The tomatoes at our vegetable stand down the street, are plump, rosy red, and delicious. As if that weren’t enough, tomatoes are a great addition to a healthy diet—low-calorie, fat-free and a good source of Vitamin C. Even better is their abundant amount of lycopene, an antioxidant in the carotenoid family with cancer-fighting properties. In this instance, the cooked product is better for you than the raw—lycopene is concentrated in cooked products, like tomato sauces, soups and ketchup.

Add a little fat, like olive oil, and our bodies absorb lycopene even better. For lycopene-rich fresh tomatoes, choose the reddest ones you can find, make sure they haven't been refrigerated, and drizzle them with olive oil or add or a slice of fresh mozzarella.

Once picked, try out these delicious salsa’s...

Fresh Tomato and Black Bean Salsa
Recipe adapted from Everyday is a Party Cookbook, by Emeril Lagasse, with Marcelle Bienvenu and Felicia Willett, 2000

4 cups chopped vine-ripened tomatoes
2 cups dried black beans, cooked in salted water until tender, cooled (about 2 cups)
1 cup small diced red onions
1 large fresh jalapeno, seed and cut into small dice
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Crispy corn tortilla chips

Combine the first seven ingredients in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lime juice and olive oil. Mix well. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with the chips.