Italian stewed tomatoes with sausage

FloridaTomatoes.org lists reasons for adding more tomatoes to your diet.  Tomatoes  (which are a fruit, not a vegetable) are one of the best sources of lycopene. Lycopene helps prevent cancer and is good for your skin.  Eating tomatoes can reverse damage caused by smoking.  Tomatoes are full of antioxidants.  They support heart health.  The Vitamin A in tomatoes is good for your bones, eyes, hair and skin.  The chromium in tomatoes may help diabetics keep their blood sugar levels under control.  Besides being good for your health, tomatoes also taste delicious.  This recipe pairs them with sausage and Italian herbs and spices.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 pound of diced smoked sausage or Polska Kielbasa
• 1 medium-sized onion (diced)
• 1/2 green or yellow bell pepper (seeded and diced)
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 can of Italian stewed tomatoes or 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of white rice cooked according to package directions

Directions

• Pre-heat a large pan.
• Add the two tablespoons of olive oil to the pre-heated pan.
• Add the diced sausage to the olive oil.  Saute’ the sausage in the olive oil until caramelization occurs.
• Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the sausage.  Saute’ until the vegetables are translucent.
• Add the dried Italian seasoning and spices.  Mix the ingredients well.
• Add the can of tomatoes and can of tomato sauce.  Stir.
• Simmer everything for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve the Italian tomatoes and sausage over cooked white rice.

This tomato and sausage recipe can also be eaten with cooked pasta.  There are numerous ways to enjoy the taste of tomatoes.  Use them in a healthy tomato sauce.  Or, eat them fresh in a salad.  No matter how you eat them, tomatoes are a healthy fruit!