We hope that everyone will join us for this Thursday’s tasteful
Pathfinder Produce Market at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m. Next
week, we’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and our third anniversary of the
market with some specials. We’ll also be marking World Down
Syndrome Day, which takes place on 3-21 (representing the triplication of the
21st chromosome, the genetic cause of Down syndrome for most
individuals). We hope you’ll join us during these festive weeks at
Pathfinder Produce!
***
As
we’re contending with some gray days, I love it when we get glimpses of color
indicating spring’s arrival (blue skies, colors of buildings heightened
by rays of sun, etc.) My colleague, Martha, offers this column
about using a simple ingredient – peppers – to add color and flavor to ordinary
foods to make them more tasteful and festive!
A
great way to add color and flavor to many dishes is with bell peppers. Bell
peppers, which are not hot or spicy, come in several colors. Pathfinder Produce
carries green, red, and yellow bell peppers; there are also orange and—less
commonly—brown, white, lavender, and dark purple. (For the purposes of this
blog, I’ll focus on the three colors available at Pathfinder Produce.)
So
what is the difference? Aside from the color, the first difference you’re
likely to notice is availability. Green bell peppers are much more likely to be
stocked on store shelves than any other variety. The other obvious difference
is price; the green peppers are generally lower in cost. The reason for both of
these is that green bell peppers are actually under-ripe. They are harvested
earlier, so since there is a shorter time from seed to harvest, they are
cheaper and more plentiful. Yellow and red varieties start out green, and are
allowed to ripen before harvesting, thus longer growing times and higher
prices.
Another
difference is taste. The green peppers can have a bitter edge, while the yellow
and red peppers are sweeter. And while all of the varieties are excellent
sources of Vitamin A, C, and Beta Carotene, the amounts vary. Based on a 1 cup
serving, green peppers have more than three times the amount of Vitamin A and
Beta Carotene than the yellow peppers, but about half the amount of Vitamin C.
The real vitamin champ is the red variety, however, with almost 9 times the
amount of Vitamin A, twice the amount of Vitamin C, and 2 ½ times the amount of
Beta Carotene as the green bells. World's
Healthiest Foods
Bell
peppers are great either raw or cooked. You can cut them into sticks for a
colorful veggie tray, or dice them into a salad. They are a nice addition to a
stir fry or almost any veggie-based casserole. You can also slice them into
rings, put them in a frying pan, and use it for an egg ring to make your
breakfast a little fancier and nutritious. For other ideas, see this article on
MyRecipes.com.
Until
next time, be well!
Martha
(and Lori)
