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Author: Amy Riley

Why tomatoes are good for your health

Posted on by Amy Riley

Eating healthier and having a better diet are goals for many of us, but it can be a lot more challenging than it sounds. Eating healthier is easier said than done, seemingly ‘healthy’ foods are sometimes concealing hidden salts and fats that actually make them worse for you than foods that are notorious for being ‘bad’ for you. However, this is something that you don’t need to worry about with tomatoes because tomatoes are food for health. 

Not only are tomatoes delicious (especially those from R&L Holt!) but they are filled with vitamins and nutrients that will keep your body healthy. The average tomato has only 0.2g of fat and is made up of vitamin C and E as well as a staggering 237mg of potassium. Whether eaten raw or cooked, tomatoes offer the same benefits no matter how they are enjoyed, so including them in your favourite dishes will make them much healthier.

There are a number of health benefits that come with eating tomatoes, such as: 

  • Lowering the risk of some cancers 
  • Lowering the risk of heart disease
  • Helping to maintain a healthy immune system 

As well as being great for your health, eating tomatoes also helps to combat diseases such as vascular diseases, liver diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases. This is due to the beneficial antioxidants that are rampant in tomatoes protecting cells in your body. 

There are many positive aspects of eating tomatoes, besides their great taste, and even more reason to incorporate tomatoes into your daily diet!

Omlette Pancakes with Tomato and Pepper Sauce

Posted on by Amy Riley

Are you looking for a delicious dish that you can cook in under half an hour? Well these omelette pancakes with tomato and pepper sauce are the perfect post Pancake Day treat for you!

Ingredients 

  • 4 large eggs 
  • A handful of basil leaves 

For the sauce:

  • 2 tsp rapeseed oil 
  • 1 yellow pepper: quartered, deseeded and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes 
  • wholemeal bread or salad leaves, to serve

Method 

Step 1 – first start by making the sauce, heat the oil in a large frying pan, and fry the pepper and garlic for 5 minutes until softened. Spoon in the cider vinegar and allow to sizzle away. Tip in the tomatoes, measure in a third of a can of water. Cover the mixture and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the peppers are tender and the sauce is thick.

Step 2 – to make the pancakes, beat 1 egg with 1 tsp water and seasoning, then heat a small non-stick frying pan with a small amount of oil. Add the egg mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is set into a thin pancake. Carefully lift this onto a plate and cover with foil. Repeat this process with the other eggs. 

Step 3 – Roll up onto warm plates, spoon over the sauce and scatter with the basil. Serve with bread or a salad on the side.

Enjoy!

Britain’s Tomato Shortage

Posted on by Amy Riley

The current tomato shortage in the UK has had a profound impact on supermarkets all across the country. From rationing tomato stock, to supermarket shelves being completely void of our favourite fruit, shoppers and producers alike don’t know when this will come to an end. 

Many growers across the UK have attributed this tomato shortage to poor weather conditions as well as the rising cost of living. This has resulted in reduced volumes of imported fruit. With a lot of Northern Europe delaying or not planting lit crops, due to the energy markets, many UK supermarkets have relied on more fruit from southern Europe and northern Africa this winter.

Our lit crop is in production producing Roterno, Strabena and Yelorita, at Sandylands. This normally starts in November but we delayed planting last year due to uncertainty on energy costs so started picking in early January.

So, we are in production during this fruit shortage and our conventional crops will be no later than normal starting later this week and mid to late March in other locations. UK growers in general expect most of the conventional crops to be in production in April which is a normal start date.

Why Buy British Tomatoes

Posted on by Amy Riley

Britain is well known for many reasons, from the Royal Family to roast dinners, Britain has many iconic aspects. 

Tomatoes are foods that are arguably not usually associated with Britain by most people, especially when Yorkshire puddings and fish and chips spring to mind, but we’re here to tell you why British tomatoes are the tomatoes you should be buying!

  1. British tomatoes are full of flavour 

British tomatoes are only picked when they are perfectly ripe, meaning they’re left attached to the vine for as long as possible. This gives them more time to develop extra flavour. The environment in which they are grown, in greenhouses, also contribute to their fantastic flavour. This means that we, as growers, can fully control the environment they are grown in and ensure the tomatoes get what they need. Temperatures can be regulated and the use of LED lighting ensures that there is enough light for plants to grow to their full potential.

    2. The variety available in the UK 

There are a range of tomato varieties in the UK, from sweet cherry tomatoes to big, bold beefsteaks, British producers are now producing tomatoes in all sorts of shapes, sizes and even colours. Each variety has their own unique flavours and textures that makes them memorable for different reasons, try some out for yourself!

     3.  The way British tomatoes are harvested 

By only being picked when they’re ready to eat, British tomatoes don’t spend time in refrigerated vehicles. Keeping tomatoes at low temperatures for an extended period of time severely impacts their final flavour, sometimes resulting in them not being as tasty. By getting them to shop shelves within days, British growers are able to capture this unmatched flavour.

There are many reasons to be proud of your British heritage, and now you can add their tomatoes to the list! Have you learnt something new about British tomatoes? Let us know!

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Posted on by Amy Riley

Everyone knows it, and everyone loves it. Try out this delicious spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce for a classic taste of Italy for your next meal!

Ingredients 

  • 200g spaghetti or linguine
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 300g tomato, diced
  • 125g ball mozzarella or burrata (see tip, below), torn into pieces
  • Handful of basil leaves, torn, to serve

Method 

Step 1 – Cook the pasta following pack instructions for 10-12 minutes. 

