FRUIT AND VEGETABLE COLOR WHEEL

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1 All colors are a great source of fiber! Red ~ Lycopene, Vitamin C Edible Rainbow Purple/Blue ~ Anthocyanins, Phenolics White ~ Allicin, Selenium, Pantothenic acid FRUIT AND VEGETABLE COLOR WHEEL Green ~ Lutein Indoles, Vitamin C Orange/Deep Yellow ~ Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium

2 Tempt Your Taste Buds Activity The United State Department of Agriculture introduced MyPyramid, which recommends eating more fruits and vegetables each day. The rainbow of colors, shapes, flavors, and textures makes eating these foods both enjoyable and nutritious. The vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber are examples of nutrients, which offer the body health benefits and may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. The produce with the most antioxidant properties are marked with an asterisk below (USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging). Antioxidants are compounds found in food that decrease the damage to cells in the body. Notice, that most are bright in colors, offering an edible rainbow to choose from. One serving of fruit or cooked vegetables is ½ cup; ¾ cup of juice; 1 cup leafy greens; or ¼ cup dried fruit. Increase your fruit and vegetable intake by trying at least one new food each week. How many of the following fresh fruits and vegetables can you check off after visiting your local farmers market over the summer? (Remember there are other fruits and vegetables that are healthful for you to try that come from other states and other countries.) Apricots Apples, green variety Apples, red variety Asparagus Avocado Blackberries* Beets* Blueberries* Broccoli* Brussels sprouts* Cabbage Cantaloupe Calabaza Carrots Cherries* Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Grapes, red* Greens, collard Greens, kale* Greens, mustard Greens, turnip Honeydew melon Jicama Kohlrabi Kumquats Lettuce, Bibb Lettuce, buttercrunch Lettuce, red leaf Leeks Okra Onions* Parsnips Peaches Pears Pears, Asian Peas Peppers, green Peppers, red* Peppers, yellow Persimmons Plums Potatoes Potatoes, sweet Pumpkin Radishes Raspberries Scallions Soybeans Spinach* Strawberries* Squash, spaghetti Squash, summer Squash, zucchini Tomatoes Tomatillas Watermelon Specialty produce Copyright 2007 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.

3 The Color of Food Activity The color of food adds to our enjoyment of eating. We know by experience that a red tomato is ripe, juicy, and sweet and ready to be eaten. The green tomato however, is hard and bitter, and unless cooked to soften the fibers, is best left on the vine. We also know that most of our acceptance of food is dependant upon what we expect the color of that food to be. For example, we expect a strawberry to be red, not brown, and zucchini squash to be green, not yellow. Purchasing fresh produce from the farmers market ensures that you are purchasing Mother Nature s own rainbow of colors. Let s see how color affects our perceptions of food by making our own rainbow pizza, which serves six. Purchase these items, either from the store or from your local farmers market: 1 12-inch Prebaked pizza crust 1 15-ounce jar of Alfredo sauce 1 6-ounce package Low fat mozzarella cheese 1 cup of Mixed vegetables: green peppers, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms 4 different natural colors* *Instead of reaching for artificial coloring use some of these natural colors that are already in your kitchen. For a yellow color, add a few threads of saffron. For green, use spinach juice. For pink, cherry, raspberry, or beet juice may be used. A blue coloring may be acquired by using blueberry juice. Most of these don t keep for an extended period of time and need to be made fresh each time. Or you can purchase plant-based natural food colors that are prepared in concentrations that are easy to use. While they don t match the same hues as artificial or Mother Nature s colors, they are the actual colors found in real foods. Activity Instructions 1. Place pizza crust on baking sheet or stone. 2. Divide Alfredo sauce evenly into four small bowls. Place food coloring into separate bowls of sauce to make four different colors. 3. Spread one-fourth of the pizza crust with a different-colored sauce. Sprinkle the sauce with 1 to 2 cups of assorted, cooked vegetables and 1 cup of low-fat mozzarella cheese. 4. Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. 5. Cool, cut, and enjoy. Do the different colors affect the taste? Are there some colors you don t want to try, because the color is not what you expect? Copyright 2007 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.

4 Fruit Salad Activity Using what is in season from your local farmers market, add 1 cup of washed, cut fruit for each friend you have visiting. Then drizzle with a light sauce or sprinkle with sugar if desired. This will keep the cut fruit from oxidizing and turning brown. Try one of the following recipes, depending on the season. Each recipe should serve six or if you need a double serving of fruit for the day, it will only serve three. The more friends you have, the more cups of fruit you will need. Try preparing together for a fun friendship treat. Adding nuts or dried fruit will change the color and texture as well. Don t forget that all fruits, even melons, need to be washed before eating. 1 cup blueberries 1 cup strawberries, sliced 1 cup blackberries OR 1 cup cantaloupe, cubed or in balls 1 cup honeydew, cubed or in balls 1 cup watermelon, cubed or in balls Honey Orange Sauce ⅓ cup orange juice 2 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon ground ginger Dash of nutmeg Nutritional analysis (1 tablespoon): 5 calories, 2 g carbohydrate Copyright 2007 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.

5 Friendship Salad Americans are consuming five times more lettuce per person than we did a century ago. With the large number of varieties that are available at the farmers market, salads have become even healthier for us than before. Pick from butterhead, Bibb, looseleaf, romaine, watercress, arugula, oak leaf, escarole, radicchio, chickory, and mesculun which are a mixture of young greens. Look for lettuce that is fresh and crisp, with good color and no signs of yellowing, decay, or rust spots. Darker leaves contain more nutrients. Use lettuce quickly, or wash and store in the refrigerator, wrapped in damp paper towels in perforated plastic bags. To wash, separate the lettuce leaves before washing. Put the leaves in cool water in the sink, then drain and dry. A salad spinner is a good investment if you eat lots of salads. A serving (1½ cup) of torn lettuce provides 15 calories and 2 g of fiber. Tearing the lettuce instead of cutting prevents browning on the edges. A pound of salad greens will yield about 6 cups of chopped salad greens. Now add fresh fruit from the farmers market, such as peaches, pears, apples, grapes, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries. Or how about fresh vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumber, peas, or edamame? The edible rainbow of fruits and vegetables adds essential vitamins and minerals. If you can find nuts, beans, or other value added products such as corn relish or pickled beets at the farmers market, they are wonderful addition to salads. Sometimes farmers markets will also have a variety of cheese. Consider sprinkling mozzarella, feta, goat, bleu, gorgonzola, Asiago, or cheddar cheese on your salad to add protein. Remember a serving size of cheese is 1-ounce or the size of a 9-volt battery. Now toss the salad with your favorite low-fat salad dressing or try the one below and you ve made a refreshing meal. Mediterranean Vinaigrette Yield: ¾ cup or 12 tablespoons ½ cup of olive oil ¼ cup flavored vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, raspberry, or wine vinegar) ¼ teaspoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Nutritional analysis (1 tablespoon): 90 calories, 1 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat Copyright 2007 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.