Tomatoes- Not just for Ketchup and Pasta sauce

For a long time tomatoes was considered a vegetable but its actually a fruit. A fruit loaded with heart healthy Lycopene, Lutien,zeaxanthin, Vitamns A and C along with phytochemicals responsible for it beautiful rich color.

Tomatoes are also a great source of fiber needed to aid in a healthy digestive process. If you ever noticed when you cut open a tomato, it has four chambers, just like our hearts, that’s natures way of telling us what to eat and what its good for. Lycopene, the tomatoes most famous nutrient is linked to reducing cardiovascular disease and lowers the risk of cancer in our bodies. Lycopene is also the most effective when introduced to heat so spaghetti sauce, ketchup(organic) and even tomato juice gives you more than a fresh tomato would.

Not only great for the heart , the Vitamin A ,lutien and Zeaxanthin keep your eyes healthy and boosts your immune system. One tomato provides half the vitamin C your body needs daily.Also reduces the risk of most cancer including, prostate,breast,and digestive by protecting our cells DNA.

Tomatoes are found every where and are easily accessible from grocery stores to personal gardens there is no excuse to not enjoying these super foods and enjoying the health benefits as well.

 GMO FREE Homemade Ketchup Recipe

Ingredients

•     1 1/2 lb Organic Heirloom Tomatoes
•      1/2 cup water, divided
•      2/3 cup cane sugar( may substitute date, coconut, spevia etc)
•     3/4 cup Champagne vinegar
•     1 large white onion
•     3 whole garlic cloves
•     1 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
•     1/8 teaspoon celery salt
•   1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
•   1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
•   1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
•     1 whole clove

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Chop tomatoes into fourths and place on baking sheet along with Garlic cloves.
3. Bake in oven for 20 -30 mins
4.  When the tomatoes are done, place in a large pot and turn heat to mid high 
5. Add sugar, vinegar, onions, sea salt, celery salt, mustard powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and whole clove
6.   Cook  uncovered, until mixture is reduced by half. 
7. Stir every hour or so.
      
8.  Smooth the texture of the ketchup using an immersion blender or a stand up blender for about 20 seconds.
     
9.   Ladle the ketchup into a fine strainer and press the mixture with the back of a ladle to strain out any skins and seeds.
      
10.  Transfer the strained ketchup to a bowl. Cool completely. Add additional salt, black pepper, or cayenne pepper to taste.
11. Chill in the fridge to let the flavors merry