My sweet grandmother Cecilia grew a beautiful garden each summer. I remember as a child being asked to go out and pick cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh basil and onion so that she could make a light garden salad for dinner. She always had an abundance of tomatoes which she canned whole, and sliced, cubed with onion and spices, and pureed for fresh tomato juice.

We know that tomatoes are good for us. According to Health Mad, (HealthMad.com), tomatoes are good for the following:

•  They contain anti-oxidants. The more red the tomato, the more beta-carotene it contains.
•  They help keep diabetics blood sugar levels low due to the mineral chromium
•  They may help improve your vision because of the vitamin A tomatoes contain
•  Tomatoes help to lower blood pressure and high cholesterol levesl due to their potassium and vitamin B content
•  They are a good skin care accent. Lycopene, a substance found in many of the expensive over-the-counter facial cleansers, is present in tomatoes. Slice up a few and lay them on your face for 10 minutes, then wash off. Your skin will be cleaner and more shiny.
•  The lycopene that is good on your face, is also considered to be a natural anti-oxidant that may help stop the growth of cancer cells.
•  They contain a decent amount of vitamin K and calcium, both of which are good for bone strength
•  They have been shown in some studies to lessen the risk of gallstones and kidney stones when eaten without the seeds.
•  I know that many of you are gardening this summer and tomatoes will be growing in profusion soon for each of us. Below is just another delicious way to eat this amazing fruit - yes fruit - even though we do think of it as a vegetable.

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Chilled Tomato Soup

2 jars organic tomatoes (or 6-8 garden tomatoes)
1 quart ice cubes
1 cucumber, juiced
2 celery stalks, juiced
2 lemons, juiced
1 carrot, juiced
1 red pepper, juiced
1/4 cup agave nectar (or honey)
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Garnish
1/4 cup watermelon, diced
1/4 cup cucumber, diced
1/4 cup avocado, diced
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
1/4 cup Cotija cheese

Combine all ingredients & blend with a hand blender or other blender until smooth. Chill for two hours before serving.

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