It's True! Tomatoes which have been considered a vegetable for years now, are actually apart of the fruit family!

Tomatoes are low in the calorie count and are apart of the nightshade family. Nightshades have been commonly linked to aggravate some forms of arthritis and on occasion cause stomach upset. (Maybe a connection to Ulcers?Maybe)

Quite often it is best to remove the seeds from the cooking pot as these tiny seeds can often create a bitter taste if they are heated. However, the yucky slimy stuff that they sit in is called "salicylates" which is known for decreasing the risk of blood clotting. So basically, Tomatoes are good for you if you are at a high risk of heart attack, but not good for you if you suffer from arthritis.

A great idea when boiling tomatoes is to leave the skin on. This ensures that your sauce will have the most nutrients available to you! And if you need to make your sauce a little more "juicier" you can use the left over boiled water in minimal amounts to add more liquid to your Tomato sauce.

However...

All it boils down to is..

Tomato Paste: One word on this one. Salt. Because salt acts like a preservative it is very commonly used in ridiculous amounts in tomato paste and many other canned goods.

If you really, really, really want to get the best possible tomato paste, make your own. Watch how I did mine here.

**Have a Tomato in the Fridge that is getting to it's due date? Dice it up and added it to some left over Salmon, 1/4 c chopped green onions, and 1/2 c cheddar cheese. It tastes fantastic and is likely not a meal you will forget soon!

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