Buddy the Elf was on a culinary mission in the heart of the North Pole. The holiday party was approaching, and he wanted to make Papa Elf’s favorite dish – lasagna. There was just one tiny problem: Buddy’s idea of lasagna was very different then the one Papa Elf grew up eating.
Undeterred by his lack of culinary expertise, Buddy donned his festive hat and jingling shoes and set out to create the most magical lasagna the North Pole had ever seen. He raided the Candy Cane Forest, collecting an assortment of sugary delights.
Back in the kitchen, Buddy gleefully started concocting his masterpiece. He boiled pop tarts and, with the finesse only an elf could muster, stuffed it with candy, and replaced traditional pasta sauce with a river of syrup. To top it off, he sprinkled crushed candy canes as if they were parmesan cheese.
Proudly presenting his creation to Papa Elf, Buddy awaited approval. However, Papa Elf’s face turned from excitement to confusion. “Buddy, this isn’t how my grandma made lasagna. She never used pop tarts or syrup!”
Determined to get it right, Buddy embarked on a journey through the North Pole, seeking advice from the magical characters that called it home. He approached the polar bears, the snowmen, and even the Yeti, asking for the perfect lasagna recipe. Unfortunately, their suggestions included icicles, snow cones, and marshmallows.
Luckily, Buddy found an old cookbook in the kitchen and it had what was called a traditional lasagna recipe. He was able to find all the ingredients, pasta noodles, fresh tomatoes, meats and cheeses at the ElfMart and he got cooking. It still wasn’t right. He could tell something was lacking that special flavor.
Depressed, Buddy found himself at the icy pool where the wise Narwhal resided. “Narwhal, my aquatic friend! How do I make the perfect lasagna?”
The Narwhal gracefully emerged from the water and shared the real secret, “Canned tomatoes, Buddy. They’re picked in season and are perfect for cooking all year round. That’s the secret to cooking any dish with tomatoes.”
Armed with this newfound wisdom, Buddy rushed back to the kitchen. He replaced the ‘fresh’ tomatoes (they were in the North Pole after all) with a savory tomato sauce made from canned tomatoes. The aroma of real pasta sauce filled the air.
When Buddy served Papa Elf the improved dish, Papa Elf’s eyes twinkled with delight. “Buddy, this is fantastic! It’s just like Grandma used to make.”
Both elves devoured the delicious lasagna. As they enjoyed their meal, they joked, “Next year, forget about toys, Santa should bring all the boys and girls this magical lasagna!”
Stay warm this winter season with these cold weather dinner ideas featuring our favorite pantry staple — canned tomatoes.
Bundle up, it’s frigid out there! With snowflakes falling, icy winds blowing, and winter’s chill settling in, there’s no escaping the cold. However, there’s a remedy for that frosty feeling – cozy recipes to keep you warm! That’s why we’ve curated the best cold weather dinner ideas to ward away the chill — whether you crave soothing soups, hearty curries, or convenient Instant Pot dinners, this collection has something for everyone!
These recipes are courtesy of our own cookbook collection as well as several Tomato Wellness members (including Red Gold, Pacific Coast Producers, Del Monte, and Take Root Organics), and they all tote health benefits thanks to canned tomatoes, vegetables, and whole grains, so you can feel good about serving these to friends and family.
So, without further adieu, here are the best cold weather recipes to keep you warm this winter season!
14 Cold Weather Dinner Ideas ft. Canned Tomatoes
Stay warm this winter season with these cold weather dinner ideas featuring our favorite pantry staple -- canned tomatoes.
This super family-friendly fusion of BLTs and mac and cheese cooks all in 1 pot for less clean up on busy weeknights. Ready right from the stove top or take it one step further to bake with more cheese and panko breadcrumbs on top.
This is an easy pasta dish that the whole family is going to devour! Thanks to your pressure cooker, you can have dinner ready in a few minutes and it couldn't be any easier to make. A one-pot meal that will be a new family favorite.
