If you love tomatoes, this is the best time of year. With our wacky weather patterns, not every region has fab tomatoes this season, but still – it’s TOMATO TIME.
Things we love to do with lots of tomatoes…
Eat them * There’s nothing like warm, ripe tomatoes from the vine. Okay, wash them first. Please. But yum. This is the best reason to grow cherry or grape or pear tomatoes. There are always plenty of ripe ones left for salad even after you’ve snacked on the vine.
Quick and easy * Sandwiches and salads are the defaults, aren’t they?
Put sliced tomatoes in sandwiches. Use whole-grain or flourless bread, or whole-wheat pitas. Fill with all your favorite veggies – cucumbers, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, spinach, arugula, etc. Add soy bacon or turkey bacon (no nitrites or nitrates, please!) once in awhile. Serve with a soy or turkey or portobello burger.
Add tomatoes to salads – or make a salad of tomatoes. Sliced tomatoes (any size or shape) drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette or reduced balsamic vinegar (syrup) are delish. We like to serve tomato halves stuffed with tuna salad, mock tuna salad, chicken salad, or eggless salad.
Freeze them * Some people can tomatoes – more power to them. If you love canning, and you do it right, it’s a wonderful way to save the bounty for the coming winter. We’re lazy – we freeze them.
Score the blossom end with a small X, and then blanch them for about 1 minute to remove the peel.
To seed them, cut across in half (equator cut, if that helps) and squeeze to release most of the seeds.
Give them a rough chop and toss into a freezer weight zipper bag.
We like to lay the produce bags flat to freeze them, and then stand them up in a cardboard shoe box like files. So easy to find what you’re looking for in the middle of February.
Roast them * The best. And you can freeze the roasted tomatoes, too (see above). Roasting works best with Roma (also called plum) tomatoes.
Score the blossom end with a small X, and then blanch them for about 1 minute to remove the peel.
Cut them in quarters lengthwise (pole cut, if that helps).
Lay the quartered tomatoes on a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet. Use the parchment because the acid of the tomatoes reacts with the metal pan, and changes the flavor.
Cut a bunch of garlic cloves into slivers. Insert one sliver into the seedy part of each tomato quarter.
Lightly drizzle the whole pan with extra-virgin olive oil.
Sprinkle with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Roast at 425F for 20-30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have blackened edges. Cool on the baking sheet. To freeze for later use, put the tomatoes (with any juices) in freezer-weight zipper bags as described above. Or toss with hot pasta, carmelized onions, spinach and parsley chiffonade, and little non-dairy parmesan or nutritional yeast.
Marilu’s son Nick will be singing with TGA (Theater Geeks of America) on the main stage at the Roots and Shoots International Day of Peace at the Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles) on Sunday, September 20.
Roots & Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute, is a powerful, youth-driven, global network of more than 8,000 groups in almost 100 countries. Together, youth of all ages are taking action to improve our world through service learning projects that promote care and concern for animals, the environment and the human community.
This is a family event, with lots of activities for kids, and plenty of family entertainment.
Marilu is scheduled to speak about the Child Nutrition Act sometime around 1:30 PM (subject to change).
Nick will be singing with TGA (Theater Geeks of America) at 2:30 PM on the main stage. And here’s a special preview of TGA recorded recently:
If you’re in the LA area, spend your Sunday afternoon at the Santa Monica Pier!
Hey, canned beans are great. We’re the first to suggest that a couple of cans of black beans or cannelini beans or kidney beans should be in your pantry to make a quick meal.
But a cup of canned beans costs about $1.30 these days. And a cooked cup of dried beans is often less than $.50. That’s an appreciable difference.
The thing is, dried beans take time and planning – two things we often don’t have, whether by choice or circumstance. So let’s work with those constraints – we want real-world solutions here.
Time-saver 1 * Sort and wash some dried beans. The quantity will depend on what you think you might be needing for the next 3-5 days. Put them in a big glass bowl, and cover them with water. Let them soak overnight on the counter. If you don’t get to them that night, put the bowl in the fridge (keep the beans covered with water), and use up the beans within the week.
Time-saver 2 * Sort and wash some dried beans. Put them in a pan of cold water, and bring them to a boil. When the water boils, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let them sit for an hour.
