“Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What would life be like without homegrown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes.”
John Denver, “Home Grown Tomatoes,” from a song written by Guy Clark 

Raw Foods

            As we have rounded the corner of the spring equinox, the days are getting longer and the sun is getting warmer.  We are emerging from beneath our thick winter layers of wool and winter coats—plus a little extra flesh—that kept us warm during winter.  We are delighting in wearing short sleeves and allowing the warm sun to touch our skin with its warmth, antiseptic properties and vitamin D.  Did you know that sunlight converts our cholesterol to vitamin D?    

            We can allow our bodies to become more naked, and we can allow our foods to become more naked.  In other words, we can enjoy more raw foods now that the outdoor temperatures are warming up.  Raw foods impart more nutrients than cooked foods, as they contain more enzymes.  Members of the Hunzu tribe live well into their 100’s; they attribute their longevity to a diet of 80 percent raw foods.  Fresh fruits and vegetables, of course, are the perfect raw foods. 

            But sometimes in winter it’s difficult to enjoy a diet consisting of mostly raw foods, as the body desires warm, cooked foods to help maintain its temperature.  Also, sunlight is a necessary ingredient in the recipe of basic existence for most of Earth’s creatures, including humans.  When we eat more in the winter, our bodies are trying to recover trapped solar energy.

            Now that it’s spring and the air feels light, so do we.  Our caloric needs decrease as we come closer to the sun during the warmer months of the year.  You may have noticed that you naturally eat less in the summer than you do in the winter.  That’s simply because your body doesn’t have to work so hard to stay warm and to recover solar energy.  Spring is the perfect time to luxuriate in more raw foods. 

            Tomatoes are actually a fruit, not a vegetable.  Many people mistake tomatoes for vegetables because they are not as sweet as other fruits.  Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene.  Tomatoes are a wonderful warm-weather food.  Tomatoes are also quite easy to grow, if you have an area in your yard with a minimum of six hours of full sunlight every day.  For small urban lots, cherry tomatoes can easily be planted in planters.  Tomatoes come into season in mid to late summer.  Tomatoes love what we love about summer:  the sun on their skin and the warm nights.  Tomatoes are so versatile, they can be sliced and added to sandwiches, diced and added to all manner of salads, or just popped into your mouth for a flavor explosion!  Local and/or organic tomatoes impart the most flavor.  Hydroponic tomatoes are the next best choice in a normal grocery store.  Look for deep color and a little bit of give when you squeeze them.  Do not choose hard tomatoes; they will be mealy and flavorless.    

Prep time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

5 large, ripe, plump tomatoes—your choice of red or yellow—chopped

1 bell pepper—red, yellow or orange—chopped

1/2 medium golden onion, quartered

1 cucumber, sliced

5 large cloves of fresh garlic

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

½ cup cilantro leaves

Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice

Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

            Place half of the tomatoes, bell pepper and cucumber in a blender and puree.  Place the pureed mixture in a separate large bowl.  Place the remaining ingredients in the blender and chop, leaving some texture.  Add the chopped mixture to the puree, and stir them together.  Pour into individual serving bowls garnish each with some leftover whole cilantro leaves.  Enjoy at room temperature or chilled. 

            This recipe is wonderful in late summer with your own or local homegrown tomatoes.  Serve chilled on those days when it’s too hot to even look at the stove! 

Upcoming Events:

The Real Life Food Tour at The Milwaukee Public Market - May 12, 6 p.m. - Come learn about antioxidants, healthy eating and how to shop for the best foods with Food Coach Suzanne Monroe. RSVP suzanne@reallifefood.com.

Sweet Tooth Blues Baking Class -  Figure out how to get to the bottom of your sugar cravings in Suzanne's cooking class running in two locations:

May 31st - Whole Foods Market, 1pm

June 12th - The Milwaukee Public Market, 5:30pm

RSVP suzanne@reallifefood.com