I wrote about how I like to look at food list..how they inspire me to buy and cook with foods that I may have forgotten.  I thought it might be a good idea for me to create my own list - my favourite, everyday foods. Once I started typing away at my list I realized it was quite big! I thought about categorizing but well….nah.

My favourite super nutrient packed and yummy foods!

1. avocados
2. fuji apples
3. blueberries
4. broccoli
5. almonds
6. red onions
7. tomatos
8. good olives
9. salmon
10. spinach
11. basil
12. cilantro
13. thyme
14. egg
15. goat cheese
16. brown rice bread
17. butter
18. olive oil
19. dark chocolate
20. licorice mint tea
21. coffee
22. cream
23. sugar ( for my coffee!)

*** these foods I readily have in my pantry or fridge***

The foods I would like to eat more of:

1. kale
2. swiss chard
3. cabbage
4. beans
5. more fruit - kiwi and such ( I am not much of a fruit eater except in my daily smoothies)
6. leeks
7. root vegetables: squash, pumpkin ( not potatoes though - not my thing)
8. seeds

I am sure I could think of more but for now, that is about it.

I try to purchase all my foods/produce from the local farmers and organic. I really feel that when I buy local and/or organic I am not only helping to keep my family healthy but also the planet.

Be well,

PS If you have any simple recipes to encourage me to eat more of the foods I want to eat more of, please send them my way!

Hello! Ohh.. do not be afraid of me!  I understand that my past history is not so pleasant but I am here to tell you the truth.  So let’s start from the beginning with a proper introduction.  My name is Mr. Tom A. Toe but you may call me Tom.

My family, the Tomato, was originally grown in Central and South America.  While we were peacefully growing in Mexico, a famous explorer, Cortez, came into and conquered the city. It is believed that his explorers brought our seeds to Europe.

An evil rumor was spread about us in Europe.  It was thought that we were poisonous! In actuality, it was due to metal plates the wealthier people used in the early 1500’s.  When the metal was heated, the dangerous metal lead, would leach out and cause poisoning.  However, the poorer people who used wood plates never had a problem.  They were the lucky ones who ate us up with all of our abundant nutrients!

Despite the rumors, the Italians embraced us with their adventurous spirit and they were the first to garden and cook with us.  The French out of shear curiosity followed suite and named us the pomme d’amour which means apple of love.

It was not until after the Declaration of Independence was there any information on the tomato in the United States.  We are still not quite sure how we arrived in the United States.  Some say a French refugee and some say it was an Italian painter who brought us over. One thing is for certain that Thomas Jefferson, the third President and an avid farmer, gardened us in the late 1700’s. It wasn’t until early 1800’s in the city of New Orleans where  people ventured into cooking with us.

Do you like pizza?  The beginnings of the pizza are very interesting.  In the 1880’s in Italy, a chef made pizza from three ingredients to represent the Italian flag: red, white and green.  The red was me!  The tomato sauce!  The white was the cheese and the green was the yummy herb, basil!  In honor of Queen Margarite, the Pizza Margarite was born!

Tomatoes are loaded with many nutrients.  Our most famous nutrient is lycopene which a very powerful nutrient that protects the heart, keeps the skin healthy and helps prevent chronic diseases.

Please go to the market and find a firm tomato.  I come in many colors – red, green, yellow and even orange!  So chose your color and add me to your salad or sauce.

Eat with color and be healthy!