Purple carrots, orange cauliflower, yellow beets – colorful veggies are popping up in gardens and grocery stores everywhere. Eating the rainbow has never tasted so d’lish!
Not only are colorful veggies beautiful, they’re incredibly healthy too, thanks to their naturally occurring pigments. Beta-carotene in yams, lutein in red peppers, lycopene in tomatoes…the list goes on and on! Each color plays a different nutritious role in your body, and packs a powerful punch of flavor.
Bright orange sweet potatoes are so good for you and when baked or roasted can starve off sugar cravings.
Lime green Romanesco Broccoli is a relative of both broccoli and cauliflower. Originally grown near Rome in the 16th century, it looks like it’s from a sci-fi movie- so the kids will love this one! I like it best when roasted with olive oil and sea salt with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
For your next dinner party, pile a serving platter high with fresh, crisp veggies from every color group for a healthy appetizer option. Or how about my Green and Yellow Pole Beans Provencal! It’s the perfect colorful dish to please a crowd.
-Kathy
Green & Yellow Pole Beans Provençal
Makes about 10 servings
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small Walla Walla Sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise (about 4 cups)
1 pound wax beans, trimmed and halved crosswise (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until fragrant. Sauté the onion, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, or until golden. Transfer the onion to a large bowl.
Add the green and wax beans and white wine to the pan, cover, and steam the beans just until their color is bright, about 2 minutes. Remove the lid, add the tomatoes and garlic, and sauté until the beans are just crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
Meanwhile, to the onions in the bowl, add the vinegar, mustard, thyme, and olives, then toss in the beans as soon as they are done. Toss in the salt and pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table Cookbook
