Organic Tomatoes Offer Year-Round Convenience
(NAPSA) - Tomat-o, tomaht-o. No matter how you say it, tomatoes are a great way to add nice flavor to favorite dishes without adding high calories. That's why Bob Greene includes tomatoes in a number of recipes in his new best-selling book "The Best Life Diet."
"Tomatoes are an easy way to sneak more vegetables into your diet, and because I recognize you can only find fresh tomatoes in the produce section a few months out of the year, I recommend keeping canned tomatoes in the pantry year-round," said Greene. "Organic tomato products, like Muir Glen Organic, are my favorite because they offer fresh, bold tomato taste."
Greene also recommends red tomatoes for their lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to help prevent some cancers and may play a role in preventing heart disease and other serious illnesses.
Try the Best Life-approved Vegetarian Chili recipe, which calls for Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes-the only organic canned tomatoes that are roasted over an open flame and have a distinct smoky flavor. One bowl is only 410 calories and packed with 24 grams of dietary fiber and 19 grams of protein. For more Best Life Diet-approved meal ideas and tips, visit www.eatbetteramerica.com/bestlife.
Prep Time: 20 Minutes - Start to Finish: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh jalape-o chiles, seeded, finely chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted or Plain Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
1 cup Cascadian Farm frozen organic sweet corn
Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired
Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired
Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
Directions:
In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.
Top each serving with sour cream, cheese and cilantro.