Step 2 – Put the chilli, shallots, oil, lemon zest, vinegar, sugar and tomatoes into a big mortar or bowl. Add a good amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and combine everything together.

Step 3 – Drain the pasta and toss together with the tomato mixture and mozzarella. Scatter over the basil for extra flavour to serve.

Why bees are so important to our tomato growing

Posted on by Amy Riley

What do you know about bees? Does honey and flying from plant to plant spring to mind?

It might surprise you but bees are actually one of the most important organisms in our everyday life! Their pollination is responsible for the survival of over 75% of the world’s plants, and of course, this includes tomatoes.

If you’re wondering, why are bees so important for tomato growing? We’re here to tell you how, and you better bee-lieve us!

Bees maintain the sequence of pollination in our tomato plants and therefore enable them to grow to a better standard. Bees are very beneficial for our tomato plants in that their pollination of plants keeps them healthy. The health of a plant is determined by how bees respond to it. It’s as simple as it sounds, if a plant is healthy, bees will gravitate towards it and take the pollen. Whereas, if a plant is not healthy, the bees won’t bother. So bees are a great indicator as to whether a tomato plant is healthy enough for production and are therefore extremely important for our tomato growing.

Next time you have a tomato from us, you have the bees to thank for its fresh flavour!

Tomato, Burrata and Broad Bean Salad

Posted on by Amy Riley

Many of us will have had the New Years resolution to eat healthier. This dreaded deal with ourselves can be difficult at times, but delicious food makes it much easier. Try this tomato, burrata and broad bean salad as a healthy dinner that tastes amazing!

Ingredients 

  • 500g tomatoes 
  • 1⁄2 tsp caster sugar
  • 150g broad beans podded
  • handful of basil
  • handful of chives
  • handful of flat leaf parsley
  • 1 tbsp tarragon
  • 1 tbsp lovage
  • 1 tbsp mint leaves
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard 
  • pinch of fennel seeds
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 x 100g burrata or 2 x 125g balls mozzarella
  • 50g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Method 

Step 1 – Chop the tomatoes into a mixture of slices and wedges and add them to a bowl.

Step 2 – Toss with 1/2 tsp salt and the sugar, then leave to marinate for 30 minutes. 

Step 3 – Bring a pan of water to boiling level and add the broad beans. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and allow to cool. Peel them out of their shells and gently squeeze out the shiny green beans.

Step 4 – Finely chop the herbs, then add to a bowl and whisk in the olive oil, mustard, fennel seeds, most of the lemon zest, and red wine vinegar, season, then stir in the broad beans.

Step 5 – Tip the tomatoes onto a serving platter. Top with the burrata, and spoon over the broad bean salsa. Scatter over the hazelnuts and remaining lemon zest to serve.

There you have it, a healthy meal packed with a range of flavours and nutrients!

Tomato and Basil Soup

Posted on by Amy Riley

Even though winter is coming to an end, the cold nights still persist. So why not make this quick and tasty tomato and basil soup to warm yourself up on the last of the cold winter nights?

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 5 soft sun dried or SunBlush tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
  • 3 x 400g cans plum tomatoes
  • 500ml turkey or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 142ml pot soured cream
  • 125g pot fresh basil pesto
  • Basil leaves, to serve

Method 

Step 1 – Heat the butter in a large pan and add the garlic. Let the mixture soften for a few minutes over a low heat. 

Step 2 – Add the sundried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, stock, sugar and seasoning, then bring to a simmer. Let the soup bubble for 10 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down.

Step 3 – blend the mixture in a blender, adding half the pot of soured cream as you go. 

Step 4- Taste and add desired seasoning. Serve in bowls with 1 tbsp or so of the pesto swirled on top, a little more soured cream and scatter with basil leaves.

Tangy Tomato Chutney Recipe

Posted on by Amy Riley

If you’re looking to add some spice to your dishes, look no further! This tangy tomato chutney will add the perfect kick to your meals. 

Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 finely chopped onion 
  • 1 crushed garlic clove 
  • 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste 
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes 
  • A pinch of sugar 

Method

Step 1 – Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the finely chopped onion. 

Step 2 – Cook for 5 minutes until softened and stir in the crushed garlic clove.

Step 3 – Cook for another minute then add the sundried tomato paste, the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of sugar. 

Step 4 – Gently cook for 20-25 mins until the paste is thick. Season to taste, then leave to cool before serving.

How easy is that? Give it a try and let us know how you go!

Creamy tomato, courgette & prawn pasta

Posted on by Amy Riley

Looking for a wonderful winter warmer dinner? We have just the dish for you! With this creamy tomato, courgette and prawn pasta, you will definitely feel the warmth after a cold January day! 

Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil 
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 large baby courgettes, sliced
  • 400g orecchiette pasta, or any other small pasta shape
  • 2 400g cans of cherry tomatoes
  • A good pinch of sugar
  • 200g raw prawn, peeled
  • 100g half- fat creme fraiche  
  • Small pack of basil, leaves only, torn

Method 

  • STEP 1 – Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the garlic and sizzle for a few minutes, add the courgettes and cook until they are starting to soften. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions.
  • STEP 2 – Add the tomatoes, sugar and seasoning to the pan, stir and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes while the pasta cooks.
  • STEP 3 – Add the prawns to the sauce and bubble until they just turn pink. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce with the crème fraîche. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes, add the basil and serve.

Enjoy!

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