One of my favorite “simple pleasures” is strolling through our neighborhood farmer’s

market ooh-ing and ahh–ing over the season’s fresh, local, organic produce.

I never know exactly what I am going to find or what I might decide to haul home and

make something delectable with.

I am always delighted to find garden fresh tomatoes.

There is really nothing quite as wonderful as the taste of freshly-picked tomatoes.

My father used to grow them in our backyard when I was a child and we loved to pick

tomatoes and eat them like candy–sometimes sprinkled with a little salt.

So when I found some lovely ripe, red tomatoes at the market, I just had to buy a few

along with organic cilantro to make fresh salsa.

The best time to make this recipe is at the height of summer when there are plenty of fresh

tomatoes available.

This recipe tastes even better the following day after the flavors have a chance to

meld together.

Homemade Organic Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

4 medium ripe organic tomatoes, cored and seeded

2 – 3 cloves organic garlic, peeled

Juice from 1 fresh lime (about ¼ cup)

1 – 2 tablespoons fresh, organic cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cut 3 of the tomatoes into quarters and place in blender or food processor.

Add garlic cloves and half the lime juice.

Pulse until thoroughly combined.

Dice remaining tomato into evenly sized small pieces.

Stir into tomato garlic mixture to create a chunkier texture.

Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro (adjust according to personal preference).

Add remaining lime and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve with your favorite Mexican entrée or by itself with crispy tortilla chips.

I love to eat my fresh tomato salsa with raw, dehydrated, zesty flaxseed crackers.

Tomato salsa adds zip to baked potatoes, brown rice, steamed vegetables, beans, salads,

zucchini pasta and many other dishes.

Sometimes I add other ingredients to my salsa–depending upon what I have on hand–

such as fresh cut corn, diced cucumbers, hot pepper, sliced scallions, chopped onions or

black beans.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Benefits of Tomatoes

Rich Source of Lyopene

Tomatoes contain the carotene lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.

Lycopene, especially in cooked tomatoes, has been found to:

*help prevent prostate cancer

*improve the skin’s ability to protect against harmful UV rays

*protect against oxidative damage

*help decrease the risk of breast cancer, head and neck cancers

*protect against neurodegenerative diseases

*help lower urinary tract symptoms

*reduce cardiovascular risk associated with type 2 diabetes

What are your favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes?

Do you have a special salsa recipe?

What else do you add to your salsa?

Share your thoughts and comments with us.

Photo source/credit: Handful of tomatoes

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