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Preheat the oven to 400F.
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Gently squeeze the tomatoes by hand to remove excess seeds, then put them in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
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Place the tomatoes, cut side down, in a single layer on sheet pans and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skins are just browning and the juices are bubbly.
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Let cool for 5 minutes, then lift off the skins with a fork.
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Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.
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Add the carrots, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and continue to saute until the carrots become just tender, about 5 minutes.
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Lift the tomatoes off the sheet pans and transfer to a food processor, then pour in any pan juices.
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Add the carrot mixture and the basil and pulse until pureed but still a little chunky.
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Transfer back into the saucepan and stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
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Do a FASS check.
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Tomatoes can sometimes be acidic, so you may want to add a pinch of sweetener and another pinch of salt.
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If fresh tomatoes arent available, you can substitute two 28-ounce cans of plum tomatoes.
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Goes with baked halibut (page 123), Creamy Polenta (134), and a wide variety of pasta dishes.
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Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
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(per serving)
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Calories: 120
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Total Fat: 5.4g (0.8g saturated, 3.5g monounsaturated)
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Carbohydrates: 17g
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Protein: 4g
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Fiber: 5g
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Sodium: 230mg
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Tomatoes have been touted for having lycopene, a well-studied antioxidant that appears to have protective properties against many types of cancer.
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A few tricks can help you coax a little more lycopene out of these colorful orbs.
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Heat is one key.
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Tomatoes grown in hot weather produce more lycopene, and cooking boosts the availability of this phytochemical.
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Ohio State University scientists decided to do a little home cooking and found that using oil and a second round of heat (260F for 40 minutes) created a tomato sauce that allowed participants to absorb 55 percent more lycopene.
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If tomatoes arent your thing, watermelon is also high in lycopene.
