The fruits and vegetables you see in your local produce section are commercially-produced. Step inside your farmers market though and you may find beautiful heirloom varieties that are of different hues than their commercial counterparts. They’re colorful and full of robust flavors.
If you have a green thumb, try growing them in your garden. If not, get over to your farmers market and see if you can find any of these brilliantly bright varieties of your favorite produce.
- Red Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts look like little cabbages, but these red ones look like miniature red cabbages! They have the same type of antioxidants as blueberries too, giving you an extra dose of good health. If you’re cooking them, they will lose their color unless you dress them with salt and fresh-squeezed lemon juice or vinegar to lock in the color. You can also shave them onto your salads for a bright pop of red to jazz it up.
- Indian Corn
You’ll find it labeled this way at the farmers markets though these red corns come in several varieties. They’re not just for decoration in fall though. You can use them to make popcorn.
- Orange Beets
Beets are so good for you, but if you’re not a fan of that dark purple color bleeding all over your kitchen, you’re in luck. Orange beets don’t bleed. They’re just as nourishing as the purple beets you know. Enjoy them in salads, soups, or in your morning juices.
- Green Radishes
These surprisingly look a lot like cucumbers for the most part though some you’ll swear are turnips. Either way, if you spot these, grab them and slice them up in a salad or pickle them to enjoy for more probiotic power.
- Purple Cauliflower
Perhaps you’ll have more luck getting your kids to eat cauliflower when it’s pretty and purple. Unfortunately though, that gorgeous color drains out when you cook it, which will make it more difficult for you to sway your kids to give it a nibble. It’s best to use it in raw recipes like salads or even as one of the veggies on your veggie platter with dip or hummus.
- Purple Sweet Potatoes
Unlike purple cauliflower, purple sweet potatoes stay purple when you cook them, which means sweet potato dishes will be all the more brilliant when you use this heirloom variety of them. Imagine using that for your show-stopper sweet potato casserole during the holidays!
Heirloom vegetables really taste better too. These olden varieties have a special flavor that makes it easy to see why our grandparents had no trouble eating their veggies. If you can’t find them nearby, try starting your own garden where you can pick your own fresh heirloom veggies daily!