Time-saver 3 * Sort and wash some beans. Toss them in a crock pot, cover them with water, and cook on low overnight (or about 6 hours).
Time-saver 4 * Swap out the beans in the recipe for smaller legumes like dried peas or lentils. They cook faster.
Bring the kids to the Roots and Shoots International Day of Peace at the Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles) on Sunday, September 20. Marilu will be the keynote speaker, and Marilu’s son Nick will be performing with his group TGA (Theater Geeks of America). If you’re in the LA area, come and enjoy!
You don’t have to be an iron man (or woman) to join a community race – you just need spirit! Well, and a bit of training, but you’re already exercising, right? Use the race as a motivational goal.
These events are usually part of community celebrations or they’re fundraisers, so there are lots of participants who just want to have fun. Join them! Have some fun! And maybe you’ll even get a t-shirt!
Humor us. This song isn’t about being physically strong – but we like to pretend it is. Especially as we’re trying to walk fast enough to stay with the beat.
Are you moving every single day? Challenge yourself to move for at least 30 minutes a day. Break it into three 10 minute segments if you need to. Or two 15 minute segments.
Get a buddy or two, and stay accountable to each other by taking a half-hour walk (or run) together every single morning.
Start now – don’t let a day go by where you aren’t getting stronger.
Every now and then, something comes along and taps us on the shoulder as a little reminder that we must take care of our bodies, and ourselves. There’s no such thing as an accident, and you do in fact have control over your journey. You have choices in life, no matter who you are. Health isn’t everything, but without it, you’ve got nothing.
Marilu will be at the Roots and Shoots International Day of Peace at the Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles) on Sunday, September 20.
The event runs from 11 AM to 4 PM, and Marilu is scheduled to speak about the Child Nutrition Act sometime around 1:30 PM (subject to change).
Marilu’s son Nicky will be singing with TGA (Theater Geeks of America) at 2:30 PM on the main stage.
This is a family event, with lots of activities for kids, and plenty of family entertainment. If you’re in the LA area, spend your Sunday afternoon at the Santa Monica Pier!
Roots & Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute, is a powerful, youth-driven, global network of more than 8,000 groups in almost 100 countries. Together, youth of all ages are taking action to improve our world through service learning projects that promote care and concern for animals, the environment and the human community.
It’s fun to surprise people with desserts that are healthy AND delicious.
Blushing Berry Pudding (or Pie) Yellow * serves 6
1 package silken tofu – soft or medium
1 10-oz package frozen strawberries, no sugar added, partially thawed
1/2 cup oat milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
for garnish:
soy whipped topping*
fresh raspberries
mint leaves
Blend all ingredients in a blender, stopping the blender to scrape down the sides periodically, so that everything is blended perfectly smooth.
Spoon into a casserole dish or individual serving dishes and refrigerate.
Garnish with soy whipped topping, fresh raspberries and a sprig of fresh mint.
To make a pie:
Use firm or extra-firm tofu.
Spoon the tofu-berry filling into a graham cracker crust.
Or put half the filling in the crust, then a layer of pureed berries, then the rest of the filling.
Refrigerate to set the filling. Garnish as with pudding.
* SoyaToo makes a good soy whipped topping. It comes in aerosol cans (refrigerated), and in aseptic boxes (refrigerated) that just need to be whipped.
Marilu moderated a panel at the West Coast Documentary and Reality Conference yesterday. Speakers on panel (in the pics) are Tony Miros (casting director), Beth Greenwald (VP, Original Programming & Series, E!), and Damla Dogan (producer).
After the panel, she was interviewed by the Documentary Channel.
Eat them * There’s nothing like warm, ripe tomatoes from the vine. Okay, wash them first. Please. But yum. This is the best reason to grow cherry or grape or pear tomatoes. There are always plenty of ripe ones left for salad even after you’ve snacked on the vine.
Hey, canned beans are great. We’re the first to suggest that a couple of cans of black beans or cannelini beans or kidney beans should be in your pantry to make a quick meal.
The Total Health Makeover
Marilu will be at the Roots and Shoots International Day of Peace at the Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles) on Sunday, September 20. 
