Tomato Gazpacho

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 pounds ripe tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 yellow or red bell pepper

1 red or sweet onion

2 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cup tomato juice or vegetable juice

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

1⁄2 cup fresh parsley

1⁄4 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Chop the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and onion roughly and put into the blender.

2. Add diced garlic and onion and chopped parsley; blend till chunky.

3. Pour half into a bowl.

4. With half the vegetable mixture remaining in the blender, add the vegetable juice, lemon juice and olive oil into the blender and blend again till smooth.

5. Combine both mixtures together and season with salt and black pepper.

6. Serve hot or cold.

As if the taste of a juicy ripe tomato isn’t tempting enough, add this: Tomatoes are better for you than you ever imagined.

Tomatoes, in fact, are packed with health benefits! A few facts for you: The potassium mineral in a tomato helps your heart beat and your kidneys filter blood. Folic acid, a B vitamin, is needed for the proper development of the human body and helps pregnant women prevent miscarriage and birth defects. Vitamin A is important for vision and for forming and keeping healthy skin and teeth. Vitamin C is used for growth and repair of tissues throughout your body. Vitamin E protects body tissue from damage, helps strengthen your immune system against bacteria and viruses, and is important in forming red blood cells. In addition, studies indicate that tomatoes can potentially reduce the risk of some cancers.

Scientific research is even starting to show that eating tomato paste, which contains the antioxidant lycopene, can serve as a natural SPF to partially help the skin against UV damage from sunburn! (However, it was suggested that you not get rid of your sunscreen.)

Whether you grow tomatoes or buy them, be sure to eat them! Your taste buds AND your body will thank you!