It’s tomato season and time to think about all things tomato.
In October last year, I wrote that we had tomatoes coming out our ears. Our garden was exploding with tomatoes. Sadly, this year, it’s not looking like that will happen. There is still time so I am hoping that the garden is prepping for a late-season harvest. Fingers crossed.
In the meantime, I’ve been getting fresh, local seasonal tomatoes from the grocery store and farmer’s market.
This summer, I’ve been really enjoying adding fruit to my salads and in the spirit of that I wanted to share my newest favorite combination. It combines the sweet peaches of the summer with the late summer harvest of tomatoes…it’s the perfect end of summer salad to enjoy this Labor Day weekend.
Tomato, Peach and Red Onion Salad
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 – 2 heirloom tomato, sliced into wedges
2 ripe peaches, sliced into wedges
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
8 oz. shredded chicken (optional)
2-4 oz. fresh mozzarella, burrata or Miyoko’s Fresh VeganMozz (optional)
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed (optional)
Sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste.
5 oz. baby spring mix greens
- Place red onions at the bottom of a large bowl. Pour 2 tbsp. on apple cider vinegar. Mix onions and vinegar together until onions are well coated. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and peaches.
- Add chicken and cheese, if using.
- Add olive oil and garlic. Toss well.
- Season with sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste.
- Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Oh, in case you are wondering, that is basil in the picture. My husband and son planted Boxwood Basil in our garden this year. It looks deceptively like oregano. It’s confusing, I know. It took me forever to believe it was really basil. I kept looking for basil in our garden and could never find it. Then I finally smelled and tasted the ‘oregano’. Found it! (And I’ll admit — I “googled” it — just to be 100% sure and confirm that I wasn’t crazy.)
Tomatoes, which are part of the nightshade family, are one of those tricky fruits/vegetables. While incredibly nutritious for some, they may be not for others, including you. So, take note this season and notice if you see new- or worsening of- symptoms… like muscle/joint pain, rashes/itchiness, acid reflux, acne or fatigue.
If you know (or discover) you have problems with tomatoes or nightshades, know that you are not alone and that there are steps you can take to change your relationship with your symptoms and possibly even tomatoes or other nightshades. If you want to explore this further with me, set up a 15 minute session here and we can chat about what working together would look like.
Happy Labor Day!