In Living Color: RED

Cooking by color is the simplest way to ensure a healthy meal. When it comes to fresh produce, the brighter the color, the better. Color can serve as a great cooking guide - when your vegetables start to lose color, they are also losing their nutrients. Therefore presentation is not just aesthetic, it's an indication of how healthy your meal is.

When I see tomatoes on my plate I say "red - mmm.... lycopene" and that powers up my x-ray vision. Ok. Maybe not right away - but red fruits and veggies contain the highest amount of lycopene, which you'll hear is great for its cancer preventing properties. The CDC says that red fruits and veggies are also packed with vitamins C and A, which are powerful antioxidants (or as my niece says "anti-oxygen").

We all know what an apple-a-day can do for us, but did you know it contains up to 4 grams of fiber? Strawberries can help regulate blood sugar, cherries contain melatonin, watermelon is packed with potassium and folic acid, raspberries are among the highest antioxidants, and tomatoes contain more than 20 nutrients - just to name a few. Mmm...lycopene.


Sprinkle some raspberries or strawberries on your next bowl of cereal. Brighten up a stew with fresh cooked tomatoes. Throw red bell peppers in your stir fry, add some beets to your salad, and set a bowl of cherries out for everyone to snack on.

I use cherries where my citrus would usually go in cooking meats. I glazed these pork ribs with fresh sliced cherries and cooked them in the oven - fall off the bone meat with a fantastic tart flavor!


What's red in your kitchen?