What to do with...

Tomatoes and Cucumbers!

My parents buy all the food in my house and for the most part my dad and I [mostly I] cook. Even though I do cook the a lot of the cooking, I dont have a lot of say in the ingredients they buy. [I can almost do ONE dish from a recipe a month because we never have all of the the ingredients!] ANYWAYS..

We seem to have a huge problem keeping fresh ingredients from rotting. My mom loves to buy tomatoes to put into her salads, but she seems to buy almost 15 roma tomatoes at a time, and I know we throw away a good amount of them because we simply cannot use them in time. Is there no solution to this problem? I mean besides telling her to buy less. I was thinking freezing them, or something. Anyone know any tricks? We also have this problem with cukes, my dads favorite thing to buy. BUT basically, is there any fresh fruit/veggie that I just SHOULDN'T freeze?

Also, one last thing, because my family has COMPLETELY hoped on the eating-better-train, my parents convinced me to buy whole wheat flour instead of the normal unbleached kind i normally buy. I havent opened it. Has anyone used it? Should I just use it like any other flour?- in baking, frying, etc? Or, should I be looking for a distinct flavor or anything? AND!

Does anyone have any recipes they feel like sharing that involve a bunch of fresh veggies or fruits? Its summertime in California and we have a plethera [sp] of fresh foods to choose from.

Please and Thanks!<3

Greek salad!  Raita!  Refrigerator pickles!  Bruschetta!  Salsa!  Google will give you tons of recipes.

I don't know about freezing cucumbers or tomatoes.  Seems like a bad idea to me (mush factor).  I would try canning instead.

You can freeze tomatoes but they are mushy when you unthaw them - but perfect for adding to homemade pasta sauce!  I have accidentally frozen cucumbers before when they get shoved to the back of the fridge - definately wouldn't recommend that!  Gross!

I use whole wheat flour all the time - but keep white flour on hand as well.  100% whole wheat works fine in things like pancakes or to coat anything, but for breads/cakes etc. use 50% whole wheat, 50% white - otherwise you will be eating bricks!!

Do you and your family like Greek food, try making tzatziki sauce its a combination of cucumber yoghurt and, there are a lot of recipes around for it.  I use one from a container of Greek yoghurt.  I agree with the previous post that italian sauces are a great idea for too many tomatoes.  You can make a basic sauce, freeze it and then thaw it and add whatever you want to make piazza sauce, spaghetti sauce etc.  I also like to put seeded, peeled, sliced, diced tomatoes in with rice add some onions and curry powder and it is the great base for a meal with chicken or fish.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 Cup Greek Yoghurt

2 Cucumbers

2 Cloves Garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp White Vinegar

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Peel, seed and coarsely grate cucumbers, drain and combine with the other ingredients. (I find it easiest to mix everything but the cucumbers together and then add the cucumber).

Don't freeze anything that is crunchy and meant to be eaten raw, like cucumbers and lettuce. 

Here are a few things I freeze without cooking first.

Freezing tomatoes:  chop and put into freezer containers.  They are great to use instead of canned tomatoes, and have the advantage of being the whole tomato - many of the nutrients are in the skin.  Also, tomatoes release more nutrients when cooked.

Freezing bell or hot peppers:  cut in pieces and freeze loose in plastic bags.  These are great to add to chili, stews and other cooked dishes.

Freezing onions:  Chop and spread out on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Freeze solid then dump into labeled plastic bags.  You'll be able to take out just what you need for sauteeing or adding to cooked dishes. 

None of these will keep their texture and can only be used in cooked dishes. 

I have been storing my produce in Green Bags, the ones advertised on TV.  For most things, I wash and dry or let drip dry and then store in the bags, loosely folding them over at the top.  If there is any moisture beading inside the bag, I insert a dry paper towel to keep it under control, changing the towel every few days. (you can use those towels to wipe up messes, if wasting them bothers you.)  The main thing is to use things up because, although the bags slow down spoilage, things will eventually spoil anyway.

Of course the real solution is to not buy so much in the first place, but I realize that this might not be in your control.

Recipes: 

End of the Garden Stewed Vegetables

Classic Gazpacho

Try tabbouleh! It's something different and it's so delicious.

Ingredients:
1 1/2  cups  uncooked bulgur
1 1/2  cups  boiling water
1 1/2  cups  diced English cucumber
1  cup  chopped fresh parsley
1  cup  diced tomato
1/4  cup  chopped green onions
1/4  cup  fresh lemon juice
1  tablespoon  extravirgin olive oil
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
4  garlic cloves, minced

Combine bulgur and boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain; place bulgur in large bowl. Add cucumber and remaining ingredients to bulgur; toss well. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Whenever I have a lot of extra tomatoes, I make soup. Not a particular recipe. Chop and cook down tomatoes until they're a little saucy (and can add tomato sauce, broth, or water if you have it and depending on the consistency of soup you want). Throw in other veggies (eggplant, peppers, whatever). Some form of protein (Kidney beans, cooked ground beef, cooked + chopped chicken).

Then I season. Usually I either go italian/green seasonings, or chili/cumin/chipotle seasoning.

It's fun, creative, there's no set of ingredients required, and its a little different every time.

Those green bags, or whatever they're called really work.  I think you can probably get them just about anywhere now.  I get them at the local flea market for less than half price. 

Yum, I'm jealous of you! Its hard for us to keep fresh food in the house for very long, it seems like I have to go grocery shopping every day... I'm a nut about not letting food go to waste.

But whenever I have a bin full of veggies on the fritz, I go for a huge garden (egg-white) omelette! Spinach, diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, the works! Sometimes I'll throw them in a stew, but now that its summer I can't even think about soup... a big vegetable stir-fry with rice is an all-year favorite, though. Now I can't stop thinking about this (lol)--- have you ever had Israeli couscous? (Not "real" couscous, made of semolina flour, but outrageously tasty!!) You can get it boxed (cheap @ Trader Joe's) or from a bulk bin. I love to toast that up with tomatoes, herbs, olives, melted cheese...get creative and throw whatever you have in.

As for fruits, toss them in some cottage cheese, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, etc... I like to slice them up and use them on sandwiches (Apples work well with onions & cheese; Bananas with PB of course!).

Also, instead of freezing them, you can google how to dehydrate fruits & veggies (easily done with your oven), and then you have homemade dried fruit, veggie chips, or your own trail mix!

It seems like you got a bunch of responses for the veggies, so onto the whole wheat flour.  I use whole wheat flour all the time.  It can make things harder to work with (doughs especially).  It will also lend a kind of nutty flavor to whatever it is you are using it for.  I agree with tinaek about cake...in fact, for cake, I would just go all out and use only white flour.  For bread, however, you can totally use ALL whole wheat flour.  It will certainly have a different texture, but it will not be a brick.  You might want to add an extra bit of oil (or butter, or whatever you use), or even applesauce, to the recipe if you are using all whole wheat flour.  It will make the bread more moist. 

My favorite thing to make with whole wheat flour is pizza dough.  It is soooooo delicious!

I know this isn't realy a recipe....but sometimes the only way for me to get through my fresh fruit and veg is to just actually REMEMBER to put it on my plate. Stick a note to your fridge maybe?  would seriously recommend just cutting up a tomato and sprinkling with black pepper and having it on the plate with whatever meal you're eating. If each person in the family has a sliced tomato with their lunch or dinner you can get through 12 in no time :D They go well with so many meals!

Have them on sandwiches.  I have a slice of tomato on pretty much any sandwich I make except for ones with PB.   Also you might try "Gurkensalat"---German cucumber salad.  I'm pretty sure it's basically cucumber, sour cream and certain herbs/spices.  You can google it I'm sure.

here's one with sour cream:http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1918,149187-245199,00.h tml

here's one with oil and vinegar:http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1918,149186-245199,00 .html

I hope the links work...if not, just copy and paste in the navigation bar.  EDIT: search for "german cucumber salad" in google and recipes will come up

Also tomatoes are great plain or peppered....also good salted, but you gotta watch sodium intake.