New Vegetable Experience

The Color Purple: A New Vegetable Experience

Purple might seem like a pretty strange color for a vegetable, but the benefits of including it in your diet are extraordinary! The 5 veggies we describe below are unique, but can be easily added to your diet, giving it a punch of color and flavor.

Eggplant

This vegetable is related to both the potato and tomato, and is added to meals in similar ways. With a tendency towards a bitter taste, recipes suggest salting to soften the vegetable and reduce the bitter effects. Check out this great Hitch Fit Recipe for a unique twist on the use of this purple vegetable: Eggplant French Toast!

Purple Potato

The purple potato is a native of South America, and has a much more enticing color and nutritional value than traditional russet potatoes. With four times the antioxidants, the purple potato is a much healthier choice for your vegetable needs. Add it to any recipe for a burst of color and extra nutrition! As a side, these potatoes will taste great seasoned with garlic, and provide a great conversation piece. Let us know how you tried out your purple potato experiment.

Bell Pepper

The most surprising place I’ve seen this pepper was in a vegetable patch at Disneyland. This pepper is a great source of healthy eating, and works best when raw. Since the peppers tend to turn gray when cooked, the most appetizing way to eat them would be in a salad or sliced up as a side for dipping. Hitch Fit meal plans encourage healthy snacks in between meals, and sliced bell peppers are a fantastic addition, especially for our “on the go” eaters.

Cauliflower

This engineered veggie is a fantastic way to get your vitamin C, and add some color to an otherwise boring side. Add it to salads or make it a delicious side to your chicken dinner. Try this recipe, full of great spices, and give your plate a new burst of color and flavor. Casseroles are another great way to incorporate this vegetable without it being the focus item. Mix it in, bake, and enjoy the art of diverse cooking.

Kale

While not the most interesting member of the cabbage and lettuce family, kale is a source of high amounts of vitamin K, lutein, beta carotene, calcium, iron and vitamin C. Quite a conglomeration of health! Kale has been popularized in smoothie drinks and also in an Olive Garden soup. Substitute your usual green kale for purple, and switch up your daily routine.

Add to Your Diet and Your Life

While in some cases the purple version of vegetables contains more nutrition, that is not always the case. Either way, it’s a great idea to make your food more enjoyable by adding unique ingredients whenever possible. Keep yourself from getting bored with your usual diet, and switch out the vegetable colors! Bell peppers, for example, come in four colors. You’ll need to experiment with each color to ensure it contains the flavor you’re after. But once you do, the joy of finding new colors to put on your plate, and new tastes to add to your meals will keep you on the straight and narrow towards a happy and healthy life. Hitch Fit is dedicated to helping you reach your goals; why not check out our program to see if it’s a good fit for you?