Red, orange, green, purple—fruits and vegetables come in a colourful array providing a wide range of nutrients.

Notably, some nutrients are specific to the colour group, allowing the groups to provide remarkable, but distinct, health benefits. Case in point, our red colour group; lycopene is the antioxidant that contributes to the red colour in foods.  In addition to boosting your heart health, maintaining a diet rich in lycopene may help protect you against various types of cancer.

In our article Colour Your Plate: Maximise the Health Benefits of the Foods You Eat, we discuss the various health benefits of lycopene and the foods that provide it.

However, it’s not just about eating by colour.  No mad dashes to the supermarket reading labels for lycopene. No overstocking your cupboard with kidney beans.  No, we want you to have fun with it. It’s having vibrant colour burst upon your plate.  It’s about delighting your taste buds even as you protect your heart.

We are going to Colour Your Plate—Red with a tasty side dish that goes with practically anything.  This delicious recipe will provide you with the much-needed lycopene, even as you savour every bite.

Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

6 medium tomatoes halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

½ parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a bowl, gently toss tomatoes with olive oil, then season with salt and black pepper.  Arrange tomatoes on a baking sheet. Top halved tomatoes with parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  Cheese should be melted and slightly brown.  Remove from oven and sprinkle tomato tops with parsley flakes.

Note: Mozzarella cheese can be used as a substitute for Parmesan cheese.

As we’ve provided the side dish, we’ll leave you to determine your main meal. However, might we suggest you choose something that would complement a glass of red wine?  After all, having a glass of red wine will provide you with anthocyanin—and this is one flavonoid you don’t want to pass on.

Wondering what’s so special about anthocyanin?  Stay tuned to our next instalment of Colour Your Plate.

 

Sources: Healthline, Allrecipes, and Food & Wine