I was inside my room and through the window, my eyes caught this stunning yellow beautiful tomato that had quietly grown to full maturity in my little garden corner but what amazed me most was where it chose to grow, right inside one of the hollow blocks I kept beside the garden basically screaming "come harvest me!"
I didn鈥檛 even notice it at first, it just sprang up, grew steadily, and found comfort inside that tiny space. That is one of the most beautiful things about nature, it always finds a way to thrive, even in unexpected places.
For those wondering what type of tomato this is, this isn't your regular red tomato from the market. This is a yellow roma tomato sometimes called golden roma or yellow plum tomato, it is from the same family as those oval shaped red romas you see everywhere, but this one decided to show up in a sunshine yellow outfit instead, it is one of the local garden tomato varieties that turn yellowish or orange as they ripen. It usually takes about 70 to 90 days to grow to full maturity, depending on the weather and watering routine.
What makes these special? Well, they are meatier than regular tomatoes, have fewer but big seeds and honestly, they taste slightly sweeter and less acidic than their red tomato and that lower acidity is actually why some people with sensitive stomachs prefer yellow tomatoes because it is easier on the belly.
Now, let me tell you about the journey, from the day I planted that tiny seed to holding this mature beauty took roughly 70 to 80 days, that is about 10 to 12 weeks of watching, watering, and basically being a tomato parent, hehehe 馃ぃ 馃ぃ 馃ぃ Some varieties can take up to 90 days but these Romas are pretty reliable with their timing.
This particular plant found its own special spot, it sprouted and grew right in the gaps between some concrete blocks I had stacked beside my garden. Plants are something else, I tell you, they will literally find a way to thrive in the most unexpected places. It just wedged itself in there and said "this is home now," and honestly, the blocks probably gave it some support as it grew taller.
The thing is that not everyone has acres of farmland, and that is perfectly fine but what I have learned is that even a small space, I mean a few pots, a corner of your yard, or apparently, the gaps in some stacked blocks can give you fresh produce. There is something different about picking your own tomato versus buying one that is been sitting in a store for who knows how long.
Fresh tomatoes straight from the plant have more nutrients intact and they are loaded with vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K plus that lycopene everyone talks about, it is an antioxidant that is great for heart health and may help with skin protection from sun damage. So when you grow your own, you control what goes on them, no mystery pesticides or chemicals you can't pronounce, even just having a few vegetable plants around reduces stress (something about watching things grow is therapeutic), gets you moving a bit, and saves you some money on groceries and at the end of the day, it is a win win win right?
One thing I love about planting this particular roma tomatoes at home is that you literally use the whole thing, every part of it is useful unlike some vegetables where you are peeling and throwing away half of it, with these yellow romas, everything has a purpose. You don鈥檛 need to peel or waste anything, just rinse well, extract the seeds, and cut into smaller pieces for grinding.
Although this tomato can be prepared for grinding in two different ways:
(1) Some people prefer to boil their tomatoes first before blending, especially if they won鈥檛 use them immediately. Boiling helps to reduce excess water, making the tomato paste thicker and helping it last longer without spoiling. It is a simple preservation trick for those who like to store their garden produce.
Just rinse it well under running water (maybe use a soft kitchen brush if there is any garden dirt), slice it open, scoop out the seeds and then chop it up but some people can choose to throw it straight into the pot and boil for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the quantity and here are some important benefits of boiling:
Longer shelf life: boiling kills off bacteria and enzymes that would make the tomato spoil faster, if you blend it fresh and leave it, it might go bad within a day or two but if it is boiled and properly stored, you can get several days, even weeks if you freeze it.
Better texture: boiling breaks down the cell walls, making everything softer and easier to blend into a super smooth sauce.
Concentrates the flavor: some of the water content evaporates during boiling, making the tomato flavor more intense.
Easier to remove skins: though with romas you don't really need to, but if you boil them, the skins slip right off if that is your preference.
(2) Just rinse it well under running water and just like I said earlier use a soft kitchen brush if there is any garden dirt, slice it open, scoop out the seeds and then chop it up or just put it straight into the blender for a fresh sauce or salsa, the skin blends right in, there is no need to peel anything off.
Personally, I blend mine fresh when I am using it immediately for stew or jollof rice that same day but if I am prepping for the week or a lot of it got ripe at the same time then I will boil it to preserve the lifespan.
Here is something most people don't know, those seeds you scoop out are also valuable, they are actually little treasure chests for your skin and I am serious about this.
It contain oils and compounds that are actually used in skincare products, they have got linoleic acid (helps with acne and inflammation), vitamin E (antioxidant that fights aging), and other nutrients that benefit skin health.
I take those seeds, wash them clean, and spread them out to sun dry it in the sun for a few days until they are completely dried out then I grind them into a fine powder using a small mortar and pestle or if you have a blender too then mix with your body cream, it adds a gentle exfoliating effect and the nutrients get absorbed into your skin, your skin feels smoother and healthier over time.
Some people (which I do also) even mix the powder with extracted fresh aloe vera gel for a natural face care routine, it helps to brighten, soften, and protect the skin from dryness.
Apply it to your face in the morning or before bed. The aloe vera gel soothes and moisturizes, while the tomato seed powder provides gentle exfoliation and antioxidants.
The lycopene in tomatoes even in the seeds may help protect your skin from sun damage and improve skin texture and like my dermatologist will always say that it can help with anti aging by fighting free radicals plus, the natural acids in tomatoes can help brighten skin tone over time.
Just a word of caution if you have very sensitive skin, do a patch test first on a small area to make sure you don't have any reaction, just like my dermatologist will always suggest when trying something new on your skin.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, lycopene, and antioxidants, all of which help repair the skin, reduce spots, and promote a healthy glow.
This little discovery reminded me that beauty and wellness can grow right around us sometimes, we just need to look closely and also the most beautiful things grow quietly in places we least expect.
Thank you so much for taking your time to visit my blog, do have a productive day ahead 鉂ｏ笍
