Ahh, there is nothing like being at the beach with your family! And if you can get good produce from a local farmers market on the way to the beach, then I would consider that a slice of heaven! Good old New Jersey tomatoes are what we are eating this week at the beach. The sweet juiciness of tomatoes just screams summer. Although tomatoes are now available year-round, the truly wonderful qualities are best when they are in season from July through September. Did you know that tomatoes are actually a fruit? And the amount of phytonutrients in this fruit top the charts for a wellness eating plan. In the area of food research, the tomato has been studied extensively for its lycopene. It has the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage and has been linked in human research to the protection of DNA (our genetic material) inside of white blood cells. Lycopene has been tested to help fight against colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. And believe it or not, if you cook tomatoes you get more “bang for your buck” nutrition wise! Just ask Chef Nancy how to make a wonderful homemade spaghetti sauce and you can take your local grown summer tomatoes and create your own masterpiece!