Based on canned vegetables, canned tomato soup, dried pasta, and dried herbs, this budget- and kid-friendly minestrone soup recipe can be made from pantry staples in 25 minutes. Serve it with a side salad or grilled sandwich to make it a meal.
Tamale Pie is an irresistible blend of Tex-Mex flavors and comfort food that is sure to become a favorite among your family and friends. Whip up a batch and enjoy the warm, hearty, and satisfying flavors of this delectable Tex-Mex dish!
Pav Bhaji is a flavorful and hearty Indian Street food, made with a blend of tomatoes, mixed vegetables and aromatic spices, served alongside toasted rolls.
Refrigerated ravioli offers a fun twist to classic lasagna that’s ready in 1/3 the time– no need to pre-boil pasta or bake for an hour. Truly, a simple weeknight comfort food your family will love, and a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken.
This pasta bake takes less time to make yet offers the same delicious flavors and comfort of homemade raviolis. Lean ground beef adds extra protein, and jarred sauce saves time on busy weeknights.
This Tikka Masala recipe is full of flavor and nutritious ingredients to keep you warm all night long. Plus, you can get it on the table in less than 30 minutes!
Hungry for more? Check out these healthy canned tomato recipe ideas in our cookbook! This collection of 17 recipes captures the wholesome essence of classic home-cooked meals for the whole family. Each recipe was created by our diverse team of registered dietitians, representing many food traditions and cultures around the world.
Get the scoop on Tomato Wellness member, Del Monte. We are proud to have this company as part of the Tomato Wellness Family!
Del Monte was established in 1886, and continues to grow their reputation with a singular dedication to quality, as they always strive to cultivate the best tomatoes to help you live a life full of vitality and enjoyment. Their produce is also picked at the peak of ripeness, so when canned, you know you’re getting a delicious flavor along with vitamins, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients.
We love that 95% of Del Monte’s produce is grown on farms in the USA, all of which travel less than 100 miles from farm to manufacturing gate. And because Del Monte partners with growers on a variety of programs to yield healthy, productive crops, they are able to protect the planet while promoting responsible growing and food production practices. Learn more about how they want to grow a healthier tomorrow.
We applaud the values of Del Monte as an authentically quality and sustainably minded processor and appreciate their contributions to our industry. Coupled with a focus on long-term relationships with customers and growers, it’s easy to see why we are so honored to profile this Tomato Wellness member.
If the pandemic taught us anything, it was the importance of stocking your pantry with shelf-stable canned foods you can count on to help get a meal on the table, without a trip to the grocery store. But historically, canned foods have gotten a bad rap as second-rate options that come up short in nutrition and flavor – almost to the point where most people are slightly embarrassed to roll up to the check-out counter with a cart populated by foods stuffed into tins. This is a shame, because the truth is many canned foods are still nutrient-rich.
In fact, the canning process has less impact on nutrition than you may think. A study in the journal Nutrients found that people who ate a lot of canned foods had a higher intake of 17 essential nutrients compared to people who rarely ate canned foods. And in terms of flavor, items like canned corn, peaches and tomatoes are harvested at peak ripeness and packed shortly thereafter, so they actually can taste fresher than out-of-season fresh options.
Not all canned items are processed foods. It’s time to embrace canned foods and stop shunning them. With a seemingly never-ending shelf life, canned goods can encourage creativity and flexibility in the kitchen (and survival during a zombie invasion, naturally).
Get your can opener at the ready, because these are the canned foods you always want to keep in your pantry.
#CannedTomatoes
It’s a total misconception that for vegetables to be healthy, they must be fresh and live in your crisper. Just take canned tomatoes as an example!
Canned tomatoes, including the deeply tomato-flavored crushed variety, are laced with the plant compound lycopene. This is a member of the carotenoid family that may help in the battle against premature cognitive decline as we age. A report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute also suggests that greater intakes of lycopene can lower the risk for developing breast cancer. Acting as a potent antioxidant, lycopene can help vanquish the free radicals in our bodies, which can damage DNA and initiate cancers and worsen brain functioning.
