Turn tomato paste into healthy juice

heloise

Turn tomato paste into healthy juice

Dear Readers: We all know tomatoes are good for us, and one way to be sure to have our daily dose is to drink a glass of tomato juice! But you don’t need to purchase expensive, store-bought juice.

Try making your own. Mix 1 part tomato paste with 3 parts cold water (adjust to your taste), then blend in a blender until it’s smooth and creamy. You can add salt and pepper, other vegetables, salsa or whatever strikes your fancy. It is cheap to make, but it’s rich in flavor. Heloise

Dear Readers: Here are some tomato facts you might not know:

UWhen choosing tomatoes, look for those that are firm, smooth and shiny.

UDon’t refrigerate! They will taste better and ripen properly if left on the counter. If they are ripe, put them into the fridge to stop the ripening process.

UBy definition, a tomato is a fruit, but in 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it would be considered a vegetable. So, have one a day either way!

Dear Heloise: I do this for the holidays, but it would work for any busy time throughout the year. I bake a lot of quick bread. Weeks or several days before baking, I measure all the flour, leavenings and spices, and put them in a plastic bag. When ready to bake, it is so much quicker and easier to do the rest of the ingredients. I also cut up any nuts and dried fruits and put them in a separate plastic bag, ready to use. Shirley Steele, Summerfield, Fla.

Dear Heloise: I have found that it is best to spot-clean your tablecloth while it’s still on the table. This keeps any stains from sneaking through, and your tablecloth is always looking its best. Betty M., via e-mail:

XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate