HELP! I have a bumper crop of tomatoes...

[JenniferGreen]

What can I legally do with them?

I am not in strict induction...Following more of Ongoing Weight Loss...

[JoanOH]

I've got an enormous vegetable garden and this year seems to be the best year of all. Only 10 tomato plants, but tons of tomatoes!

First, I make my own spaghetti sauce -- with absolutely no sugar, just garlic, olive oil, green peppers, onions, spices and herbs. I can mine, but you can freeze it in ziploc freezer bags or freezer containers as well.

We like thick slices of tomatoes topped with mozzarella cheese and oregano and basil, slide it under the broiler until the cheese starts to melt.

Or, thick slices of tomato cold with slices of mozzarella cheese and basil, drizzled with olive oil. Classic Italian side dish. You can actually use any type cheese and drizzle with low carb italian dressing too. Or omit the cheese and just slice up tomato, pour on some Italian dressing and refridge for an hour or so. Mmmmmmm

Peel and de-seed the tomatoes, quarter and put in a big pot with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and cook them down until they're fairy soft. Add onion, green pepper, fresh green beans, chunks of eggplant, even brocolli and let it all simmer with some oregano and basil - yummy ratatoille. It freezes well too.

Make a good thick tomato sauce, add some chicken broth and cream - low carb cream of tomato soup. Also freezes well, but don't add cream before freezing.

Thick slice of tomato topped with grated parmesan cheese and oregano and a slice of pepperoni - put it under the broiler - mini pizza slices.

DH loves a slice of tomato with salt and pepper and a bit of mayo, with a slice of swiss cheese wrapped around it.

And of course, you must have fried green tomatoes!! Yum yum and more yum!

That's all I can think of at the moment -- be sure and count the carbs on these as you're doing them!!

Joan J

[JenniferGreen]

Thanks for all the yummy ideas! My neighbor came over today because she could see through our mutual fence that I was drowning in tomatoes. She asked if she could have some...PUH-LEASE! Take More!!!!

I made a roasted tomato soup (a recipe I found online) and it is really yummy. EXCEPT that I did not de-seed the buggers before hand, so there is a "chewy-ness" to it. Next time I will remove the seeds!! I even through in a package of cream cheese and it is really good.

I am not really that big of a fan of tomatoes, but my family is eating them up instead of eating ice cream and sugars for dessert, so I cannot complain!!!! I see improvement!

[2big4mysize]

make your own whole tomatoes for your cooking. you can blanch them and freeze them in a zippered bag

io make chili
you can make smothered okra if you like orka
chili is great and freezes well
there is a dessert called a tomoto betty you could fix with flax bread

[cherylene3]

pls elaborate how you make your own tomotoes spaghetti sauce. how much tomatoes i need and do i smash those herbs, garlic etc together with the tomotoes? must the tomatoes skin be removed first. kindly help as i dun like to buy tomatoes puree sauce from the stores as it contain sugar. below is your message posted in the forum.

First, I make my own spaghetti sauce -- with absolutely no sugar, just garlic, olive oil, green peppers, onions, spices and herbs. I can mine, but you can freeze it in ziploc freezer bags or freezer containers as well.

We like thick slices of tomatoes topped with mozzarella cheese and oregano and basil, slide it under the broiler until the cheese starts to melt.

Or, thick slices of tomato cold with slices of mozzarella cheese and basil, drizzled with olive oil. Classic Italian side dish. You can actually use any type cheese and drizzle with low carb italian dressing too. Or omit the cheese and just slice up tomato, pour on some Italian dressing and refridge for an hour or so. Mmmmmmm

Peel and de-seed the tomatoes, quarter and put in a big pot with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and cook them down until they're fairy soft. Add onion, green pepper, fresh green beans, chunks of eggplant, even brocolli and let it all simmer with some oregano and basil - yummy ratatoille. It freezes well too.

Make a good thick tomato sauce, add some chicken broth and cream - low carb cream of tomato soup. Also freezes well, but don't add cream before freezing.

Thick slice of tomato topped with grated parmesan cheese and oregano and a slice of pepperoni - put it under the broiler - mini pizza slices.

DH loves a slice of tomato with salt and pepper and a bit of mayo, with a slice of swiss cheese wrapped around it.

And of course, you must have fried green tomatoes!! Yum yum and more yum!

That's all I can think of at the moment -- be sure and count the carbs on these as you're doing them!!

Joan J[/quote]

[JoanOH]

pls elaborate how you make your own tomotoes spaghetti sauce. how much tomatoes i need and do i smash those herbs, garlic etc together with the tomotoes? must the tomatoes skin be removed first. kindly help as i dun like to buy tomatoes puree sauce from the stores as it contain sugar.

I'm afraid I'm a "bit of this, bit of that" kind of cook and honestly can't provide you with a recipe and list of specific ingredients. I might use just 10 tomatoes if that's what I have, or I might have 10 lbs of tomatoes -- depending on how the garden is doing. I think your best bet would be to get a recipe for spaghetti sauce from any good basic cookbook -- and simply delete any ingredients that aren't allowed -- no sugar, for example. They will be able to give you more details and step-by-step instructions than I can. I'm sorry I can't help you more!!

Joan J

[mrslee44]

I'm afraid I'm abit late on this, but nevertheless...when my tomatoes were coming fast and furious, I took to drying them. I sliced them sandwhich thickness laid on the dehydrator and dried them. I can tell you that I started with about 20lbs, and when I was finished the pieces fit into a quart bowl.

Made nice snacks and I also packed them in olive oil with spices.