Besides squash the size of baseball bats, summer gardens are about to burst with tomatoes, onions, peppers, greens and other nutritious cancer-fighting produce. These AICR recipes combine the best of the bumper crops into fabulous dishes.
Right now, in gardens all over the nation, mysterious shapes are growing under leafy clusters. But don’t worry. It’s not Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but summer’s payoff for hardworking gardeners: a bounty of cancer-fighting vegetables.
It’s an inspiring time of year to start eating a mostly plant-based diet for lower cancer risk. Filling your plate at every meal with a wide variety of colorful vegetables is easy now, and fulfills the 5-10 daily servings recommended for maximum health protection.
Stepping outside the back door and picking a fresh red bell pepper is a special pleasure after buying them for $3.99 a pound at the grocery store. If you don’t have your own garden, you can find a farmer’s market. Once you start perusing the stalls, it’s hard not to end up walking out laden with multicolored peppers, summer squash, eggplant, tomatoes, green beans, spinach, fresh herbs and anything else you can carry.
Here’s a look at the nutrients in a few popular summer vegetables.
Bell peppers start out green, then ripen to a sweeter red. Hot peppers like jalapeno have capsaicin, a phytochemical that may combat inflammation. Bell peppers can be yellow, orange or purple, too. Green peppers have 132 mg of vitamin C; red have 209 mg. Both contain 346 mg of potassium per 1 large pepper, and about 3 grams of fiber.
Tomatoes come in a great variety. Three main kinds are Italian plum (or Roma) tomatoes, big, juicy beefsteak tomatoes and medium-sized globe tomatoes. Sweet cherry or tiny grape tomatoes are ideal for snacking. Fashionable “heirloom” tomatoes can be purple, white, yellow, or even striped. When cooked or processed, tomato products have about three times as much of the cancer-fighting phytochemical lycopene (i.e., 4.6 mg in 1 medium tomato versus 40 mg in 1 cup of pasta sauce). A dried cherry tomato and a fresh, orange-colored kind of fresh tomato are being developed to contain high amounts of lycopene. One medium tomato contains 22 calories, 16 mg of vitamin C and 1.5 grams of fiber.
Zucchini and yellow squash have more flavor when smaller-sized than when they reach gargantuan proportions. Zucchini and yellow squash are versatile because their mild flavor blends well with garlic, onions, tomatoes and other stronger-tasting vegetables. Without added fat or other ingredients, zucchini have only 20 calories per cup, 21 mg of vitamin C and 325 mg of potassium; yellow squash have 25 calories for 1 cup, 10 mg of vitamin C, and 276 mg of potassium.
Onions, garlic, chives and scallions all contain protective phytochemicals called sulfides, as well as some potassium and vitamin C. When you cook with garlic, you can get the most health protection from it by crushing or mincing it first, then letting it sit for 10 minutes before cooking it, research shows. Garlic, scallions, shallots and leeks all have vitamin C and fiber. One large yellow onion, for example, contains 106 calories, 16 mg of vitamin C and 3 grams of fiber.
Fresh herbs also contain phytochemicals ranging from lutein and coumarin to pthalides and carsonol. Adding fresh oregano, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, dill, sage, and marjoram turns dishes into gourmet delights.
Summer’s vegetables can make endless delicious combinations, from salsas and salads to ratatouilles and pasta sauces. Here are a few AICR recipes to get you started.
Ratatouille with Sweet Peppers
1 small eggplant, about 5 ounces, thinly sliced
Olive oil spray
1 medium green summer squash, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded or 1 cup jarred pimento, drained
1 large yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in 1/4-inch strips
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or 1 1/2 tsp. dried
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Italian plum tomatoes seeded and cut in 1/4-inch slices
Place eggplant in a bowl. Spray lightly with olive oil spray, tossing to coat evenly. In another bowl, do the same with the squash. Set both within reach near the stove. Coat a large pot liberally with the spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add and sauté eggplant until lightly browned, turning the slices often, about 4 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a plate. Add onions to the pot. Coat liberally with cooking spray. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Mix in garlic and cook, stirring until onions start to color, about 1 minute. Add squash, peppers, eggplant, basil and cayenne pepper, if using. Mix in tomato paste. Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Transfer to a large container with a lid and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring ratatouille to room temperature before serving. It tastes best when cooked the day before serving.
Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 40 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g. saturated fat), 9 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 12 mg sodium.
Tomato-Red Pepper Chutney
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. ginger root, grated
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 whole cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 serrano or habanero pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
Pinch of salt, or to taste
Place all ingredients in large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about one hour or until reaching desired thickness. Remove cinnamon stick and discard. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 89 calories, 2 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 17 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 17 mg sodium.
Tomato-Cucumber Salad with Parsley and Mint
4 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley and mint. In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil and mustard. Add to tomato mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Makes 4 servings, each 1/2 cup. Per serving: 56 calories, 3 g total fat (4 g saturated fat), 8 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 24 mg sodium.
Whole-Wheat Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic
Olive oil spray
1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed, stems removed
8 ounces whole-wheat spiral pasta or whole-wheat macaroni
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut tomatoes in half. Place tomatoes on prepared pan, cut side up. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and shriveled. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cover with foil to keep warm. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add roasted tomatoes and cook 1 minute. Add pasta and cook 1 minute, to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Transfer pasta mixture to individual plates and top with Parmesan cheese.
Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each. Per serving: 164 calories, 3 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 31 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 31 mg sodium.
Tomato, Zucchini and Eggplant Stacks
Olive oil cooking spray
1 small eggplant, about 3/4 pound
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided
1 medium zucchini
Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium plum tomatoes
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a light coat of oil on a baking sheet.
Slice top off eggplant. Cut eggplant lengthwise (from top to bottom) into 1/4-inch slices. Discard two outer slices. Coat four largest slices with cooking spray and place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. cheese. Reserve any remaining eggplant for another use.
Slice zucchini lengthwise into four thin slices. Spray each slice on both sides with oil and arrange on top of eggplant. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. cheese and pepper. Cut each tomato into 4 slices. Arrange 3 slices, cut side up, on top of zucchini slices. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and pepper.
Bake vegetable stacks until eggplant is tender, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Stacks keep 2 days, tightly covered in the refrigerator. To serve chilled stacks at room temperature, first gently heat in a microwave in order to revive the flavors, and then allow them to cool down.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 53 calories, 1 g. total fat (<1 g. saturated fat), 9 g. carbohydrates, 3 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 66 mg. sodium.
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides a wide range of consumer education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals, and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $70 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. Visit AICR’s Web site. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.