I Heart Tomatoes!

In our house we have a “go-to” meal – one that I nearly always have ingredients on hand for, that we love, and that is really easy and fast to make, and that is also wonderful as left-overs.  It’s a recipe that my husband had growing up that he brought into our marriage, and it’s called “Mexi-Stew”.  It’s a mild chili made with kidney beans, chili beans, corn, and tomatoes – the foundation of the recipe is Hunt’s diced tomatoes.  Add a little chili powder and garlic, top with a bit of cheese, and it’s the perfect comfort food! (I’ll post the full recipe at the end of this post!)

It just so happens that last week when ConAgra Foods and the Motherhood.com contacted me last week about posting a heart-healthy tomato-based recipe, I was already making Mexi-Stew for dinner that night!  So I knew it was meant to be.  Let me share with you some of the reasons that tomatoes are so good for the heart, from a research study by ConAgra, the maker of Hunt’s tomatoes. (Which, by the way, are 100% natural and contain no artificial preservatives or ingredients!)

• Tomatoes contain the antioxidant lycopene, which is important to heart health.  Lycopene absorption in canned tomatoes like Hunt’s is two to three times greater than in that of raw tomatoes!
• Tomatoes are good for your blood pressure!  A recent six-week study showed that people who consumed two canned tomato products daily had a significant decrease in blood pressure.
• Tomatoes contain lots of other heart-healthy nutrients.  They are a great source of Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.  Calorie for calorie, they contain double the potassium of bananas or milk.

So now I’ve told you a little bit about why tomatoes like Hunt’s are good for your heart; let me tell you why I care so much.  I care so much because heart disease is the enemy we know in my family.  My mom’s dad died of a massive heart attack when he was just 44 years old.  My dad’s dad, whom we just lost at age 88, had several heart attacks in his 50’s and a few more over the ensuing decades.  He endured multiple open-heart and bypass surgeries both before and after I was born; it is a miracle we had him with us for so long!  My fabulous Uncle Paul is himself a heart attack survivor.  My dad had a stent put in a few years ago to correct a clogged artery.  Both of my parents are understandably very careful about their heart health and my brothers and I need to be also!  We know so much more now about heart health than we did in 1970 when my grandfather (and Emily’s) passed away at age 44, without warning, in the prime of his life, when he was living the American Dream and about to be a grandfather for the first time.   I have a lot of inspiration in my family to take care of my heart, and of course I want to be healthy for my husband and my babies!  I want to be around for a long time and help my kids when they have kids of their own.

So, my family history is pretty serious when it comes to heart disease.  Which is part of the reason I’m really glad to have some yummy, heart-healthy meals that I love, like Mexi-Stew, that I make with Hunt’s canned tomatoes.  Here’s our hallowed Rapson family recipe for Mexi-Stew!  I usually make a double batch and freeze it or plan for leftovers, so I’m writing this as a double-batch, but feel free to half it if it’s too much for your family.

Mexi-Stew

2 – 15 oz. cans Hunt’s tomatoes

2 – 15 oz. cans kidney beans

2- 15 oz. cans chili beans (I use mild, feel free to spice things up if you want to and use hot!)

2 – 15 oz. cans corn, undrained

1 clove pressed or minced garlic

2 tablespoons chili powder

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in large pot on stove.  Do not drain beans or corn.  Heat on high until it just comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cook longer if desired to let flavors blend.  Serve as a soup or over rice. Top with cheese if desired.

Crock pot directions: Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2 hours.

Enjoy!

__________

This post was sponsored by ConAgra Foods, the maker of Hunt’s tomatoes, through the Motherhood.com.  All opinions are totally mine and the recipe has been handed down in my husband’s family!