without the hassle. No fresh tomatoes? Open up a can of whole, diced, or crushed tomatoes to use instead. Many recipes are even better when made with canned tomatoes. No jarred salsa? No problem. Give Mango Salsa a try. Out of ketchup? A snap with canned tomato products, like this easy recipe for Spicy Sweet Tomato Jam. Make these homemade pantry regulars once and you may never go back to premade. Search for recipes at Tomato Wellness, line up your canned tomatoes, and be amazed. Quick, convenient, delicious, so much cheaper, plus the satisfaction of doing this yourself!
Turn down the news and turn to comfort foods. If there’s ever been a time to give ourselves a little extra love, it’s now. Canned tomatoes are comfort in a can. Their umami-rich flavor brings the soothing feel-good effect we all need. Velvety smooth tomato soup with a slice of warm, crusty bread, sloppy joes sandwiched in a soft bun, or a plate of vegetable lasagna—meals that warm heart and soul as they take us back to cherished memories and create new ones as well. Make a big batch—go ahead and double the recipes—and enjoy leftovers for more quick and easy meals during the week or freeze for later. Definitely consider using a slow-cooker or instant pot when you want a no-hassle meal—just add the ingredients to the pot and let it do all the work. Bonus: with canned tomatoes, there’s no washing, peeling, chopping, or fuss. Now that’s comfort—canned tomato style.
Travel plans are on hold for a while, but why not tap into those dream destinations with food? We can’t visit Paris right now, but you can bring it a little bit closer by whipping up a veggie quiche with tomatoes, mushrooms, and peppers. You’ll quickly discover the top tier role tomatoes play in traditional diets around the globe. They’ve been brightening our favorite meals with a splash of robust red and packing health promoting nutrients that help boost nutrition and reduce risk of chronic disease. From American Southwest to Latin America to Mediterranean, bring these international culinary gems into your kitchen. A few ways you can eat the globe and experience the world of food culture:
Latin—Pico de Gallo—colorful blend of onion, peppers, and cilantro or
Mediterranean—Greek Salad—tomatoes, greens, Kalamata olives, and capers, or
Tomato Hummus—tomatoes, chickpeas, tahini, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, and spices
It’s so nice to welcome canned tomato products back home—into our pantries and our home cooking. They are the silver (okay, metal!) tried and true lining in our current pandemic, helping us through our current challenge, but also reminding us of what truly matters.
Put the power of a zesty tomato rice to work in this delicious, fiesta Chipotle Tomato Rice Power Bowl, filled with piquant flavors, such as chipotle, kale, black beans, avocados, sweet corn, cilantro, and an herbal dressing. This meal-in-a-bowl is great for meal prepping for the week, packing away in lunchboxes, or creating build-your-own dinners for the whole family.
This Chipotle Tomato Rice Power Bowl calls upon a great foundation of zesty tomato rice, then builds upon it with Latin-inspired toppings, such as greens, black beans, corn, avocados, pumpkin seeds, and tomatoes.
Check out Sharon Palmer’s Facebook Live with Tomato Wellness on how she makes this recipe here.
Yield: 4
Chipotle Tomato Rice POWER Bowl
This Chipotle Tomato Rice Power Bowl calls upon a great foundation of zesty tomato rice, then builds upon it with Latin-inspired toppings, such as greens, black beans, corn, avocados, pumpkin seeds, and tomatoes.
Ingredients
Chipotle Tomato Rice:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups medium grain brown rice, uncooked
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
1 vegetable broth bullion cube
½ teaspoon chipotle powder or seasoning
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
Toppings:
2 cups kale, chopped
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small avocado, sliced into 8 slices
1 bell pepper (orange, yellow, red, or green), thinly sliced
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup vegan ranch dressing (may choose Southwest or Chipotle flavor)*
Add brown rice and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring.
Add crushed tomatoes, water, bullion cube, chipotle seasoning, and salt (optional).
Stir well, cover with a lid, and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat about 1 hour, until liquid is absorbed and grains are tender. May add additional water to replace water lost to evaporation as needed.
To make Chipotle Tomato Rice Power Bowls:
Place one-fourth of the rice (a scant 1 cup each) into 4 individual serving bowls (or meal prep containers). Note: May serve rice hot, warm, or chilled in this recipe, as desired.
Top each bowl of rice with: ½ cup chopped kale; 1/3 cup black beans; ¼ cup corn; ¼ cup cherry tomatoes; 2 slices avocado; ¼ bell pepper; 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds; 2 tablespoons vegan ranch dressing.
Serve immediately.
If you’re looking for other delicious recipes, check out some of our favorites:
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