Did you know that lycopene, the red carotenoid found in tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit, keeps pink flamingos pink? If they didn’t eat lycopene, they’d be white flamingos. Which begs the question, do flamingos eat tomato sauce?In humans, lycopene is an antioxidant stored in our blood plasma, skin, and organs such as our liver, lungs, colon, adrenal glands, and, for those who have one, prostate gland. Studies are still ongoing but there is some evidence that lycopene may reduce our risk of vision loss, heart disease, and some cancers.
For reasons unknown, lycopene is best absorbed when we consume processed tomato products rather than raw tomatoes. One study showed 2.5 times higher lycopene absorption after eating tomato paste as compared to eating the equivalent amount of raw tomatoes.
Since it’s been kind of chilly here the last couple of days, chili is the best way I could think of consuming my lycopene this week. I like my chili vegetarian, yet meaty. I adapted this recipe from Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet. She likes to use kidney beans but I prefer the pinto.
To supply the vegetarian meatiness, I used Lightlife Taco/Burrito Smart Ground, found in most major supermarkets.
Flamingo-Friendly Chili
Serves 6
Prep: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely diced
1-2 T chili powder
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp cayenne pepper
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups water
2 cups soy veggie crumbles
3 cups cooked or two 15 oz cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large stockpot. Sauté onions for five minutes until soft. Add spices, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove cover, add veggie crumbles, beans and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Chili also freezes well.
Nutrition Info (per serving): 282 calories, 45g carbohydrates, 13g fiber, 21g protein, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 625mg sodium
3 comments:
for those of us in warmer climates and with a prostate, can you recommend a lycopene recipe? oh yeah, and that's simple to prepare.
I didn't know that tomato paste was a better vehicle for lycopene than the fresh stuff, how funny! I NEVER use all of the tomato paste in the can or the tube and it always irked me that I'd buy a can, use what I needed for whatever recipe then pitch the rest. Then I figured out (duh) that I could freeze what I didn't use in 1 tablespoon wax-paper packets for later use to boost the tomato-flavor in home-made sauce and give a little extra "oomph" to canned black beans (which always need extra seasoning). Sure it takes a few extra minutes to pack up the tomato paste packets, but I find that these packets (that I store all together in a freezer bag) are great little time-savers later. Btw, another flavor-enhancer secret for canned black beans is orange juice or leftover salsa. Don't knock it until you try it.
I would never knock your bean flavor enhancers. I love oranges and black beans. I sometimes toss the beans with mandarin oranges. I love mandarin oranges.
Jimnla, go ahead and smother your pasta with marinara sauce or slather your pizza (or open pita or flat bread which you can then pop into a toaster oven) with tomato sauce if you're not in the mood for chili since I doubt it's chilly in LA. Even better, add more veggies, like chopped up broccoli and/or spinach.
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