If happiness is in the field, it’s also in the glass thanks to the new Oasis 10 vegetable low sodium and tomato cocktails!

Already popular with a clientele thirsty for healthy beverages, the Oasis line of vegetable-based cocktails is expanding with the launch of a new Tomato Cocktail and a sodium-reduced version of its popular 10-Vegetable Cocktail. And for good reason! Packed with vitamins and fibre, these beverages in a convenient TetraPak format combine both taste and health benefits. Remember that vegetable juices are part of a healthy diet, which, according to the Government of Canada, must include a wide variety of vegetables and fruits that can help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. What a thought…

The rule of 10… vegetables!

The Oasis 10-Vegetable Cocktail, now available in a new sodium-reduced version, features garden staples like tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green peppers and beets, plus great greens like lettuce, spinach, watercress and parsley. No wonder this cocktail is such a refreshing treat!

Whether you’re young or old, the vitamin C content of this vegetable cocktail is an added bonus since this vitamin has many recognized health benefits. Considered a dietary antioxidant, vitamin C

contributes to the formation and health of bones, cartilage, teeth and gums,
plays a role in energy metabolism,
helps fight the oxidative effect of free radicals (which are responsible for the aging of cells and the appearance of certain cancers in particular).

A 300 mL bottle of Oasis 10-Vegetable Cocktail also contains calcium, potassium, iron and vitamin A, and provides 7% of the recommended daily intake of fibre! Sometimes overlooked by consumers, potassium is both an electrolyte and an essential mineral that performs several vital functions in our bodies. It helps the body regulate fluids and muscle contractions, making it an interesting choice when training or playing sports. Finally, potassium reduces the risk of high blood pressure – one of the factors implicated in strokes (the famous and infamous ones!).

Hey, I love your tomato!

The new Tomato Cocktail capitalizes on the taste of this fruit that is eaten (and drunk) like a vegetable. Like the 10-Vegetable Cocktail, this new addition to the Oasis family provides potassium, vitamin C and fibre.

Did you know that fiber is known to have a beneficial impact on the body on many levels? It helps lower blood cholesterol levels, improves intestinal transit and provides a feeling of prolonged satiety, making it the perfect beverage on the go, in the lunch box or when you’re feeling hungry.

From cocktail to ingredient

While the new Tomato Cocktail can be enjoyed as is, it is also ready to be used in the kitchen. The possibilities are endless! Just like the sodium-reduced 10-Vegetable Cocktail, this new all-purpose product can be used as a base for a tomato cream, gazpacho, chili con (or sin) carne, Mexican rice or a simple pasta sauce.

A mixture of tomato juice and red wine, spiked with thyme, rosemary, Provençal herbs or other herbs, plays an essential role in many of the great classics of French and Italian cuisine, from boeuf bourguignon to spaghetti bolognese. Simply replacing the water or broth with tomato juice or a vegetable cocktail, in whole or in part, will instantly give your recipes a more intense and complex flavor. Why add water when you can add flavour?

Meatballs

For 600 g (1 1/2 lbs) of ground meat, mix 80 mL (1/3 cup) each of Oasis Cocktail and plain breadcrumbs, then add to your homemade meatball recipe to make them even more moist and flavourful.

BBQ Ribs

To shorten the cooking time of this barbecue staple, cut the pork ribs into sections, rub them with your favourite spices, then place them in a ring in a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot) in which you have already poured 250 mL (1 cup) of the Oasis cocktail of your choice. Cook for 20 minutes at “Meat”. Transfer to aluminum foil, coat generously with barbecue sauce and finish cooking in the oven or on the barbecue.

Bloody Mary

When it’s time for happy hour, what would the Bloody Mary be without tomato juice, or even a vegetable cocktail? A large glass rolled or not in black pepper, 2 oz of vodka, 4 oz of the Oasis cocktail of your choice, 2 squirts of Worcestershire sauce and a stalk of crisp celery as a garnish… and you’re ready to welcome guests or relax at the end of a long day. Psst! Did you know that you can substitute tequila for vodka to make a Bloody Maria?

The scottiglia

Have you ever heard of scottiglia, a rustic Tuscan-style stew that combines at least two meats, tomatoes and dry red wine? The story goes that the farmers of Tuscany used to get together after a day at the market and each one would throw the pieces of meat that had not found a buyer into a casserole dish. If there were any vegetables left over, they would add them.

Since scottiglia is cooked with whatever ingredients you have on hand, it never looks the same from one time to the next. Feel free to add your own personal touch such as a handful of green or black olives, a crust of parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, etc. You can also use the sodium-reduced Oasis 10-Vegetable Cocktail instead of the vegetables and the Oasis Tomato Cocktail. Here, the toutski philosophy reigns!

Scottiglia with Oasis Tomato Cocktail

Ingredients:

45 mL (3 tbsp.) extra-virgin olive oil
900 g (2 lb) of your choice of meat: Italian sausages, chicken legs, beef or lamb cubes, rabbit, etc.
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 bottle dry red wine
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
250 mL (1 cup) Oasis Tomato Cocktail
1-2 bay leaves
30 mL (2 tbsp.) Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
Good pinch of Italian herb mix
Salt and pepper to taste

To bind the sauce (optional)

30 mL (2 tbsp.) butter
30 mL (2 tbsp.) all-purpose flour

Preparation:

In a casserole dish over low heat, brown the meat in the oil (unless using sausages). Remove and set aside.
Add garlic, onion and vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pan to loosen the cooking juices.
Return the meat and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on very low heat for 2 hours or slide into a preheated oven at 160°C (325°F). (If using Italian sausage, add it halfway through cooking).
It’s ready when the meat is tender! Serve over creamy polenta or with a few toasted slices of good country bread.

Optional: If you want a thicker, silkier sauce, combine the butter and flour in a small bowl. Add a little of the sauce to make a more liquid mixture, pour back into the pot and simmer for a few more minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.

Urban myth and practical idea

The many uses of a tomato cocktail are not limited to culinary uses. Unfortunately, the belief that tomato juice helps to overcome the smell of skunk after an unfortunate encounter is… an urban myth! In addition to being ineffective, some veterinarians believe that applying tomato juice may irritate your pet’s skin. On the other hand, tomato juice will be effective if your beloved pet comes back from a walk muddy or smelly. A tomato juice bath (preferably in an outdoor tub since a wet dog always wants to shake it off, right?) will be surprisingly effective here.

Inspired? Check out the new Sodium Reduced 10-Vegetable Cocktails and Oasis Tomato Cocktail now at your favorite grocery store.