The red-hot tantaliser

“Tomatoes!'' I hear you say. “A superfood? You've got to be kidding me!''

Tomatoes are one of the world's most popular foods and a favourite with children and home gardeners.

Technically, they are fruits but were declared vegetables in 1893, a legal definition based on their use (regular mealtime instead of dessert, like most fruits).

Tomatoes have made it to the list of superfoods largely because they are a primary source of lycopene — an antioxidant phyto-nutrient that has been associated with preventing life-threatening disease, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Choosing a supplement instead of the real thing is not as effective because other nutrients contained in tomatoes work together to produce disease-preventing qualities.

This vegetable is also an excellent source of vitamins A and C, plus a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, folate, potassium and fibre.

Cooking tomatoes makes them release more lycopene. That means tomato-based sauces, including ketchup and barbecue sauce, are good for you, as long as you consider the effects of other ingredients, including sugar, salt, artificial additives and oil.

Generally, it has been noticed that darker ketchups contain more lycopene than lighter ones.

Low-sodium canned tomatoes are a healthy substitute for fresh ones.

Organic tomatoes contain almost twice as much lycopene as the non-organic variety.

One theory suggests many commercial tomatoes have been specifically bred to mature quickly, achieve even size, travel well without damage and stay on the shelf for a long time.

Tomato skins supply additional lycopene, so if you have a choice, include them when serving the vegetable raw or while cooking it.

When buying tomatoes, look for firmness. Pick pieces with an intense colour, especially if you want to eat them the same day.

Choose the green variety if you are not going to use them for several days. They will ripen over time.

If you have fresh summer tomatoes, sometimes the simplest methods of preparation taste the best.

Here are a few recipes you can share with your family or your health-conscious girls group.

Caprese platter

• 2 or 3 pounds fully ripe medium tomatoes
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella
• Large bunch fresh basil leaves, washed and stemmed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, if desired
  

Slice tomatoes about 1/2-inch thick; cut the mozzarella into thin slices.

On a large platter, overlap the tomato and cheese slices. Add whole fresh basil leaves on top of each pair.

Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Add freshly ground pepper if desired.

Slow-roast cherry tomato bruschetta

An exotic snack or appetiser that looks as good as it tastes. The children will love to prepare this by themselves once shown how.

To create that mock-pizza taste, you can sprinkle a bit of shredded mozzarella or Cheddar on top and then stick baguette slices under the grill for a minute or two until the cheese melts.

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar
• 14 slices baguette (preferably whole-wheat), toasted
• Olives or sliced fresh basil to garnish

Preheat oven to 325OF (1630C). Toss tomatoes with oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Place on a baking sheet and roast until broken (approximately 45 to 55 minutes).

Combine the roasted tomatoes with basil and vinegar.

Top baguette slices with the roasted tomato mixture.

Garnish with olives or sliced fresh basil.

Shrimp salad-stuffed tomatoes

Hollowed-out tomatoes were the secret to elegant lunches in the 1950s — and they deserve a comeback.

Look for bright-red, aromatic pieces without discolourations or mushy spots.

The children will love to help you scoop out the insides.

• 1 pound peeled, cooked shrimp
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
• 10 pitted olives
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 2 tbs reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tbs white wine vinegar
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 4 large ripe, cored tomatoes

Combine shrimp, celery, basil, olives, shallot, mayonnaise, vinegar and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

Carefully hollow out the inside of each tomato using a melon baller or a small spoon; reserve the scooped tomato for use elsewhere.

To serve, fill each tomato with a generous 1/2 cup of the shrimp salad.

Serve on a bed of multicoloured lettuce.

Save the scooped-out tomato insides to use in fresh tomato soup or pasta sauce.

Store in the refrigerator for up to three days or the freezer for up to six months.

Serve these elegant dishes and have your guests coming back for more.

For more information on superfoods and weight management, log on to www.powereat.com