Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad
- June 16, 2021
- Ashley Tyrner
Prep
5 mins
cook
0 mins
serves
4
The summer time brings about more warmth, social gatherings, and the promotion of a leisure lifestyle. When it comes to the foods eaten during summer, we typically tend to opt for lighter foods that help us feel refreshed and cooled down. With such sizzling sun temperatures, I’m finding that I naturally gravitate more towards a salad or a bowl of fruit than other more savory foods I’d eat during the winter. Preparing big, fresh salads is a go-to meal prepping choice for me, because I make it in a big batch, store it in the fridge, and then enjoy it throughout the week. Today’s recipe features a delicious marinated cherry tomato salad that is a fan-favorite amongst crowds, and definitely one of my favorite summer dishes!
Marinating Produce
This time of the year is one where we all look forward to gathering around outside with music, loved ones, and of course – the main attraction being a big BBQ pit! The popular choice for summer grilling usually includes different meats, some of which we are excited to let bathe in a flavorful marinade for hours beforehand.
But did you know you can also marinate your favorite vegetables? That’s right! Just as with meats, veggies soak up the delicious, herb-infused flavors of marinades quite easily, making them a wonderful grilling alternative if you want to throw them on the BBQ, or as in today’s recipe, simply enjoy the veggies with a little more taste to them! When you marinate veggies as opposed to heavy meats, it is much easier to reach your health and wellness goals. Veggies are lower in calories, help lower inflammation, and provide the body with several of the nutrients it wants and needs to thrive!
Why you should eat more salads in the summer!
We all know the summer temperatures soar up through the sky. Fortunately, the heat allows us to enjoy all of our favorite outdoor activities such as being poolside or at the beach, having picnics, or riding bikes. Unfortunately, the more heat in the air, the hotter the body gets, and when the body gets hotter, it seeks to cool itself down through sweating. If too much water via sweat is released from the body, you risk your body going into a mode of dehydration.
Dehydration occurs when your body releases more fluids than its taking in, resulting in you not having enough water to perform necessary daily functions.
Symptoms of dehydration include:
-feeling very thirsty
-dark yellow urine
-feeling lightheaded
-a dry mouth
-urinating less than 4 times a day
While one way to prevent dehydration is to drink more water, another method is to consume more foods, namely fruits and vegetables that are naturally higher in water content than meats and grains. Produce allows you to quite literally eat your water, and it is actually one of the most effective ways to boost your body’s water intake. Juicy fruits like tomatoes, oranges, and apples are all over 80% water, while vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, and celery are all over 90% water. Eat more plant-based produce in each meal or as snacks throughout the day to ensure that you are consuming water all day long and meeting your hydration targets.
As mentioned above, tomatoes are filled with water, about 95% to be exact. Cherry tomatoes in particular are one of my preferred summer snacks because they are small, juicy, and great on their own, or with a dip like hummus or guacamole. Just eating a handful of these mid-day gives my body the pick-me-up I need to get through the work day. They are flavorful, brightly colored, and even my daughter loves including them in her lunch!
To make it easier on yourself to eat more produce rich in water, I recommend utilizing our service FarmboxRx to receive organic fruits and vegetables delivered to your home. We’ve truly made ordering healthy food online a simple, straightforward process. The boxes are delivered on a weekly or biweekly basis depending on how much produce you and your family consume.
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Protection against free radicals
Free radicals are the environmental toxins that our bodies are exposed to. These guys are super toxic and cause damage to our cells, which over time can result in chronic health conditions such as cancer and heart disease. Due to tomatoes being a good source of antioxidants, eating them naturally protects against free radicals by neutralizing their effect. It is especially important to eat foods rich in antioxidants if you live in a big city and have higher exposure to environmental toxins such as pollution.
Hydration
Because tomatoes are so water-dense, they are one of nature’s perfect foods when it comes to hydrating the body. And considering it is recommended to drink at least 8 cups of water a day, snacking on tomatoes or adding them to your meals is a sneaky, healthful way to get more water into your body. Hydrated bodies have more energy and alertness, two factors definitely needed during the long, summer days.
Weight loss-friendly
Everyone wants their perfect beach body for summer, and alongside consistent physical activity, consuming low-calorie foods can certainly help you meet your physical goals. Tomatoes keep you feeling full as a result of their high water content, but also because they are filled with vitamins and minerals such as fiber, which is important to consume if you are wanting to lose weight.
Now let’s jump right into this savory, marinated cherry tomato salad recipe. Be sure to try the recipe out for yourself and give us a tag at @FarmboxRx and make sure to use the hashtags #FarmboxRx and #FarmboxLiving so that we can see how the recipe turns out!
Ingredients
1 lb cherry tomatoes
1 small shallot, about 2 tbsp
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 large clove garlic
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
½ tsp salt
optional: fresh ground black pepper
Directions
- Prepare vegetables. Halve cherry tomatoes, finely chop shallot, shop basil, and mince garlic.
- In a large jar, add tomatoes, shallot, basil, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Cover and turn a few times to evenly coat the ingredients.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving with a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper.
Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes
- 1 shallot small, about 2 tbsp
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 clove garlic large
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper freshly ground, optional
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables. Halve cherry tomatoes, finely chop shallot, shop basil, and mince garlic.
- In a large jar, add tomatoes, shallot, basil, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Cover and turn a few times to evenly coat the ingredients.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving with a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper.