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Did you know that tomatoes are a wonderful fruit? That’s right they are considered a fruit and not a vegetable! Whether you say tomato and I say tomato really does not make any difference whatsoever! They are healthy for you, no matter if they are fresh or processed. They are rich in vitamin C and also contain lycopene, which aids in destroying free radicals within the body that are known to cause heart disease and cancer. Not only do they contain vitamin C, but A and B as well. Other important nutrients that are found in this fruit are potassium, iron, phosphorus and they are low in calories as well!

Tomatoes have been around for centuries. They are originally from South America and were thought to be an aphrodisiac. They originally grew wild and were what we now class as the cherry variety. There are many different types of this fruit that are cultivated in the world today! Cherry tomatoes, beefsteak and plum are the more commonly known varieties. Almost half of the world’s tomatoes are grown in California, making this state the largest producer of this fruit.

It is a very versatile fruit. It can be eaten raw, when it is green or red. It is important not to eat too many raw, green tomatoes as this carries a certain level of toxins if eaten in large doses. I used to enjoy canning some of the green tomatoes from my garden and although the growing season is over, I still want to share this simple recipe with you.

Green Tomato Pickle

You will need various canning jars of your choice of size. I tend to recycle any of my old jars for this purpose. Baby food jars work great as well as mustard jars or even empty jam jars. Make sure that they are well washed and dried.

Green Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Vinegar
Sprigs of fresh Rosemary
Garlic
Basil

Cut fresh rosemary into pieces, peel and chop garlic. Wash and cut green tomatoes into small chunks. Place the tomatoes into jars about half full. Add olive oil to the jar as well as the vinegar. The rule of thumb is to add enough vinegar that it will pickle the tomato, so the strengthen of the vinegar will preserve the fruit. Add chopped garlic, basil and rosemary to jar. Place lid on firmly and shake well to distribute contents all over the fruit. There it is done! Store the m on your counter top or in a cool, dark place until you are ready to eat. These green tomato pickles can be eaten as is, or drained and then fried. Yummy!

Whether it is eaten plain, in a sauce or even processed as a condiment, remember that it is an important fruit that should be eaten regularly. So, the next time your child wants to put ketchup on something that is edible, even though it may seem a little strange to us adults, as long as they like it that way and eat it… let them have it as it is beneficial in important nutrients and vitamins that our bodies need.