Florida Tomatoes -- Good, Good for You, and Bonus Easy Recipes!

This post has been sponsored by The Florida Tomato Committee. All opinions here, however, are my own.

If you're here with me in Illinois, you know that our weather is not particularly conducive to growing fresh tomatoes year-round -- even in April, when the sun has finally come out today. Lucky for us and our lycopene needs, though, we have access to fresh, ripe tomatoes year round from sunnier climes, such as Florida!

The Florida Tomato Committee has put together a series of really cute animated web video shorts for you to check out here -- Mr. 8 was standing behind me a minute ago literally chortling over these videos, which tell the story of how Florida tomatoes are nutritious and delicious with the help of some alligator friends. The goal here?

“For generations, Florida tomatoes have been grown, hand picked and cared for on family run farms,” says Samantha Daves, Director of Education and Promotion for the Florida Tomato Committee. “Our goal in this marketing campaign was to develop a set of videos that educate the public about how Florida tomatoes are grown and what makes them so nutritious, delicious and different from the rest. The video series and supporting digital content on the Florida tomatoes site and social media channels will demonstrate that the Florida family of tomato growers are committed to healthful and sustainable farming practices that result in the most red, ripe, nutritious and delicious tomatoes available.”

If you've been following my weekly Sunday Scratchups recipes here, you know I use tomatoes pretty often -- plus they're one of the few fruits both kids can agree on.

My easiest peasiest fresh tomatoes recipes

Easy Fire Roasted Tomatoes

First up: Easy Fire Roasted Tomatoes. If you guys haven't tried doing this yourself, you're missing out. Try roasting up a fresh batch of these and then add to your next soup or chili for an amazing flavor. You'll want 20-25 small to medium ripe Roma tomatoes here. Cut off the stem ends and slice in half. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray and place tomatoes cut side down on sheet. Broil on the top rack for 20 minutes, flipping pan around halfway through for more even charring. Let these cool a bit, and the skins will slide right off. Chop tomatoes and some of the charred skins, then use in your favorite recipe.

(Makes about the equivalent of a 28 oz can, but with no additives and really nice flavor.)

Simple Spinach Caprese Salad

Or why not throw together a simple Caprese salad with spinach, if you have some vine ripe tomatoes begging to be enjoyed fresh. Cover a dinner plate with about 2 oz of fresh spinach leaves, then alternate layers of mozzarella fresca slices, fresh tomato slices, and fresh basil leaves. When entire plate is covered, just drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, then add a little Kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately for the prettiest presentation or chill for about an hour first, depending on your preference. This can make for an easy & healthy meal on its own, or serve as a hearty side with a lighter entree.

Got tomatoes?

So, the next time you pick up some fresh Florida tomatoes: Give one of these recipes a try -- or share your own favorite fresh tomatoes recipes in comments here. 🙂