And when it comes to the lycopene found in tomatoes, it’s worth noting that the processing that goes into producing canned tomatoes can increase its bioavailability. In other words, it makes the compound more accessible so we can better reap its health rewards.
Vitamin C is another nutritional benefit of canned tomatoes; it’s a nutrient linked to improved blood pressure numbers. Plus, vitamin C enhances our absorption of iron from plant-based foods such as beans – and it’s necessary to make sure the immune system is operating properly. And who isn’t pondering immunity these days?
Perhaps most importantly, canned crushed tomatoes are full of delicious flavor all year round. This is in contrast to out-of-season fresh options, which are frequently second-rate. While some canned options contain added sugar and higher amounts of salt, it’s relatively easy to limit this problem. Just look at labels to find cans with no sugar listed in the ingredient list and with lower sodium levels displayed on the nutrition panel.
Using canned crushed tomatoes for pasta sauce is already a no-brainer, but there are plenty of other uses you might not have thought of. They’re convenient to have on hand and make an easy addition to burritos, meat or lentil stews, Indian curries, shakshuka and, yes, classic tomato soup. And don’t forget that you can blend crushed tomatoes with a canned chipotle pepper for a sauce that delivers a serious kick. Try poaching a fillet of fish in this jazzed-up red sauce.
Looking for crockpot soup recipes to get you through the cooler months? We have you covered with the best healthy crockpot meals for fall and winter. With delicious flavors and budget-friendly options, these recipes are sure to be a hit.
Crockpots have taken the culinary world by storm, and it’s not hard to see why. This kitchen essential is a one-and-done piece of equipment, as it really does do it all–from enhancing flavor to being easy on your wallet and requiring minimal time and effort. It can also boost your health, as some studies suggest that heating produce—such as in canning or cooking—can increase the bioavailability of some nutrients, like lycopene. This is great news for slow-cooked meals, as they often feature processed products (like canned and jarred tomatoes) that seem to offer a boost of nutritional benefits.
While you can enjoy them all year-round, crockpot recipes tend to taste best during fall and winter, as they can be a comforting addition to your menu rotation. So, get cooking with these easy crockpot soup recipes featuring canned tomatoes!
The BEST crockpot soup recipes to get you through the cooler months
Looking for crockpot soup recipes to get you through the cooler months? Here are some of the best healthy crockpot meals that are sure to be crowd-pleasers.
A Midwest favorite, Cincinnati chili is not a traditional chili; but no less delicious! The warm spices in this beef chili are perfect served on hot dogs or our favorite way on top of spaghetti with beans, cheese and onions! This slow cooker version makes getting dinner ready a breeze, mix ingredients; set it and forget it.
This hearty Mexican stew is prepared in a slow-cooker. Posole’s signature ingredient is corn, and this tasty chicken stew features both sweet whole kernel corn and hominy. Top with a variety of fresh ingredients for a delicious, authentic meal in a bowl.
Comfort food at its best! While you slave away at work, dinner is simmering away at home in your slow cooker. Home made beef stew is hearty with beef, vegetables, potatoes, our Fresh Squeezed Tomato Juice and Petite Diced Tomatoes – guaranteed to warm your chilled bones!
Pizza soup is one of those recipes that is even more delicious than it sounds! All of the best ingredients of pizza combine to make this cozy and filling soup. Plus, it takes hardly any time to put together, making this an ideal recipe for any night of the week.
Here’s a simple, flavorful soup recipe that you can throw together in minutes! This Curried Leek Vegetable Soup has anti-inflammatory spices and antioxidant-rich veggies can help boost your health—and spirits—on the gloomiest day.
This hearty soup is the perfect accompaniment for a sandwich or salad any time of the year. Packed with the health benefits of tomatoes, it will be sure to keep your spirit up all winter long.
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