That or they just boil them

The idea that putting anything on a vegetable or cooking it in a fashion that changes its appearance somehow robs the food of its healthy qualities has done irreparable harm to healthy eating habits

Pretty true in my case, veggies were either the frozen mixed veggie blend (disgusting, especially the carrots), boiled, or just prepared in a way that made them unappetizing. No shade to my parents, it's tough to cook for a family, but when we all learned to prepare veggies properly I found out I actually like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, etc

I do still hate cooked carrots & I stand by that, I've tried plenty of methods & I haven't found one I like. But I'm fine with that

Very much the case in my house. The only "salad" that was eaten in my home growing up was this unholy mix of sliced raw onion, cubed tomatoes, SO MUCH WHITE VINEGAR and some salt. I wouldn't go near it.

Turns out I like salads when they have a bit of oil or dressing or other things.

Tomatoes are made to be robust and to ripen extremely slowly while reddening quickly. You get a fruit that's really firm and tasteless because it's pulled off the vine too soon, but it ships well so stores don't give a fuck. This is why canned tomatoes have a stronger flavor and are recommended more often for sauces etc, because they're cultivars bred for flavor, not structure, harvested at maximum ripeness, and locked there by canning. If you don't fuck with tomatoes because they're mid as hell, a can of San Marzanos on a pizza could change your mind.

Something in the aroma just reads like rot to me and no amount of cooking helps. A healthy tomato plant still in the ground smells like yard waste and so does your grandma's marinara that she simmers for eight hours. But then I don't like ketchup either. Some vinegar is fine but even a little ketchup drowns out everything else.

Also, heirloom tomatoes have a wonderful flavor!

I don't think it's adding flavor, unless you're overdoing it. Some foods taste more like themselves when you add a bit of salt, and some spices really work well with the natural flavor of a dish already. That's the beauty and fun of cooking.

Yep

A nice tomato sandwich on a hot day is :chefs-kiss: